YouTube to launch kid-friendly Android app on Feb. 23

 By 
Stan Schroeder
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Google is planning to launch a version of YouTube for children on Android devices Monday, according to USA Today.

The app, called YouTube Kids, will be free and will offer an easy-to-use interface as well as a selection of YouTube content appropriate for children.

The reasoning behind the new app, which has been rumored to be in the works since March 2014, is simple: Kids love YouTube, but parents are worried not all of the content on the service is appropriate for their children.

"Parents were constantly asking us, can you make YouTube a better place for our kids," the project's group product manager Shimrit Ben-Yair told USA Today.

Besides filtering content and search phrases that are not appropriate for children, the app will offer several features in the way of parental control. For example, parents will be able to set a limited amount of time for which the app can be used, after which it automatically turns off and requires a password.

The app will be Android-only for now; an iOS version is not mentioned in the report.

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