Google Introduces New Safety Measures for Kids Under 18
Google will no longer play ads based on the age, gender or interests of children. The company announced a host of new measures in its quest to protect kids under 18 who use the services.
The tech giant has also said that users under 18 will have the option of getting their images removed from Google’s image results. And although they will not be removed entirely from Google, users will have more control on how they are shared.
Google says the changes come amid a host of new regulations in selected countries, necessitating the introduction of measures that will make their services consistent to all users.
Read: Google Joins in Efforts to Tackle Misinformation on Search Engine Results
The tech giant has said that going forward, Safesearch will be on by default for users aged 18 years and younger.
The feature which enables browsing of safe content and blocks out explicit or inappropriate content, will also be available on Google web on smart displays.
Google users under 18 years will also no longer be able to turn on location history from their settings. In addition, smart devices with Google assistant will also be able to block news, podcasts and web access in coming months.
Read also: How to Add Your Business on Google Maps
A number of measures have also been added to YouTube. For kids under 18, the auto play option will be off by default, and reminders will be sent to help kids to take a break from watching. YouTube will also avail resources to help kids and their parents understand the company’s data practices.
YouTube uploads from children will also default to the most private setting with time.
The move comes just weeks after Facebook announced that Instagram accounts for kids under 16 will be set to private by default.
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