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26.06.2020

YouTube Premium – Competition for Streaming Providers?

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2 minutes reading time
3-17 years
Entertainment
Video
Tool description
Copyright: Thomas Trutschel/photothek.net

YouTube is by far the most popular online platform for videos. It is free of charge and is mainly financed by advertisements that are played before or during the clips. With YouTube Premium, you can use YouTube content for a fee without commercial interruption and with other benefits. The premium version looks very similar to the free YouTube, but can do a lot more.

In a nutshell:

  • monthly subscription (approx. 12,- €) as single person or as family (from 13 years)
  • Comprehensive offer of videos, music and exclusive content
  • Child protection possible via the integrated YouTube Kids
  • Usable as an app and via a browser

What can YouTube Premium do?

To use the service, you need to register and decide whether you want to use it alone or together with your family. Content can be downloaded and played offline – but only in the app. You can also listen to music content in the background while using another app at the same time. Turning off advertisements must be enabled in the settings.

YouTube Premium includes the ad-free variant of the music streaming service YouTube Music. (This is also available as a free app with ads.) It also includes the YouTube Gaming app, and you get access to YouTube Original – exclusive content that can only be seen on YouTube.

For whom can the offer be interesting?

Children and young people use YouTube for various things in everyday life. They follow YouTubers, get information and are entertained. For those who use a lot of music, movies and videos, a premium account might be attractive. Especially because you can watch videos without commercial interruption.

If you like to use YouTube as a family, the offer is a bit cheaper compared to other streaming offers. YouTube is an all-rounder with a very broad offer. If you want to use only series or only music, other offers are better suited.

What can be problematic about the offer?

Google is behind all of YouTube ‘s offerings. Among other things, the American company earns its money by collecting and analyzing user data. Although the many connected services have some advantages, privacy concerns are appropriate.

YouTube points out that only ads set by them can be turned off. If ads appear in users’ videos (e.g., as product placement), you’ll see them in YouTube Premium videos, too.

As a parent, what should you be aware of?

Pay attention to the data you provide about yourself when registering and whether all the information is necessary. Read the privacy policy and familiarize yourself with the app’s capabilities, for example, at mobilsicher.de.

The wide range of YouTube can tempt you to keep watching and forget about the time. Mutually agreed rules help to ensure that this does not happen so quickly. For younger children, we also recommend using the YouTube Kids app to ensure that your child only sees age-appropriate content. With a YouTube Premium family account, you can enable or hide different features depending on your age group. However, keep in mind that inappropriate content may still appear, as it is sometimes well hidden. Accompanying your child’s use of YouTube and other media allows you to talk about it and be there for questions.

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