New York: YouTube chief executive Neal Mohan has said that he and his wife keep strict limits on how much time their children spend on social media, including YouTube. He explained that they try to follow a simple rule of balance. Their children use screens less during school days and have more freedom on weekends. Mohan said that for his family everything works better in moderation.
His comments come at a time when many parents around the world are worried about the effect of social media on young people. Several technology leaders have also revealed that they set similar limits at home even though they run the companies that make these platforms.
Mohan has been in the public eye this year after being named the chief executive of the year by a major magazine. He has spoken often about the responsibility that large platforms like YouTube have in creating a safe space for children and teenagers. He noted that the company is expanding tools for parents and improving systems to keep young users safer online.
Governments are also taking action. Australia recently began enforcing a new rule that blocks children under sixteen from using social media. The law requires strong age checks and sets penalties for companies that fail to follow it. Other countries are studying similar steps as concerns grow about how screen time may affect mental health and sleep patterns in children.
Experts say that the debate is not just about banning or allowing social media. Many believe that guidance, family involvement and stronger safety tools are needed to help young people use technology in a healthy way.
YouTube already offers a separate app for children and is testing new technology that can better detect the age of users. The company says these efforts will help reduce the chances of young users seeing content meant for adults.
Mohan’s remarks show how the discussion about children and social media is changing. Even the people who build the platforms say that careful supervision is necessary as families learn how to handle technology in daily life.