Part 1 explained why children and young people want to become YouTubers or social media stars: With the famous influencers , it seems so easy to earn money and have fun at the same time by producing so-called content. If you want to support this desire, you should consider a few things.
Should I support my child in this?
Take your child’s wish seriously and talk to him about it. Children are not necessarily able to assess all the risks associated with publishing on the Internet. It’s hard for them to imagine how many people might watch such a video and the ways in which it can be redistributed. Children also cannot yet foresee that being the center of attention all the time can mean stress. You also have to deal with criticism about your own videos. Successful influencers are under pressure to keep producing new videos for their fans in order to stay in the conversation. Most children and young people who are active on YouTube, i.e. who publish their own videos there, are usually only known in their immediate environment. Her followers are mainly friends and joy.
Make your child aware of these things and discuss together the decision to produce their own content for social media. Think about what’s in favor and what’s against. Ask what is actually behind the desire and what is the goal of having your own YouTube channel. Should it start as a hobby? What should it be about? Which topics and contents should occur? What should the videos look like?
More tips for your own social media presence
- Running your own YouTube channel (or other social media channel) requires registration. In order to have their own account, users in Germany usually have to be 16 years old; younger persons need a declaration of consent from their parents. Please note the terms and conditions of the respective provider.
- Publishing a video on YouTube is not done with one click, as various details must be provided. This includes, among other things, whether the video is suitable for children. Do this, at least for the first video, together with your child.
- YouTube switches advertising before and sometimes in the middle of video clips when a certain number of clicks is reached. Check it regularly. If the video is suitable for children, the advertising should also be suitable for young people.
- Familiarize yourself with the privacy settings of the respective platform. For example, videos could be made private and only accessible to selected users.
- Think about privacy! No information, such as the user name, or recordings, such as filming in your own home, should allow conclusions about personal data (such as place of residence, age or school of the child).
- Videos in which other persons can be seen may not be published without their consent.
- The copyrights must be respected. Only self-created images and music may be published, or you must obtain usage rights for the use of third-party music, photos, etc. and possibly pay license fees.
- Prepare your child for the fact that he or she may also receive
unflattering criticism
about the video. On YouTube, the language is sometimes harsh and not very friendly. There are always people who are not concerned with content, but who use the apparent anonymity on the Internet to insult others. Especially for children and teenagers (under 14 years) it is recommended to simply deactivate the comment function.
- Decide together at what intervals your child will upload a new video. Take into account other things like school, sports or other hobbies.
Talk to your child about the fact that success as a YouTuber also depends on luck. Maybe things don’t go as hoped at the beginning or the videos don’t meet your expectations. Especially the possibility of not making one’s own videos publicly available to everyone is well suited for trying out being a YouTuber and improving one’s filming skills in a protected setting. Still, your child can show off his latest work to friends in the schoolyard or grandma.
