Study: Kids on YouTube see many ads, few educational videos

The study provides one of the more detailed snapshots of children’s viewing behaviour on YouTube, said Radesky. — Bay Area News Group/TNS

Young children are watching a wide range of videos on YouTube that are chock full of advertisements, sometimes have violent footage and offer little educational value, according to a report from academics and Common Sense Media, an advocacy group.

YouTube is a juggernaut in kids’ media, and viewership has shot up during the pandemic. But the company has struggled to police the videos that kids watch, even after investing deeply in ways to better moderate children’s content once it became a political problem.