Global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has introduced a new monitoring feature in its parental control app to protect children from viewing risky videos while browsing the popular video streaming platform YouTube.
When activated, the ‘Safe Search in YouTube’ feature blocks search results of videos with unsuitable content, such as those with drugs, profanity or adult material.
According to a Kaspersky statement, at least 14 per cent of parents said their children had been exposed to content encouraging them to carry out violent or inappropriate actions.
Therefore, parents need a trustworthy assistant that stops their children from accessing adult content, without taking up time or manual effort, the company said.
“With the new Kaspersky Safe Kids feature for YouTube, parents can be sure that kids can safely browse for videos without straying into adult content,” Elena Kadochnikova, Product Marketing Manager at Kaspersky, said in a statement.
The feature is important for parents who care about what kind of content their kids see and what information they consume. While YouTube does allow parents to guard their kids against mature content via the restricted mode, they still acknowledge that the filters might not be 100 per cent accurate.
The Safe Search in YouTube feature notifies parents about inappropriate search results, so they can see what their kids have been looking for. Additionally, the feature allows parents to ensure their children stay protected by giving them access to a list of videos or topics that have been searched for on YouTube, the company claimed.
When the feature is enabled on a device, or in the YouTube app, if a child searches for any of the prohibited categories, the search results will be blocked. Restricted categories include adult content, alcohol, drugs, profanity and tobacco, as well as racist or prejudicial content, they informed.