YouTube is discussing removing all children’s content from its main site

Google and YouTube leadership are reportedly discussing removing all child-focused content from YouTube’s main site and moving it exclusively to the standalone YouTube Kids app, according to The Wall Street Journal. The dramatic change has been proposed to prevent predatory and pedophiliac comments from being shared on content that either features children or is geared towards them, a problem the site has been facing for some time now.

In addition, Google executives are considering removing the auto-play feature completely from children’s content, which automatically moves onto another “related” video once a clip is over. In the past, YouTube has experienced problems with predatory or vile content focused on kids being played automatically.

A Google spokesperson that works in the YouTube division stated the company considers “lots of ideas for improving YouTube and some remain just that — ideas.” According to the WSJ report, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki has said the company has carried out some actions that were “disappointing and painful,” in relation to making the site safer and more kid-friendly.

Google is apparently taking advertising revenue into consideration, according to the report. By removing the auto-play feature or moving all child-focused content off of the main site, ad revenue could be negatively impacted, but other major advertisers have already pulled out due to disturbing content in the past. 

Array