Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

Where to Find

App Store

Google Play

Screenwise Verdict

This is awkward. Google Podcasts shut down in April 2024, so there's literally nothing to evaluate here. Google killed it and pushed everyone to YouTube Music, which is a nightmare for families trying to avoid the YouTube rabbit hole.

Even when it existed, Google Podcasts was a terrible choice for kids. Zero parental controls, zero content filtering, ads everywhere, and any podcast in existence—including true crime, explicit comedy, and mature news—could pop up in search results or autoplay. It was built for adults who know what they're looking for, not for families.

If you want your kids to listen to podcasts (which is genuinely great for screen-free time), use an actual kids' podcast app. KidsPod, Kids Listen, Pinna, and Kinderling Kids Radio all offer age-based browsing, curated content, and no surprise mature themes. They're not perfect, but they're infinitely better than handing your kid access to the entire unfiltered podcast universe.

Bottom line: Don't waste time looking for Google Podcasts. It's dead. Move on to something built for kids.

Age Fit

Not appropriate for any age because it doesn't exist. When it was active, it was designed for adults and had zero kid-safety features. For children, use dedicated podcast apps like KidsPod (ages 3+), Kids Listen, or Pinna that actually curate content and block mature shows.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

0

App discontinued in April 2024; no longer exists to evaluate. When active, it was a generic podcast player with no content curation.

Imaginative

0

App discontinued in April 2024; no longer functional. Was a basic podcast player with no creative features.

Safe

0

App discontinued in April 2024 and removed from stores. When active, had zero parental controls, no content filtering, completely open catalog with mature content accessible, and ads played throughout episodes. Completely unsuitable for unsupervised child use.

Enriching

0

App discontinued in April 2024; no longer available. Was a basic podcast player with no educational features or kid-focused content.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

It's not—the app no longer exists and was shut down over 8 months ago
Google moved all podcast listening to YouTube Music, which is even worse for kids
When it was alive, it had no redeeming features for families anyway

⚠

What to Watch For

This app is completely defunct and cannot be downloaded or used
If you're looking for kid-safe podcast listening, you need a dedicated kids' app with actual parental controls
The description provided appears to be for the general Google app (with image search, AI, etc.), not Google Podcasts—but neither is appropriate for unsupervised kid use

Conversation Starters

"Hey, want to find some cool podcasts together? Let's check out KidsPod or Kids Listen instead of random apps."
"What kinds of stories or topics would you want to hear about in a podcast?"
"Should we listen to a podcast on our next car ride instead of music?"

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