Many changes and enhancements are coming to varied Google services, which will affect children below 18.
Google has announced several new features and safety measures for teenagers to form the web a safer place for them.
The company plans to introduce a variety of latest features and changes to its various services within the coming weeks, which will affect children under 18. These changes will affect Google Search, YouTube, YouTube Kids, Google Play, and more.
Remove Photos from Google Search
Google will debut a replacement policy within the coming weeks, which will allow anyone under the age of 18 or their parent/guardian to get rid of their photos from Google’s Image search. This tool will only remove the images from Google Search and not the first website where they’re listed. Nonetheless, Google believes this feature will give children below 18 control over their pictures posted online.
Google is popping on SafeSearch by default for existing users under the age of 18. it’ll even be enabled by default for teenagers that now check-in for a replacement Google account.
YouTube Becomes Safer for Kids
Various Google Account-related settings for people under 18 also are being tweaked as a neighborhood of this alteration. For example, the default upload setting for YouTube is being changed to non-public for teens aged 13-17. this suggests any content uploaded by teens will only be viewable by the people they plan to share it with.
Additionally, Digital wellbeing features like bedtime reminders and take an opportunity are being enabled by default for teenagers aged 13-17. In YouTube Kids, a replacement autoplay option will be added, though it’ll be off by default. Google also plans to feature new parental control options to YouTube Kids within the coming months, just like the choice to lock the default autoplay setting and more.
In its announcement on The Keyword, Google highlights that it’s changing how it handles commercial content in YouTube Kids. It’ll not allow paid product placements in YouTube Kids and take away “overly commercial content from YouTube Kids” that encourages kids to spend money.
Other Changes Coming to Google Services
Below are a number of the opposite changes coming to Google accounts and various Google services which will affect users below the age of 18:
- In the future, Google will prevent adult content from exposure on shared devices in Google Assistant by enabling its SafeSearch filter on the online browser of intelligent displays.
- The option to enable Location History in Google accounts of individuals under the age of 18 also be revoked. Location History is already turned off by default in new Google accounts, but Google is now removing the choice of turning it on altogether.
- A new safety section will be added to Google Play to let parents quickly know which apps adhere to the Family’s policies. App developers also will be required to supply more information on what they are doing with the collected data.
- K-12 institutions using Google Workspace for Education will now have SafeSearch enabled by default. the choice to modify to Incognito or Guest mode are going to be disabled also.
- New Digital wellbeing filters will be added to dam news, podcasts, and access to specific sites on intelligent displays.
These changes from Google are a step in the right direction. It’ll protect kids from being exposed to adult and commercial content and also protect their privacy.
