Advertising on YouTube Kids
All advertisements sold in the YouTube Kids app must comply with the additional advertising policies outlined below, as well as YouTube’s general advertising policies. All YouTube Kids Paid Ads must be pre-approved by YouTube’s policy team prior to being served in the YouTube Kids app. Additionally, advertisers must also comply with applicable laws and regulations (including any relevant self-regulatory or industry guidelines). You can read more about our Paid Ads format requirements below.
What is a Paid Ad in YouTube Kids?
To provide an experience free of charge, YouTube Kids is ad-supported with limited advertising. When you select a YouTube video in the app, you may see an ad bumper followed by a video ad- marked with an “Ad” disclaimer- before the video you selected. These are paid advertisements (“Paid Ads”).
Content uploaded by users to their channels are not considered Paid Ads. For example, a search for “trains” could result in a TV commercial for toy trains uploaded by a user or a toy train company, none of which are Paid Ads. Likewise a search for “chocolate” can show a user-uploaded video on making chocolate fudge even though we do not allow paid advertising for chocolatiers.
Paid Ad Format Requirements
- Format: At this time we only accept the in-stream video ad format in YouTube Kids.
- Maximum time length: 15 seconds for non-skippable and 60 seconds for skippable. This excludes the 3 second ad bumper that may play before the Paid Ad.
- Destination URLs: Destination URLs and outbound links (including call-to-action overlays and infocards) are disabled from the app. Paid Ads in YouTube Kids will not be clickable.
- Site-served: All Paid Ads must be hosted on YouTube. Third-party served ads are prohibited.
Paid Ad Targeting and Data Collection
- We prohibit interest-based advertising in YouTube Kids.
- Paid Ads with remarketing or other tracking pixels are prohibited.
Restricted Product Categories
Paid Ads for the following products are prohibited in YouTube Kids.
Media that is sensitive to show to users under the age of 13 are prohibited. Examples include advertisements for films rated higher than ‘PG’ by the MPAA and television shows rated higher than ‘G’ by TV Parental Guidelines.
Products related to external personal care, fitness, hygiene, exercise, weight-loss, diet and nutrition are prohibited.
Paid Ads for dating sites, family counseling, and marital or divorce services are prohibited.
Products related to consumable food and drinks are prohibited, regardless of nutrition content.
Products that are regulated or illegal to advertise to children, including Prohibited Content and Restricted Contentare prohibited. This also includes products that may pose safety risks for children.
Platforms and services related to virtual communities in which members interact primarily on the internet are prohibited.
Political Paid Ads of any kind are prohibited, including information about political candidates or their policy positions, political parties, fundraising or political action committees or their agendas.
Religious Paid Ads of any kind are prohibited.
Electronic video games (and related accessories) that may be played on a video game console, the computer, or another electronic device such as a cell phone or tablet are prohibited if the industry rating of the game is higher than “E for Everyone” by U.S. ESRB guidelines, 7+ by IARC or local industry rating equivalent. Apps or web content with interactive educational content such as puzzles, worksheets, math problems, language learning exercises are allowed.
Prohibited Content Guidelines
Paid Ads that feature or promote any of the following content are strictly prohibited.
Sexual and mature content that is intended for adult audiences and not suitable for users under the age of 13.
Paid Ads need to be clearly branded by the advertiser and/or product marketed in the video. The Paid Ad needs to be distinctive to the user that this is an ad, and not general YouTube content.
Contests or sweepstakes promotions, even if free to enter.
Content that is dangerous and inappropriate for users under the age of 13 or that generally requires adult supervision.
Promotions or content that incite children to purchase a product or service or to urge parents or others to buy the item.
- Paid Ads can not be misleading to children and make any deceptive and/or unsubstantiated claims. All claims and assertions need to be substantiated within the video itself.
- Paid Ads can not imply that the product will improve your social status.
- Paid Ads can not include features or call-to-actions that don’t work or where the desired action can’t be completed.
Violent and graphic content that is intended for adult audiences and not suitable for users under the age of 13.
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