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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask would you exploit your kids on YouTube for millions of £s?

104 replies

Laalaalaand · 27/10/2024 08:31

My kids like to watch the channel vlad and niki on YouTube. The parents make between 45 and 60 million dollars a year off their YouTube channels which exclusively feature the children. They seem like sweet kids but they must spend a lot of their time filming all these videos. They have action figures of themselves. They live in the lap of luxury and want for nothing materially but i don't think even if i knew how to make these videos etc that would make me use my children to make money. Those videos will be there forever.

Vlad and niki are the two older children and they seem to be featuring less but the parents have had two younger children and the majority of the newer videos seem to focus on the two little ones.

The cynic in me says that maybe the older children have had enough of it, so that's why they're not doing it or maybe they're not "cute" enough now they're pre teens as the target audience is small children.

Would you do it for millions of quid? Could be argued that they're not doing anything actually harmful to the children so why not if it means the children end up rich beyond their wildest dreams.

OP posts:
ForChristsSakeBecky · 27/10/2024 20:26

QueSyrahSyrah · 27/10/2024 08:38

8 passengers is the first thing I thought of too. I recently listened to a really interesting podcast about that case and the psychology behind it, in terms of behaviours being lauded and justified by 'fans' and creepingly becoming more and more extreme.

Not for any amount of money would I put my DS out for public consumption. He only appears on our social media to a very select audience and only in stories that disappear, not permanent posts.

What was the name of the podcast? I'd be really interested in listening! @CheeseWisely

PixieTrance89 · 28/10/2024 06:58

I despise it, children should not be there to make parents money, yes they likely spend money on the children but would they have it without them? Also when the children are older do they get the millions that THEY have made for their parents? I highly doubt it, I don't agree with children being on YouTube at all anyway my daughter wanted to post videos and I told her no, you don't know who is watching these videos and as parents we need to protect our children not shove them in the limelight where they can be targeted

Wolfpa · 28/10/2024 07:52

Is it any different to:

politicians putting their families on camera during campaigns.

parents who have decided that their child is the next big footballer so their childhood is dominated by training.

children performing on BGT or the Voice Kids

reality TV including children.

there should be similar to child actors set up saying that a portion of the money earned needs to go in trust to them. They should have to comply with child labour laws but social media is just a media platform like all of the others.

if you could guarantee that I could make 60 million a year tbh there isn’t much I wouldn’t do.

Howdotheydothis · 28/10/2024 07:52

No and I firmly believe there should be tighter regulations about using children in this manner.

Ollehreversed · 28/10/2024 07:56

Well, no, I wouldn't instigate it like Vlad and Niki or Ryan's world.

However, both my children consider themselves YouTubers! They have hardly any views or subscribers but are determined to make it big! If they did happen to make millions from their own YouTube channels (extremely unlikely, but u never know!!!) I would support them. However, I would not make my own YouTube Chanel about them and ask them to feature in it. I don't think adults should put children in the public eye in that way.

iwentjasonwaterfalls · 28/10/2024 08:02

Absolutely not. Cases like 8 Passengers are the extreme end of what can go wrong, but there are other families who've been exploiting their kids on YouTube who go under the radar a bit more, and I worry about those kids as they grow up.

I had a parenting blog for the first three years of my daughter's life and it did well-ish, we got PR invites to events and freebies and while we enjoyed those, when she turned 3 I realised that I was uncomfortable posting with no way of getting her consent to post, so I stopped and deleted the entire blog.

She's 10 now and I ask her consent before I post any picture on my (locked down) Facebook for family and friends to see. She is always fine with it, but I'll never assume that.

MildGreenDairyLiquid · 28/10/2024 08:07

It depends.

If the kids enjoyed doing it, didn’t involve time away from education / friends, then I might for a short period of time if the financial rewards were life changing. I’d also ensure that the money (or at least the vast majority) was retained by the kids and not us as their parents. The content would also need to be “fun” and nothing cruel or mocking.

Otherwise, no.

TinkerTiger · 28/10/2024 08:08

45 to 60 MILLION?

Yeah, I would, sorry 😂

TinkerTiger · 28/10/2024 08:12

oakleaffy · 27/10/2024 11:34

Think in USA from accents.

