Kidfluencer under pressure: How dangerous eating habits are spread!

Kidfluencer under pressure: How dangerous eating habits are spread!

Österreich - YouTube has established itself as one of the most popular platforms in children and adolescents, with alarming consequences for their eating habits. A current analysis of the MedUni Vienna shows that 67 percent of the food shown in popular videos contains too much fat, sugar and salt. In particular, sweets dominate the product selection, while healthy options are hardly present. This unhealthy marketing not only affects the preferences of young spectators, but also increases the risk of overweight and obesity. According to Brigitte Naderer, one of the researchers, influencers enjoy great trust in children and are considered role models. It is therefore crucial that these subtle advertising measures are closely monitored in order to promote healthy eating and take measures to improve media literacy, as reported by the MedUni Vienna.

parents in responsibility

The increasing presence of "kidfluencers" on YouTube also brings challenges. The platform in its guidelines emphasizes that parents have to play an important role in the media use of their children. The supervision of parents can be crucial to enable the children to make conscious decisions when dealing with digital content. YouTube has set itself the task of making effective tools available to help parents perceive this responsibility and minimize dangerous content.

In addition, YouTube has formulated clear principles for the protection of children and adolescents who aim to create a safe online environment. This includes a strict ban on cyberbullying and the obligation to protect young users. Quality content should be free of charge and accessible to everyone without having to feel disadvantaged due to financial differences. These measures are crucial to counter the challenges of the digital world and to ensure the security and well-being of young users, such as YouTube