After surviving the Covid – 19 lockdown in 2020 and 2021, the need to describe what YouTube is, is completely pointless. From adults to children, this app has been one of the most used apps for various purposes. Just like any other social media app, it is used to share media, watch news, and even learn a new language. As society, and our lifestyle changes, YouTube becomes more influential in our daily lives. With the guidance of videos you can learn cooking, art and craft, dance, and even how to repair a damaged item. It is a good way to spend your time productively and enhance your skills. However, this has its own positive and negative impacts.

When we talk about YouTube for young children, the learning opportunities are endless. YouTube has it all. Keeping the advantages in mind one must know that YouTube is an open platform. It has content for all age groups under one app.

Young kids believe that YouTube videos are better for learning than TV shows or videos created on a researcher’s smartphone. They also view people in YouTube videos to be more real than those on TV but less real than those featured in a researcher-created smartphone video.  YouTube is playing a major role in extending the area of a classroom, which was a sole education provider, a decade ago. Today, YouTube has become a global classroom with thousands of teachers undertaking tutoring sessions and a student can choose between them to enlarge the knowledge. Many top educational institutions share classroom videos on YouTube and a student living abroad can achieve similar academic learning while viewing and retaining these videos. By subscribing to one particular channel, a student stays notified for new uploads. A few years ago, the definition of entertainment was television, radio, or cinema hall. But, today, YouTube has changed this definition by bringing every movie or series in the hands of each global user. Live streaming, YouTube gaming, and YouTube kids are few applications that the company has launched to target the specific audience.

YouTube grants Right to expression, which is a basic right of every person. One doesn’t require an official permission to broadcast their ideas in the form of videos. Through YouTube, an individual can upload any video content that he wants to share with the world. In the digital world of the internet, YouTube spreads the vision and perspective of millions and allows a person to relate and feel belongingness. When people started using YouTube, they wouldn’t have anticipated that they can earn by sharing their interests online. YouTube gives a means of earning to the innovative video creators and bloggers. As of today, numerous corporate channels on YouTube earns millions with the number of views. The trend of web series in several countries has gained popularity on YouTube, which proved beneficial for struggling actors.

As much as this is an advantage, it has its drawbacks too.

A large following to a YouTube channel gives enough power to the content creator to manipulate the video and reach a thousand users. As anyone can upload a video on YouTube, it can become a means to spread false information and strike rage among citizens. In the education sector, where everyone’s sense of understanding is different, YouTube doesn’t possess a provision to check if the knowledge being provided is correct.

Many parents refrain their children from using YouTube because it constitutes content that can be disturbing to the mental health of the children. At times, videos show violent content without any warning. Numerous clips constitute content completely different from the name and thus, unable to provide meaningful and required information.

Children and teenagers have innocent minds since they haven’t reached their maturity level. Getting exposed to things that are not appropriate their age, can diminish their way of thinking at a very early age. There is no supervision of content on YouTube channels.

Young children are exposed to countless videos, for entertainment purposes being it a tool to learn new things. However, there is no surety that the information provided on these channels is true. Any misinformation or bad conduct can cause problems later. YouTube is a vast platform with unlimited information, but not all of it is high quality or appropriate for children.

The key lies in proper parental guidance. Educate your child to learn to navigate the internet safely with videos that are appropriate. Any social media platform can be a blessing or a hindrance in a child’s growth, but the answer isn’t to keep them away from it, it is to keep them on the right side of it.

Aishwarya Says:

I have always been against Glorifying Over Work and therefore, in the year 2021, I have decided to launch this campaign “Balancing Life”and talk about this wrong practice, that we have been following since last few years. I will be talking to and interviewing around 1 lakh people in the coming 2021 and publish their interview regarding their opinion on glamourising Over Work.

If you are interested in participating in the same, do let me know.

Do follow me on Facebook, Twitter  Youtube and Instagram.

The copyright of this Article belongs exclusively to Ms. Aishwarya Sandeep. Reproduction of the same, without permission will amount to Copyright Infringement. Appropriate Legal Action under the Indian Laws will be taken.

If you would also like to contribute to my website, then do share your articles or poems at adv.aishwaryasandeep@gmail.com

We also have a Facebook Group Restarter Moms for Mothers or Women who would like to rejoin their careers post a career break or women who are enterpreneurs.

We are also running a series Inspirational Women from January 2021 to March 31,2021, featuring around 1000 stories about Indian Women, who changed the world. #choosetochallenge