But this account has been roundly condemned.

www.parents.com/mom-of-tiktok-preschooler-wren-eleanor-facing-backlash-8612986

Thai account is absolutely vile. I’d had a scroll when I first heard about the controversy, fully expecting to think it was a difference of opinion.

There’s nothing accidental about the way she sits the child on the floor with her legs open and angles the camera. Made me feel sick. She also has her suck on straws (in addition to the pickle thing).

Wouldbedriver · 28/10/2024 08:19

Ollehreversed · 28/10/2024 07:56

Well, no, I wouldn't instigate it like Vlad and Niki or Ryan's world.

However, both my children consider themselves YouTubers! They have hardly any views or subscribers but are determined to make it big! If they did happen to make millions from their own YouTube channels (extremely unlikely, but u never know!!!) I would support them. However, I would not make my own YouTube Chanel about them and ask them to feature in it. I don't think adults should put children in the public eye in that way.

Well, there’s so much that could go wrong that’s worse than obscurity. Be aware of the child safety risks. Accounts should really be set to private for all under 16s.

If they have to post anything publicly you should really check any videos before they upload. What might be normal clothing for them to wear around the house could be catnip to a predator. Make very sure there’s no way anyone can comment or contact them.

And if one of their videos suddenly gets thousands or tens of thousands of views, it may well be for a bad reason.

Make sure you’re the one with ultimate control over their account and can delete videos or shut it all down.

Simonjt · 28/10/2024 08:25

I would prefer it if these children have protections similar to what child actors have.

Imagine thinking your growing up in a lovely home, but you’re actually living in a set for a reality TV show, these children are all in their own version of the Truman Show. Unlike child actors their earnings also aren’t protected either, nevermind any thought to their welfare.

NoraLuka · 28/10/2024 08:56

Apart from all the other issues, making videos isn’t that easy and can be a real faff, even when it doesn’t look that way when you’re watching them. Surely it’s awful for the child constantly being filmed and thinking about the camera etc? Just as bad as having parents who are constantly looking at their phones, maybe worse. Unless they’re so used to it they don’t care.

DD1 made a few cooking videos for YouTube when she was about 14, but quickly stopped because it was actually a pain in the arse to do. DD2 helped her a bit but DD1 went into full on diva mode so that didn’t last long either! At least now they understand that being a YouTuber isn’t an easy way to earn millions.

OneTC · 28/10/2024 08:59

I don't know the YouTubers you're talking about but there's very few things I wouldn't do to make 10s of 1000000s

Marycassattsbonnet · 28/10/2024 09:04

It’s absolutely appalling and should be banned outright.

There are the obvious risks from sexual predators, and, we already know that becoming recognisable well known or famous as a child rarely ends well. It skews friendships and trust, it screws up a child’s sense of self, and opens them up to all sorts of exploitation and sensitivities to other people’s opinions that they should be protected from while still young and vulnerable.

This is a particular bugbear of mine and I don’t think any children should be on You Tube, Instagram or mainstream tv, whether they are members of the Royal Family, live on a Yorkshire farm or are young equestrian “influencers”.

As a horse owner, I follow a lot of equestrian content, and I won’t name names but there’s an account on Instagram that features a posh equestrian family leading a “wholesome” country life with ponies, dogs, hens etc , present at the breakfast table and birthday tea table, and they are constantly filmed on early morning beach rides, on idyllic hacks on the moors, tiny tots jumping fallen logs etc.

The comments are full of praise for the parents providing their dc which such a “perfect” childhood!

They are all amazing riders but so many aspects of these children’s lives are filmed and curated; reading stories in pjs in bed, they are even filmed during bath time, and a lot is made of whether they are brave riders or not when there’s one older child who is patently more sensitive and less of a daredevil than the others.

It’s all presented as wholesome apple-cheeked “jolly good fun” but let’s just say sometimes parents reveal more than they intend eg which children are favourites, even though in this case the mother constantly professes her joy and delight in how much she loves all of her dc.

The mother flogs face cream and sells a few equestrian related items but honestly a lot of it imho is about showing off and that’s not a good thing to teach dc either!

I have unfollowed that account and any account featuring dc who by definition cannot consent and do not understand the long term implications of having their childhoods out there on line for all to see.

Apart from complete strangers and distant acquaintances having knowledge of your private family life, can you imagine people being able to access pictures of you in the bath aged four for the rest of your lifetime?

