Why I Made GoodTube.io

I’m gonna be frank: the internet experience for kids today is a mess.

Walk into any coffee shop and look around — chances are, you’ll see a toddler in a stroller with a smartphone strapped to the handle, watching some hyper-edited video of a child vlogger touring her plastic castle. Meanwhile, the parents are buried in their phones, consumed by gossip or work. This scene plays out all over the world.

It’s not because those parents don’t love their kids. They give them the best food, the best clothes — everything but the most precious gift: their attention.

That moment stuck with me. I kept asking myself: What kind of future are we building for our kids?

THE REAL PROBLEM

We’re living through something humanity has never faced before. Children — even infants — are being introduced to algorithmically optimized content designed not to educate or inspire, but to hook.

There’s an avalanche of content made by AI, filled with uncanny valley cartoons, oversaturated colors, and chaotic pacing. Everything is engineered to grab attention and keep kids locked in, scrolling and watching endlessly.

It’s not just that the content is bad. It’s that the system is bad — the incentives, the algorithms, the business models. These systems are better at “zombifying” kids than any rigid school system ever was. And the terrifying part? We’re letting it happen without protest.

THE BIG PICTURE

Here’s the thing: we can’t just rewind technology. The internet is here to stay, and eventually, our kids will find their way into it.

And in many ways, it’s an incredible gift. The entire legacy of human creativity, science, music, storytelling — all of it is online, freely accessible. The internet contains both the worst things people can make and the most beautiful.

The challenge isn’t access. It’s filtering. Separating the gold from the garbage.

WHAT IS GOODTUBE?

That’s where GoodTube comes in.

GoodTube is my attempt to build a corner of the internet where parents and kids can safely explore the beautiful, the timeless, and the truly meaningful.

It’s not a replacement for real life. In fact, my ideal GoodTube user is a parent who believes kids should have less screen time, not more — who values boredom as the gateway to imagination, and who sees screens as tools, not crutches.

But when you do let your child watch something, I want GoodTube to be your go-to. A platform that respects the child’s mind, attention, and developing spirit.

WHAT KIND OF CONTENT?

For example, take Solveig’s Song from Grieg’s opera Peer Gynt, performed by the ethereal Sissel Kyrkjebø.

It’s all on YouTube, freely available. But YouTube’s algorithm doesn’t want you — or your child — to find this. Instead, it pushes loud, fast, addictive slop. Even platforms designed "for kids" like PBS Kids or YouTube Kids mostly serve up low-effort, uncanny content, wrapped in feel-good messaging but lacking any real artistic quality.

Why not give kids a small dose of the beautiful, the contemplative, the mysterious?

Why not give them art, open-ended questions, and silence — instead of overstimulation and cartoonish moral lessons?

WHY GOODTUBE WORKS

Here’s the best part: there’s no downside.

If your child isn’t interested in GoodTube content, that’s totally fine. It’s not designed to be addictive. If they walk away from it, they return to the real world — playing, imagining, creating. That’s a win.

But if they are drawn in, then you can be confident it’s not because of dark manipulation tactics. It’s because something genuinely captured their curiosity — art, music, science, nature.

Even better: you, the parent, can create your own playlists. You can handpick any videos you're comfortable with and curate a personal collection your child can safely explore. Nothing outside of what you approve will ever be shown. No recommendations, no surprises, no algorithm sneaking in content you didn’t sign up for.

It’s full control, no guesswork — and that’s a kind of peace of mind most platforms simply don’t offer.

A NEW FEATURE: BLOG + PLAYLISTS

Just yesterday I launched the GoodTube Blog, where I’ll be posting curated playlists on specific topics, paired with short educational summaries for parents.

For example, the latest post explores European lullabies — with background info and videos of beautiful songs you can watch and listen to with your child. These are simple tools to turn screen time into quality time.

Sometimes, after a long day, it’s hard to find the energy to play, read, or entertain. That’s okay. Even passive moments can be meaningful when you share them — and when the content is truly nourishing.

THE VISION

This is how I believe media should be used: sparingly, intentionally, and beautifully.

I’ll keep developing and refining GoodTube.io — adding more curated content, expanding the blog, and hopefully making it easier for families to navigate the online world with care and curiosity.

To all the parents out there: I wish you strength, peace, and patience. You’re doing one of the hardest jobs in the world.

Let’s give our kids not just entertainment — but wonder.

With love,

– The creator of GoodTube