Children and the Internet - Clickbait on YouTube - underestimated problem for children?
On the Internet, there are many videos that are not intended for children's eyes. Many people are aware of this. But even if children are not actively searching for it, they are confronted with problematic content.
Things are even worse than that. They don't even have to watch the video. The thumbnails on the platforms are enough to attract attention. According to a US study, some of these thumbnails entice clicks in drastic ways. How can we protect children from this?
Anyone who uses video platforms like YouTube knows: With every video, one receives suggestions for further videos that are meant to keep you watching. Some work with so-called clickbait in thumbnails and headlines to get more attention. What children see as a result, according to researchers from the University of Michigan, is largely unexplored.
Children are attracted to adult content
Of course, there are also video platforms specifically for children that offer age-appropriate content. But these are only interesting for a very young age group, says Benjamin Thull, youth protection expert at the Landesanstalt für Kommunikation (LFK) Baden-Württemberg. Children over a certain age quickly notice that there are much more engaging contents on open platforms for adults.
This is confirmed by media scientist Christian Schicha from the University of Erlangen. "The children's channel is interesting and educational, but not as exciting as contents that are scary, disturbing, bizarre."
For the study published in the journal "Jama", US researchers simulated search queries on YouTube from children aged 6 to 11. In this age group, children use media more independently and watch less content specifically made for them, it is stated in the justification. The researchers used widely used search terms, such as popular computer games, influencers, or funny content like memes. Then they evaluated which videos were suggested based on these search terms, clicked on one randomly, and analyzed which suggestions appeared at the end of the video. Almost 2900 thumbnails were collected in this way, which the researchers analyzed in terms of their design.
Gender stereotypes are particularly common
The result: The vast majority of these thumbnail images were classified as highly attention-grabbing or problematic. They used dramatic, confusing, scary, or shocking motifs to arouse curiosity. Many of them also relied on gender stereotypes, such as exaggerated male or female bodies or sexual innuendos.
And: The longer the researchers engaged with these videos suggested by the platform, the more suggestions they received. Other problematic videos, however, were not suggested more frequently.
The authors of the study did not investigate what this does to children and how it affects their media consumption. That requires further research, they write.
From the perspective of Erlangen researcher Schicha, the results show that children are exposed to clickbait on video platforms that are highly problematic and could be disruptive. "I find that alarming, especially since there are no barriers to accessing these images, even if they are just thumbnails."
The images could already influence children's thinking just by themselves, says youth protection expert Thull. For instance, that appearance is crucial for social recognition. Or that it is socially accepted to watch videos of accidents because there are so many of them on the platforms. "But I believe that in the end, the video itself still has much more impact," he adds.
However, the problem with thumbnails is that one cannot get past them. Even if one decides not to watch a video. The content of the thumbnail has already been perceived. Protecting children from this is therefore difficult.
What can be done about it?
"The thumbnails themselves are usually not actionable. So that's not something that can be prohibited through law or regulation," explains Thull. Except for pornographic or extremely violent content that violates legal provisions or the platform's guidelines and is often not even uploaded. Thumbnails designed to generate a lot of clicks are not something he considers worth banning. "That's not something that can be banned," he emphasizes. One cannot also prescribe a platform to do more against it.
Therefore, Schicha and Thull consider it important to educate children and adolescents about how thumbnails work and to impart media competence to them. "In the family, at school, in other places where education takes place, it should be pointed out," says Schicha. "One should try to establish a trusting relationship with one's children, talk to them about such images, and make it clear that it is not good for their psychological health to watch them."
- Despite their best efforts to avoid it, children often encounter problematic content on the Internet through the attention-grabbing thumbnails on video platforms like YouTube.
- Some US studies suggest that certain thumbnail designs can drastically increase click rates, potentially exposing children to inappropriate content.
- In Baden-Württemberg, Germany, youth protection expert Benjamin Thull emphasizes that children quickly lose interest in age-appropriate content on platforms like YouTube due to the allure of adult content.
- Media scientist Christian Schicha from the University of Erlangen underlines this, stating that while educational content for children is interesting, it rarely holds a candle to more exciting or alarming content.
- For their study published in the journal "Jama", researchers from the University of Michigan simulated searches on YouTube by children aged 6 to 11 and found that many thumbnails used sensational motifs to attract attention.
- These thumbnails often relied on gender stereotypes or shocking images, according to the study, making them highly problematic for children's media consumption.
- In the state of Bavaria, Germany, KIKA, a children's broadcaster, seeks to provide age-appropriate content and challenges parents and educators to engage with children about media consumption and online safety.
- Consequently, fostering media literacy and open communication about online content is crucial in helping children and adolescent navigate the complex digital landscape, experts agree.
