Spotify Kids: What every parent should know about the kids’ version of this music streaming app

One of the trickiest jobs for parents in today’s day and age is to keep their kid safe on the internet. Although its wide horizon allows access to a vast array of information, it can very quickly become a bane too. This is because the information may not be age-appropriate or have a negative impact on the mental health of your kids. However, in a world where technology is ubiquitous, it becomes difficult to curate your kid’s online experience. For this reason, many apps and websites have launched alternative versions which are designed specifically for younger audiences. Spotify, one of the world’s leading music streaming apps has also joined the bandwagon. Here is a parent's guide to understanding Spotify’s kids’ version. 

The features of Spotify Kids 
Spotify Kids is available only as a part of a wider Spotify Premium Family subscription. Thus, it is not a standalone streaming service. This gives more control to parents as they can monitor the music their kids are listening to and restrict them to age-appropriate, safer, family-friendly content. According to the streaming service, there are experts who filter through and choose songs that are ideal for kids to listen to. There are two categories available- one for children under the age of 6 and the other for children up to the age of 12. A Spotify Kids account gives access to only the limited cohort of songs available, and hence, there is no exposure to any content other than that. For now, this version is available only on mobile devices for iOS and Android. Additionally, it has to be linked to the Spotify Premium Family subscription. 

What makes Spotify Kids safer for younger audiences? 
Spotify has worked to make its kids’ version as safe as it can possibly be. Spotify’s video counterpart YouTube encountered a problem with unsafe content popping up several times in its child-friendly alternative. What differentiates the two is that Spotify’s kids’ content is not governed by any algorithm. Instead, all the songs are handpicked and playlists are curated by a team of experts. Moreover, there are no ads. So, kids won’t be exposed to any random content. 

There are several features that parents can use to make their child’s Spotify experience fun yet safe. There are parental controls which can be used to set up a PIN code to access the service. Parents can also set certain limitations within the app. For instance, younger kids can be kept away from music meant for teenagers.