By Michaela Gordoni
Data shows Gen Alpha are less interested in content designed for them and more interested in platforms like YouTube and Twitch.
YouTube and Twitch dominantly offer user-generated content, which differs quite a bit from shows on PBS, Disney or Nickelodeon.
“Traditional television was scheduled, passive, and standardized. It couldn’t compete with the on-demand, personalized, and interactive nature of platforms like YouTube and later TikTok and Twitch,” said clinical psychologist Michael Wetter, PsyD, ABPP, FAACP. “Children now grow up in an environment where they don’t wait for a show to air — they expect content to be instantly available, tailored to their interests, and socially integrated.”
Original shows like BLUE’S CLUES and DORA THE EXPLORER aren’t what most kids connect with anymore. Instead, they lean toward user-generated content or shows like COCOMELON, BLIPPI and MS. RACHEL, which all got their start on YouTube.
Per Precise TV, 87% of kids ages 2-5 prefer YouTube over other services. Kids also game more than watch shows. And, 40% of 2-year-olds already own a tablet, which is terribly unhealthy.
“YouTube and other phone-based apps are available anywhere,” points out Devorah Heitner, PhD, author of the book Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World. “It’s free…adding to the appeal for busy, on-the-go families.”
Related: How Gen Alpha Is Changing the Entertainment Industry
“Unlike traditional TV, digital platforms let them choose the content, interact with it, and even become creators themselves,” said Titania Jordan, chief parenting officer of Bark Technologies, a company that provides tools to keep kids safe online. “That level of control and customization is something cable could never compete with.”
Younger kids lean toward YouTube, but older Gen Alpha and younger Gen Zers use Twitch. Over 40% of Twitch users are between 15 and 24, and most of them are male.
Scott H. Kollins, PhD, clinical psychologist, said streaming is “now seen as a real career path. Just like some kids dream of being pro athletes, others hope to become big-time streamers or esports stars. Even if only a few make it that far, the idea that it’s possible is really exciting.”
On any platform, parents should pay close attention to what their kids are watching.
“YouTube Kids offers a more curated environment, but it’s far from foolproof,” said Jordan. “Content can still slip through, and recommendation algorithms often favor engagement over appropriateness.”
“Filters can help, but YouTube is the wild west in terms of content,” added Heitner. “Kids can stumble on very harmful violent, sexual, and hateful content.”
Movieguide® founder Dr. Ted Beahr makes a powerful point in his book, The Culture-Wise Family, that TV and the internet are often used as babysitters — but why would you hire a babysitter that exposes your kid to violence, language and inappropriate content?
He writes in the book:
There is one babysitter who is constantly abusing millions of our children: a television set. No one fires this babysitter or brings criminal charges against it, nor do many people try to rehabilitate it…. These accomplices include churches that don’t instruct parents how to teach their children discernment and parents who allow their children to watch television, go to movies or surf the Internet without adequate supervision.
Digital parenting coach Elizabeth Milovidov says digital safety starts with parents guiding kids on how to navigate content online.
“What I always tell parents is that it doesn’t matter so much about the parental controls, as long as you’re talking to them, because even if you lock down that smartphone, that iPad, that gaming console, they are going to hear about [inappropriate content]. You’ve got to give them some strategies beforehand about what to do if somebody tries to show them something that they know is not appropriate,” she explained.
As parents, we have to be just as diligent online as we are in the real world. You probably wouldn’t drop your kid off at the mall without knowing who they will be spending time with, if they purchase something without you or that they can contact you if they need you — so do the same in the online world. Know what your kid is viewing and teach them how to navigate it — and consider reducing screen time if it’s becoming excessive.
Read Next: Warning: Live Streaming Platform Twitch Now Allows Nudity on Site
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