Frequently asked questions

Answers to common questions about WhitelistVideo parental controls for YouTube.

General questions

What is WhitelistVideo and how does it work?

WhitelistVideo is a parental control tool for YouTube that lets parents approve specific YouTube channels. Your child can only watch videos from channels you've whitelisted—everything else is blocked automatically.

How is WhitelistVideo different from YouTube Kids?

What devices and browsers does WhitelistVideo support?

WhitelistVideo works on:

• Windows computers with Chrome
• Mac computers with Chrome
• Chromebooks with Chrome

The Parents' App works on any smartphone (iPhone or Android).

Can I use WhitelistVideo on a school-issued Chromebook?

School-issued Chromebooks are managed by the school's IT department and typically don't allow installing extensions.

If you want WhitelistVideo on your child's school Chromebook: Contact us at support@whitelist.video and we can work with your school to provide WhitelistVideo for all students. Many schools are interested in YouTube filtering tools to keep students focused and safe.

When will Safari browser be supported?

Safari is not currently supported and we don't have a timeline for Safari support.

Why? Safari doesn't allow extension-level control via enterprise policies. This means:

• Children could easily uninstall or disable a Safari extension
• There's no way to enforce protection at the system level
• The extension could be bypassed with a few clicks

WhitelistVideo's core value is bypass-proof protection. Without enterprise policy support, we cannot guarantee that protection on Safari.

Our recommendation: Use Chrome on Mac computers. Chrome supports enterprise policies that make WhitelistVideo tamper-proof. Your child cannot uninstall or disable the extension without administrator access.

Does WhitelistVideo work on Microsoft Edge?

Yes! Microsoft Edge is built on Chromium (the same technology as Chrome), so it supports the same enterprise policies. WhitelistVideo works on Edge with full bypass-proof protection.

Is there a free trial for WhitelistVideo?

Yes. You can try WhitelistVideo free for 7 days. No credit card required.

What features are included in WhitelistVideo Premium?

Premium includes:

• AI Analysis (automatic video safety checking)
• Unlimited approved channels
• Priority support
• All future features

Setup questions

How long does it take to set up WhitelistVideo?

Most parents complete setup in 5-10 minutes:

1. Install extension (1 minute)
2. Connect phone (2 minutes)
3. Add child profile (1 minute)
4. Activate protection (1 minute)

Do I need to install an app on my phone to use WhitelistVideo?

No app installation needed. The Parents' App runs in your phone's web browser. Just scan the QR code and save it to your home screen.

Can I manage multiple children with one WhitelistVideo account?

Yes. Create a separate profile for each child. Each profile has its own approved channel list.

Can I use WhitelistVideo on multiple computers for the same child?

Yes. You can connect multiple computers to the same child profile. They'll all share the same approved channels.

Protection & security questions

Can my child bypass or disable WhitelistVideo?

Without Advanced Protection, tech-savvy children might:

• Disable the extension
• Use a different browser
• Use incognito mode

Advanced Protection prevents these bypasses.

Does WhitelistVideo protect YouTube in other apps?

WhitelistVideo protects YouTube in Chrome. Other apps with built-in browsers typically open YouTube in Chrome.

For complete protection, use Advanced Protection to block YouTube in other browsers.

Can my child use multiple devices at the same time?

No. Only one device can be active per child at a time. If your child opens the browser on a different computer, they'll be automatically logged out from the previous device.

You can activate the same child profile on multiple computers (e.g., home desktop and laptop), but only one can be actively protected at any moment. This prevents bypassing filters by switching devices.

What does my child see when a video is blocked?

Your child sees a friendly overlay message. The exact message depends on whether AI Content Analysis is enabled:

Without AI Analysis:

"This channel isn't on your approved list yet"

With AI Analysis:

"AI Analysis: Content Not Appropriate"

Both screens show:

• "✨ Watch These Approved Channels Instead" - Clickable cards showing their whitelisted channels
• Request limits - Shows how many requests remain (e.g., "10 left, Resets 6:30 PM")
• "Ask Parent" button - Sends a request to you for approval

Does WhitelistVideo block YouTube Shorts?

Yes, YouTube Shorts can be blocked using the Block YouTube Shorts toggle in YouTube Controls. We strongly recommend keeping this enabled—research shows that short-form, rapid-fire content can negatively impact children's attention span and focus.

What do the WARNING and UNPROTECTED alerts mean on my dashboard?

These alerts indicate the browser extension hasn't communicated with our servers recently:

Common causes: browser closed, device off, no internet. To resolve, open Chrome/Edge on your child's device and visit YouTube. See Device Status Alerts for detailed troubleshooting.

Channel management questions

How do I choose which YouTube channels to approve for my child?

• Start with channels your child already watches
• Use the suggestions in the Parents' App
• Add channels as your child requests them

Can I approve entire content categories instead of individual channels?

Yes, with AI Content Analysis (Premium feature). You can enable categories like Educational, Science, Music, Gaming, etc. Videos from non-whitelisted channels that match your enabled categories will be allowed. See AI Content Analysis for details.

For maximum control, you can also approve individual channels manually.

Can I approve individual videos instead of whole channels?

No. WhitelistVideo works at the channel level, not the video level. Approving individual videos doesn't scale—parents would need to review thousands of videos, which isn't practical. Channel-level approval combined with AI Content Analysis provides the right balance of safety and convenience.

Can I whitelist YouTube playlists?

Coming soon. Playlist-based whitelisting is in development. This will let you approve curated playlists (like educational collections) without whitelisting entire channels.

How do I remove a channel from my child's approved list?

You can remove any channel from the approved list:

1. Open the Parents' App
2. Go to Approved Channels
3. Find the channel and tap Remove

The change takes effect immediately.

AI content analysis questions

What does WhitelistVideo's AI analyze to determine if a video is safe?

The AI analyzes:

• Video title and description
• Channel reputation
• Video metadata and tags
• Content category

Does WhitelistVideo's AI actually watch the video content?

No. The AI uses metadata to make quick decisions. It doesn't watch the video content itself.

Can I override WhitelistVideo's AI decisions?

Yes. If AI blocked a channel you trust, approve it manually. If AI allowed a channel you don't want, block it manually.

Does WhitelistVideo's AI work for non-English YouTube videos?

Yes. The AI is multilingual and can analyze content in most languages. It checks video metadata, titles, and descriptions regardless of language.

Technical questions

Does WhitelistVideo slow down YouTube?

No noticeable slowdown. Filtering happens in milliseconds.

Does WhitelistVideo work without an internet connection?

No. WhitelistVideo needs an internet connection to:

• Check if channels are approved
• Run AI Analysis (Premium)
• Sync with the Parents' App

Will WhitelistVideo break any YouTube features?

No. YouTube works normally. Your child can search, browse, and watch videos from approved channels.

Does WhitelistVideo work with Chrome profiles?

Yes. Install the extension in your child's Chrome profile for best results.

Account & billing questions

How do I change my WhitelistVideo password?

1. Open the Parents' App
2. Go to Settings → Account
3. Tap "Change Password"
4. Follow the prompts

How do I cancel my WhitelistVideo subscription?

1. Open the Parents' App
2. Go to Settings → Subscription
3. Tap "Cancel Subscription"

You'll keep access until the end of your billing period.

Can two parents share one WhitelistVideo account?

Yes. Sign in with the same email and password on multiple phones.

What happens to my data if I cancel WhitelistVideo?

Your data is kept for 30 days after cancellation. You can reactivate and restore your settings during this time.

Still have questions?

Contact us at support@whitelist.video

We typically respond within 24 hours on business days.