• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer, February 20, 2015

Kids need funny cat videos just as much as anyone -- but they probably don’t need to see, say, the latest music video from Nicki Minaj, or someone’s compilation of the ten most shocking moments from “Requiem for a Dream.” With this in mind, YouTube is preparing to unveil a new, free app just for kids, called (duh) YouTube Kids. 

Set to launch February 23 for Android devices, YouTube Kids features a kid-friendly interface, banishing comments and other distractions, with little scrolling needed. Parental controls allow parents to set a limit on viewing time with passwords.

In terms of content, the home screen features large tiles with suggested content from the video library, pre-loaded with kids’ shows like “Yo Gabba Gabba,” “Sesame Street,” and “Thomas the Tank Engine.” Kids can also browse the most popular videos and explore educational content; it’s rumored YouTube is also creating original content for the app.

Since most kids aren’t great typists, the app allows them to search with voice activation. The search function is also limited to age-appropriate themes, so if the user types or says something inappropriate, it will politely suggest they “try something else.”

Although it’s not clear how the new app will be monetized, if at all, advertising is one obvious option. Of course, YouTube Kids will have to comply with relevant rules and regulations including the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, which prohibits Web sites ands apps from gathering information about users under age 13 without their parents’ consent.

Currently YouTube technically prohibits users under age 13 from creating accounts on the site, but they can still watch videos without an account -- and of course, it’s not hard to evade the age restriction with a tactic called “lying.”