Young people are more than just consumers of media. They are actively shaping it as you can see on platforms like YouTube or TikTok. Not only do people watch videos here, they often publish their own. Well-known YouTubers and influencers have all started small and built up a million-fold audience over the years.
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The topics on which videos are published are very diverse. Many people talk about their own everyday life in so-called vlogs. A lot of videos are about cosmetics and fashion; many make funny videos and others film and document how they play computers. Important topics such as cyberbullying or tolerance are also taken up on YouTube, dealt with in videos and reflected upon. The Ice Bucket Challenge, for example, showed how social issues can be addressed in a playful way on YouTube.
Even if young people don’t produce their own content, they can still be a part of it. By commenting and liking, they can influence what is discussed on the web and what happens in new videos. The Internet with YouTube and Co. is an information space for everything that interests young people. A space for role models, trends and, above all, to connect.
