YouTube has been branded a "wasteland of vapid, consumerist content" by a US government committee.
The sub-committee has written a letter to YouTube chief executive Susan Wojcicki and in it, they accuse the platform of being full of "inappropriate ... highly commercial content".
However, YouTube has hit back at the accusations of the sub-committee.
The video-sharing platform - which is now one of the world's most popular websites - has defended its format, saying its provides " "enriching content for kids".
A spokesperson for YouTube explained: "Over the last few years, we've worked hard to provide kids and families with protections and controls that enable them to view age-appropriate content.
"We've made significant investments in the YouTube Kids app to make it safer, and to serve more educational and enriching content for kids, based on principles developed with experts and parents.
"Additionally, on YouTube, we do not serve personalised ads alongside 'made for kids' content, and apply additional protections to ensure we're recommending age-appropriate content for kids and families."
YouTube has been asked by the sub-committee to provide a detailed explanation of how paid ads are selected for children to see.
The company - which is owned by Google - has also been urged to explain how its recommendation algorithm for children works.
Related Video:
BANG ShowBiz Tech