How to block videos and channels on YouTube that you don’t want yourself or your children to see

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  • You can block videos and channels on YouTube to control what content you or your children are allowed to access.
  • There are a couple of methods you can use to block videos or channels once you have installed the Video Blocker extension — you can block specific videos, or you can block any videos with specific keywords. 
  • YouTube Kids also enables you to take parental control over what videos your child is able to view on the site.
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YouTube can be an excellent place for educational content, as well as entertainment. But when you have a child, there are definite boundaries you’ll want to set to ensure that your kid isn’t viewing content they aren’t meant to see. 

Blocking certain videos or channels on the platform can be a useful way to get this done.

Here’s what you need to do to decide what your kids can watch, via a video-blocking extension, on YouTube. Note, however, that to do this, you’ll need to be on a desktop or laptop, not a phone.

How to block videos on YouTube

Before you get started, you’ll need to download the Video Blocker extension for Chrome. (There’s also a Firefox version, in case that’s your browser of preference.) 

You’ll see a new icon appear in the top-right corner of the browser — it looks like a "not allowed" symbol — as well as a pop-up confirming that the extension has been added to your browser.

1 HOW TO BLOCK VIDEOS YOUTUBEDevon Delfino/Business Insider

Once that’s installed, there are a couple of ways you can block videos:

Block videos as you see them within your feed

1. Open Chrome and go to youtube.com.

2. When you find a video or channel that you want to block, right-click on the thumbnail and select "Block videos from this channel."

2 HOW TO BLOCK VIDEOS YOUTUBEDevon Delfino/Business Insider

Blocking videos within the extension

3. Click the video-blocker icon in the top-right corner of your Chrome browser.

4. Enter the name of the channel, or a keyword or phrase, you want to block — there is also a "wildcard" option which allows you to target channels which have a certain word or phrase in at least part of their name — into the text box. To change from the default "channel" option, click the drop-down menu to the right of the text box.

3 HOW TO BLOCK VIDEOS YOUTUBEDevon Delfino/Business Insider

5. Click "Add."

If you prefer to work within the extension itself, you can also click "Blocklist," "Options," or "Help" at the top of the pop-up extension box, and a new window will open. 

From there, you’ll be able to view your entire blocklist, make changes as needed, and import or export your block list.

YouTube Kids

If you’re willing to pay for YouTube’s Premium membership, you can access YouTube Kids, and enable video blocking that way. 

Since there’s a separate YouTube Kids app, it provides a slightly more uniform user experience, since blocking is built into the site. It also allows you to preserve your own viewing experience, separate from your child’s. 

But keep in mind that you’ll still have to block individual channels or videos, so while slightly more convenient for some, it will still take time to set up.

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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Devon Delfino)

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