Sorry for the rant but I think filming your dc and putting the content out there on line for all to see, is exploitative, coercive, psychologically damaging, immoral and downright irresponsible.

Kpo58 · 28/10/2024 09:13

I think that it depends on what is being filmed. I would ban the vlogger types of videos as the children are clearly being exploited, but I wouldn't have an issue on the Timmy is helping me with this Kid friendly science experiment which you can also do at home.

puddingpour · 28/10/2024 09:28

I used to do it and knowing what I know now, I wouldn't again, not for any amount of money. I regret sharing so much information, once it's out there you can't take it back. I was naive and despite years passing, I still feel like I let my children down.

It's akin to selling your soul to the devil.

Sarah2891 · 28/10/2024 09:34

No. Content like this should be banned honestly. The kids have no say in the matter, it's so wrong.

DrRiverSong · 28/10/2024 09:37

I absolutely would not. I have an acquaintance who is trying to build his online profile and has taken to adding his kids to his posts. It makes me deeply uncomfortable that they are being used as props.

Rubixcoobe · 28/10/2024 09:39

Yes 😂

betterangels · 28/10/2024 09:41

MugPlate · 27/10/2024 08:56

They can’t consent.

They can’t consent to the weird parasocial relationships people will have with them.
They can’t consent to AI scraping their images and voices to be made into whatever degenerate ideas the developers have in mind.
They can’t consent to blurring the boundaries between private and public, family and fake.

Yes, agree. And Ruby Franke, etc. It should be illegal.

Letsgodancing · 28/10/2024 09:49

I saw an episode of USA wifeswap where it was a YouTube family and a family who didn't really use the Internet and were more into the outdoors and playing together. The little girl from YouTube family said it was lovely to play and not have a camera in her face, that was quite sad. I think there will be a huge backlash in the coming years with the kids who were put on YouTube and had to make content. As these kids become young adults some are already speaking out and it will definitely be much more in the next 5 - 8 years. Their privacy and intimate moments have been shared with the world, they have no idea who is watching.

Ollehreversed · 28/10/2024 09:52

Wouldbedriver · 28/10/2024 08:19

Well, there’s so much that could go wrong that’s worse than obscurity. Be aware of the child safety risks. Accounts should really be set to private for all under 16s.

If they have to post anything publicly you should really check any videos before they upload. What might be normal clothing for them to wear around the house could be catnip to a predator. Make very sure there’s no way anyone can comment or contact them.

And if one of their videos suddenly gets thousands or tens of thousands of views, it may well be for a bad reason.

Make sure you’re the one with ultimate control over their account and can delete videos or shut it all down.

Thanks! We r very safety aware. Most of their videos are video games with them speaking in the background or animations they've made or collections of videos they've put to music. I think it's great and their editing skills are incredible! I am amazed everyday by technology and how children can use it.

I do get worried about internet safety, but as long as parents are keeping oversight and have regular, open discussions about safety, what is appropriate and not etc.. and as long as I monitor what they are posting, I think it's fine.

I personally am not a fan of computers or gaming and find it all very dull and wouldn't ever want to make a YouTube channel or edit a video, but if you like it, I think it's fab and my children have learnt so so much from their evolving channels!

I agree with you that we need to be careful and help our children navigate this complex online world.

Floogal · 28/10/2024 09:53

rwalker · 27/10/2024 08:33

There’s a large family in uk do this

The Grimwades? I've only ever watched the stuff they did on milkshake. It was only later I realised they had online videos with a large following. Apparently they're also big on the Christian scene. The kids do seem quite pleasant and down to Earth. But there is something a bit pokey about the parents

aesoplover · 28/10/2024 10:19

Wolfpa · 28/10/2024 07:52

Is it any different to:

politicians putting their families on camera during campaigns.

parents who have decided that their child is the next big footballer so their childhood is dominated by training.

children performing on BGT or the Voice Kids

reality TV including children.

there should be similar to child actors set up saying that a portion of the money earned needs to go in trust to them. They should have to comply with child labour laws but social media is just a media platform like all of the others.

if you could guarantee that I could make 60 million a year tbh there isn’t much I wouldn’t do.

Personally I think all of the above are wrong too

FilthyforFirth · 28/10/2024 10:22

Given I dont even post pictures of my children online, that is a hard no from me. I think it should be illegal, children aren't able to consent.