YouTube adds Safety Mode to help filter objectionable video

Popular video-sharing platform YouTube announced today that it has added a new “Safety Mode” option to its site. The new feature is targeted at users who wish to have additional control over the videos that are called up during searches and browsing, according to Google’s official blog.

Like any other filter, Safety Mode won’t be perfect, but will help sift out objectionable content that might not otherwise violate Community Guidelines. Google gives several examples of content that may be objectionable, including war footage or political protests. Parents looking for more control over what their children watch can opt in and lock filtering preferences with a password.

In fact, Safety Mode encompasses several new filtering features. If a user wants to type in “naked,” for example, with Safety Mode on, they will generate no results. If you are watching a video, all comments are hidden by default. If a user chooses to view them, any objectionable words will be replaced with asterisks. Also, clips filed under popular videos, most watched or videos being watched now will be hidden if objectionable. Finally, if a friend sends a video that’s less than suitable, it won’t be accessible until Safety Mode is turned off. A detailed overview of Safety Mode can be found here.

According to Google, Safety Mode will be rolled out to users throughout the day today.