YouTube has a plan to make its controversial YouTube Kids app a lot safer
The children's app has been regularly blasted for showing inappropriate videos to youngsters, causing Google to scramble for a fix
GOOGLE is reportedly planning to release a new version of its controversial YouTube Kids app.
The tech giant's video app for children has been widely criticised for showing dodgy age-inappropriate content, and could soon be replaced.
The app currently uses an algorithm to work out which YouTube videos are okay for kids to watch.
It then shuts out all other videos, so that kids can safely use the app without their parents having to worry – or so YouTube hoped.
Instead, YouTube has been found guilty of serving conspiracy theory videos, and clips with explicit language and profanity.
But Buzzfeed News that Google is now working on a new YouTube Kids app that's curated by humans – rather than by lines of code.
The main version of the app will still curate videos using algorithms.
But there'll be a new option that parents can select, which will instead show a "whitelisted" selection of clips that have been vetted by YouTube officials.
When asked for comment, a YouTube spokesperson gave The Sun the following statement: "We are always working to update and improve YouTube Kids.
"However we don't comment on rumour or speculation."
Earlier this year, it emerged that the YouTube Kids app contained videos demonstrating how to sharpen knives, as well as characters from a popular kids' show in a burning plan.
Other videos included cartoon characters with guns and children's characters being injured.
And just last month, The Sun uncovered YouTube Kids videos that showed how to make an air rifle, which had been viewed more than 3.6million times.
We also revealed how the app – which is aimed at youngsters aged three to 12 –also included videos of disgraced TV entertainers Rolf Harris and Jimmy Salvile, prolific paedos who regularly worked with children.
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Then in late March, YouTube was hit by a new content row after The Sun found diet videos on its kids' site.
Searching for 'weight loss' brought up dozens of videos, including one called 'How I lost weight fast (23 pounds)' from a vlogger, which had been viewed more than 400,000 times.
Do you think Google should stop trusting algorithms to vet videos on YouTube Kids? Let us know in the comments.
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