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Comment by croutonwagon | Hacker News Reader

Im a parent whos kids are burgeoning internet users. Though quite young on the spectrum, but it has gotten me thinking more and more. I also have a lot of technical ability and experience running things like web content filters etc.

That said, even beyond a DNS filter theres a lot of stuff on popular sites (ie: Youtube specifically) that is REALLY bad. Seriously just go search some special characters (ie: . or ## or something like that) and you will get some crazy stuff that looks like kids stuff, but with jump cuts of shots from the exorcist or something. If you look at it from the lens of a grade schooler, its disturbing. Not to mention all the porn and stuff the filters dont find.

Im struggling to find a way to filter that. Maybe whitelist only some channels etc and just let the blocks work from there.

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We ended up just saying no, you aren't allowed to watch youtube - and blocked it on their devices. Even youtubekids seems to have the odd video/ad that is not really young kid friendly.

Could you block Youtube generally and allow YoutubeKids, which has its own domain?

YouTube kids has content that makes those weird videos seem tame, like the hyperconsumerist ryanworld.

Curate your content manually, and select by hand what your kids will watch, or don't let them online at all. Since most parents are not willing, or most likely not even capable of doing this, legislation needs to be put in place to restrict what content can be shown to children.

well theres nuance there too>

I have to train them to be on the web. Its basically a skill they will need to learn.

Amazon actually has pretty solid controls for kids based on age. Its really solid. But as my kids get into gradeschool they cant just be using an amazon firetablet. They are having to learn how to use a laptop, touchpad, typing on a keyboard. My kindergartner literally gets their own login at school. Heck its how they do some testing now (dont get me started)

They dont watch a lot of youtube now. I tend to curate shows and put them on plex for them. Or let them go ham on PBS kids which generally has good stuff. But theres a TON of crap out there, some of it really bad. Bad both as in "reinforces or actively encourages asshole behavior" but also as in "im downright trying to scare or expose a child to something way out of bounds".

So we have to filter for both. But what my eldest can handle is different from a younger kid. IE: Harry potter gives my younger kid bad dreams. But is fine for my older kid.

What i may do and install something like Zenarmor/Sensei or just go full MDM and whitelist only specific videos or something. Frankly it will likely be a combination of tools. And may just have to say no to youtube/youtubekids full stop.

I've got 4 kids. Our solution was all of the computers they use are just sitting in the middle of living room so anyone can see what they are watching.

Beyond that we only allow them to watch certain channels and the tablets only get used for long car trips, and only already installed shows.

Ultimately you have to be proactive in it.

Yeah we are instituting the same (laptop in the kitchen only, no headphones policy).

Tablets I’m much less concerned about as I usually cache apps/shows and manage access via physical means (ie: we take them away and only doll them out for trips or as a reward)

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