- Netflix is joining other Big Tech companies in creating features targeted at kids, Bloomberg reported.
- "Kids Clips" highlights snippets of children's movies and shows in Netflix's existing library.
- The streamer plans to limit kids to watching 10 to 20 such clips at a time.
Streaming giant Netflix is set to release a new feature for children that will use short video clips – just like on social media platform TikTok – to advertise kids' movies and shows.
Called "Kids Clips," the feature is slated to appear on Netflix's iOS app and highlights snippets of children's content from the streamer's existing library, the company confirmed to Bloomberg.
Netflix plans to restrict kids to viewing 10 or 20 such clips at a time, and the company is preparing to release the feature this week in countries including the US, Canada, and Australia, Bloomberg reports.
Tech and social media companies have been vying for the attention of young consumers, rolling out new apps and programs that cater specifically to children. In 2015, YouTube launched YouTube for Kids, which gives parents more control over what their children can watch and filters out content that isn't family-friendly.
Facebook, which recently renamed itself to Meta, has tried following suit with a kids' version of its photo-based Instagram app. But it put development on hold after receiving backlash when a whistleblower leaked internal documents and alleged the company knew its platforms were harming young teenagers.
Both Instagram and YouTube have also produced features similar to TikTok, which popularized short, catchy videos filmed on mobile phones. YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels were released for the US in March and last August respectively, using features nearly identical to TikTok's.
Lawmakers and parents have repeatedly questioned child and teen user safety on Big Tech's social media and video platforms. "The problem is clear - Big Tech preys on children and teens to make more money," said Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts at a senate hearing last month, TIME reported.