It was noted that YouTubing, which provides fame and income in a short time by preparing content for video sharing sites, brings child abuse and psychological problems in children and young people.
'The aim of earning and fame in a short way encourages YouTuberism'
It has been reported that the rapid spread of YouTubing, which provides fame and income in a short time by preparing content for video sharing sites, among children and young people brings child abuse and psychological problems.
Experts pointed out that families can turn a blind eye to children's activities on social media for the sake of earning income, and noted that children whose content does not attract enough attention, who lose their previous fame or receive negative comments after a while may face irreparable psychological problems in the future.
"Messages are sent to children's subconscious"
Üsküdar University NP Feneryolu Medical Center Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gökben Hızlı Sayar stated that children between the ages of 5-15 cannot take their eyes off video sites.
Sayar noted that children dream of becoming famous YouTubers, and parents watch this situation with astonishment and anxiety, and said, "For parents, this scary, insecure, foreign door that opens their children to the outside world is a fun way for children and young people to communicate with the world. Unfortunately, raising children who can adapt to the good and bad features of the changing world, who can distinguish right from wrong and protect themselves from dangers cannot be achieved by cutting off their communication with such social media."
Sayar stated that in order to get rid of this danger, parents should set an example for their children on the correct use of social media, and that it would not be logical for a parent who shares every moment of his/her child's life on social media from the moment he/she is born to expect his/her child to stay away from social media and pay attention to the privacy of his/her private life.
Sayar stated that adults who share every moment of their families can sometimes torment their children under the name of "joke" in order to gather more viewers, and continued his words as follows:
"Last year, a couple who shared YouTube videos of themselves accusing their children of things they did not do, abusing them and breaking their toys as a joke to entertain the viewers, lost custody of two of their five children. The abuse that parents can do on social media is not limited to this. There are also families who try to generate advertising revenue by supporting their children to post on YouTube channels in a way that disrupts their daily activities and education. This is a modern and technological form of child abuse. Unfortunately, the statements of their children that they are happy with this situation do not justify these parents. Parents have an obligation to make the right decision regarding their children. Since the child's judgment is not yet developed, it would be a big mistake to assume that everything they want for themselves will be the right thing for them."
"Asking permission to open a channel is very important"
Underlining that keeping children away from video sharing sites or banning social media will not be the solution, Sayar said, "Social media, when used consciously, will help children express themselves, learn digital video skills, share with friends, and experiment creatively. It is important to balance your concerns with the benefits it can bring. For example, a child who asks for permission to start a 'YouTube' channel should be appreciated by pointing out how important and good it is that they have asked permission to do so. Unfortunately, they will not benefit from your guidance and supervision when they do things in secret. For this reason, 'asking for permission' is very important."
Sayar said, "For children and young people, seeing that not every content they share is liked and that sometimes no one cares can be a very upsetting and self-confidence shaking experience if you do not handle it correctly." Sayar emphasized that parents should tell the child about the differences in people's perspectives and that it is very valuable even if it is not appreciated.
Sayar said that such experiences will contribute positively to personality development, and that it is a very important skill for children to be able to draw conclusions from the feedback of the audience or the parents who guide them, and to be able to regulate their sharing.