How to block YouTube Shorts for your kids?

Are you looking for a way to block YouTube shorts? YouTube shorts have become popular in recent years, especially among the kids. While your kids may enjoy the safe content, it’s almost impossible for them not to encounter inappropriate material.

For this reason, YouTube created a dedicated version to enable you to protect your kids from dangerous content online.

In this article, we will share how you can restrict access to inappropriate content on YouTube Shorts.

Is YouTube Shorts safe for kids?

Yes, however, YouTube Shorts is a possible double-edged sword because it could be both safe and unsafe for children.

Like many other platforms with user-generated content, the platform has entertaining and educative videos.

Nevertheless, the brief nature of YouTube Shorts often features catchy music and fast content that may not reflect parents’ standards for child-suitable materials.

YouTube uses content guidelines and moderation efforts, but creating a safe environment is challenging. With the help of proper parental controls, limited access to certain content and active monitoring of children’s online activities, parents can improve safety.

However, the impact these strategies will have on a child depends on their age and maturity level, besides parental involvement in monitoring what they do online.

How to block YouTube Shorts on phone?

With the increasing popularity of YouTube Shorts, using inappropriate content for children has become a common issue among parents and guardians.

YouTube Shorts does not necessarily meet the parental standards of appropriateness due to its short and engaging video format.

How to block YouTube Shorts on Android?

Effective navigation of the digital world with children frequently challenges parents and requires them to take an active stance beforehand for a positive online presence.

One area that parents might be more worried about is what their children consume from YouTube and similar platforms.

FlashGet Kids

FlashGet Kids is the best option if you want to keep your kids from watching YouTube shorts.

This app has everything you need and all the features to ensure your kids are safe from any online content they should not be watching. Here is how to use it:

1. Download FlashGet Kids on your Android device.

FlashGet Kids parental control

2. Register for an account and then sign in.

3. Download the Flashget Kids for child on your child’s app.

4. Now bind your kid’s account to yours by keying the 9-digit code from the parent’s app on your device onto the kid’s app on the child’s device.

5. Now, access the FlashGet Kids dashboard.

6. Move to the app blocker section to implement the restrictions on YouTube shorts.

7. Go to “usage limits” on the FlashGet Kids dashboard.

8. Tap on “App Time Limits” > “Add limits” > “Select Apps” according to the categories.

App Time Limit

And then click “Next” > “Available Time limits” or “Time Span Limits” > “Every day” or “Customize everyday timespan.” >”Save.”

to block YouTube

Google Family Link.

Google Family Link, however, is a popular parental control app from the American multinational tech giant Google.

It enables parental control and helps parents manage and monitor their children’s use of Android devices by setting digital ground rules with content restrictions.

1. Open the Family Link app on your device.

2. Select your child.

3. Tap Controls and then Content Restrictions.

4. Switch to your child’s older or younger content level regarding YouTube Kids under “YouTube Kids settings.”

How to block YouTube Shorts on iPhone?

Screen Time allows you to block YouTube Shorts on iPhone by setting up content restrictions for the program within its settings.

Note that although this will cut access to YouTube, it will not target YouTube Shorts specifically.

1. From your iPhone, launch the “Settings” application.

2. Tap on “Screen Time.”

3. Enable “Content and Privacy Restrictions.”

4. On “Allowed Apps”, tap on YouTube and choose “Don’t Allow.”

Content and Privacy Restrictions

5. Customise other content settings as necessary, such as the restriction on explicit information or web website restrictions.

How to block YouTube Shorts using extension?

You can also use extensions to block YouTube shorts. However, it is also important to note that the effectiveness of these functions can vary, as updates or changes within YouTube and the extensions themselves may affect their performance.

Keep checking for extension updates and their functioning. Moreover, remember that browser extensions do not offer complete control like parental–level or router-based filters.

uBlock Origin

uBlock Origin is a small and quick adblocker content filter for Chrome and Firefox browsers. It enables users to set up custom filters for blocking particular content on website pages.

  • Download the uBlock Origin extension from your browser’s web store.
  • Click on the uBlock Origin icon and go to its dashboard.
  • Go to the custom filters section.
  • Add a custom filter to block elements related to youtube.com/shorts
  • Click save and then refresh your browser.

StayFocusd

StayFocusd is a productivity extension that reduces the time spent on particular websites. However, it is not designed to block content by setting up the options to limit accessibility to YouTube Shorts.

  • Install StayFocusd from the Chrome Web Store.
  • On your browser, click on the StayFocusd icon.
  • Go to the extension settings or options.
  • Specify the time limit if desired and add “youtube.com/shorts” to the blocked list.
  • After saving the settings, restrictions will apply.

BlockSite

Block Site is an extension that helps users block specific sites, making it relevant in securing content such as YouTube Shorts. It works for many browsers.

  • Add the extension Block Site from your browser’s store.
  • Click the Block Site icon on your browser.
  • Access the extension’s settings.
  • Go to the section for blocked sites and enter “youtube.com/shorts”.
  • Click ‘Save’, and the specified content will be blocked.

How to block YouTube Shorts using Router?

On a Netgear router, YouTube Shorts can be blocked using the Parental Controls feature that enables you to restrict accessing certain websites or suitable categories.

This is because the actual steps may differ depending on your Netgear router model and firmware version.

Netgear router model

1. Type the address ‘192.168 0.1’ in your browser.

2. Log in with the router’s default credentials.

3. Look for the parental controls segment, usually labelled ‘Advanced’ or ‘Security’.

4. Activate the parental controls if they are not already active.

5. Find the button to add websites to a block list and enter “youtube.com/shorts.”

6. If a prompt appears, save changes and restart your Netgear router.

Conclusion

Our children’s online experiences need to be protected in a balanced and appropriate for their safety.

Having discussed the possible ways to bar YouTube Shorts content for kids, it’s evident that parents have a significant role in forming a safe digital space.

Although there are many parental control options, selecting a stable and flexible application is essential.

FlashGet Kids is a reputed solution that ensures its users get advanced features like content filtering, including time management, real-time monitoring, and user-friendly controls.

FAQs

How do I permanently delete YouTube Shorts?

Accordion Sample DescriptionRemoving YouTube Shorts isn’t easy, as the channel doesn’t allow users to delete individual shorts. To delete a particular selected video from your Shorts feed, click on the three dots menu of the specific video and choose Remove from Shorts.

How do I mute YouTube Shorts on my iPhone?

Use iPhone side volume controls to lower the sound or turn on its mute switch during a Short. You can use the volume controls available through YouTube’s app to quieten or mute. Muting Shorts is a short-term fix for individual videos.

About the author

Kidcaring, Chief Writer in FlashGet Kids.
She is dedicated to shaping parental control in the digital world. She is an experienced expert in the parenting industry and has engaged in reporting and writing different parental control apps. For the past five years, she has provided additional parental guides for the family and has contributed to changing parenting methods.

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