The demise of YouTube for Schools.

Google have decided to stop supporting YouTube for Schools (YTfS) and E2BN now has confirmation that this will take place from the 1st July 2016.

From that date Protex will stop enforcing YouTube for Schools and switch to enforcing YouTube's “Restricted Mode”.

The official withdrawal notification can be found on the old YTfS pages here: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2695317?hl=en

“YouTube for Schools will be turned down on July 1, 2016. We are offering current YouTube for Schools users and all Google Apps users a new way restrict YouTube content with YouTube settings configurable in Google Apps for Work, Education, and Government. Non-profit educational institutions can sign up for free access to Google Apps for Education. If you choose not to use Apps for Education, you can still choose restrict YouTube on your network”

On a Protex system wide level E2BN will no longer have control over which videos are allowed and which are blocked.

YouTube's “Restricted Mode” simply blocks videos which are deemed by Google/YouTube to be “inappropriate”. We have no sight of the criteria for this categorisation.

“Restricted Mode” also prevents comments being made on videos and hides any comments already made.

Schools and other establishments that use Google Apps for Education have extra control of YouTube which they can deploy to users logged into their Google Apps account. See the following for more information: https://support.google.com/a/topic/6206681?hl=en&ref_topic=6259349

The revised Protex web filtering settings will mirror the current YTfS ones: Primary, Middle, Secondary and Children's Library profiles will have “Restricted Mode”, SixthForm, Adult Library and Staff profiles will have full access. Users of ProtexLocal will be able to modify these settings if required via a LocalProfile.

We apologise for the short notice of this change but it is only it the last couple of days that we have been notified of the ceasing of the YTfS service by Google.

E2BN Team