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Algorithm That Makes Preschoolers Obsessed with YouTube

theatlantic.com

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Re: Algorithm That Makes Preschoolers Obsessed with YouTube

#81

Post by 40acres »

corysama wrote: post #16

In the past couple of years there has been a huge uptick in YT content targeting very young children. The feedback loop is so tight that many of the creators have converged on designing some of the most visceral (and disturbing) material that appeals to kids at a reptilian level. Think about how genuinely weird little kids are. Sometimes they do stuff that would be scary if it wasn't just a minute of innocent pretend…

My goddaughter is 2 and my girlfriend's nephew (who've I spent considerable amount of time with) is 4. The goddaughter watches may more TV than the 4 year old but both watch a couple of hours a week. I've only seen them view animation videos on youtube that seem like in days gone by would air on PBS.

I'm not sure what kind of parent would let their kids watch stuff like this but it's pretty shocking to see that this stuff is even marketed as "for children". The only "for children" things I've seen on Youtube are pretty innocent animated shorts (lots of nursery rhymes too). But I guess the algorithm will show you what it thinks you like.

Re: Algorithm That Makes Preschoolers Obsessed with YouTube

#82

Post by pmoriarty »

watwut wrote: post #75
pmoriarty wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People should read the old, original Brothers Grim stories. Plenty of that was pretty, ahem, grim. Over the centuries it's been sanitized and Disneyfied, but the primal drives that fascinated by that sort of thing have not gone away.

German censorship around books for children was quite tight actually. Not all of that was for little children, a lot of it effectively scary stories for older ones. Also half todays cartoons would not pass neither comic code nor restrictions at early movies.

What you describe is a later development. There was no comic code or movie censorship in the 19th century or in the centuries before, wherein lay the sources for the Grimm's tales.

Re: Algorithm That Makes Preschoolers Obsessed with YouTube

#83

Post by jarrettch »

softawre wrote: post #73
bdamm wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My child was competently operating an iPad before he could talk or walk

Mine too, and it is amazing. Would yours also try to touch the TV to swipe it? My 4 year old is just now learning to use a mouse, but she's been at a touchscreen for over 3 years.

My daughter is 3 and learned to use a phone/tablet before she was 2. Whenever I'd pull up YouTube on my tv she'd walk to the tv and try to swipe it as well. Often getting upset thinking the tv was broken, haha.

She was used to iPads, but one day I gave her my Android tablet. She was upset at first because things are slightly different, but adjusted quickly. I was shocked at how fast she picked it up.

Re: Algorithm That Makes Preschoolers Obsessed with YouTube

#84

Post by sjg007 »

rjeli wrote: post #68
graphitezepp wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also part of the first generation internet, definitely believe the internet was deeply harmful to my development, as well as a subset of my peers. Suspect that subset will grow larger with Ipad parenting being normal. Not trying to tell anyone how to parent, but I don't like how ubiquitous internet has become with so little good psychology done on it's effects socially.

Yeah. I learned fascinating things from Wikipedia, learned to develop, which led to working in tech which I am thankful for. But I also went from reading novels for 12 hours a day to browsing reddit for 12 hours a day, which did a number on my brain. Deeply regret it.

I found that it reduced my concentration and ability to focus.

Re: Algorithm That Makes Preschoolers Obsessed with YouTube

#85

Post by utefan001 »

This is how my 11 year old daughter uses YouTube now... After 30 min, DNS no longer works for entertainment sites. In order to fix that she has to do 5 Khan problems or read thoery.com, Duolingo, prodigy math, code monkey, splash math, Xtra math, or typing club. It takes her 5 to 7 mins to earn points. My server detects points and re enables DNS replies for YouTube, etc. Best result so far is she now understands how fast 30 mins goes by and has no interest in watching YouTube all afternoon. I have spent ton of time and resources on this last 12 months. We are releasing new beta in 2 weeks. DNSLearning.org. Do Not Stop Learning.

Re: Algorithm That Makes Preschoolers Obsessed with YouTube

#86

Post by mahyarm »

bdamm wrote: post #25
thatswrong0 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I noticed this myself watching my friends young cousin browse Youtube.. his feed was half clickbait 20-something white guys yelling at you to subscribe Minecraft videos, half perverted (such as Spiderman kissing Elsa from Frozen) or oddly gory children videos like the ones described in the article. If I ever have kids, there's no way in hell I'm letting them run free with an iPad or iPhone. I know it's the "easy way…

You may make a different choice after years of being unable to do anything but give 100% of your attention to the child. Someone needs to cook & clean, or go to work, after all. In the "old days" you'd just cut your kid loose into the environment. Well, these days, TV and iPads are part of the environment, and YouTube along with it. I'm not saying you wouldn't make boundaries. Boundaries are important. But that may a…

You can lock down the iPad to not allow youtube, web browsing or any app installs / in app purchases and they have to come to you for permission to install new games.

Re: Algorithm That Makes Preschoolers Obsessed with YouTube

#87

Post by hkon »

corysama wrote: post #16

In the past couple of years there has been a huge uptick in YT content targeting very young children. The feedback loop is so tight that many of the creators have converged on designing some of the most visceral (and disturbing) material that appeals to kids at a reptilian level. Think about how genuinely weird little kids are. Sometimes they do stuff that would be scary if it wasn't just a minute of innocent pretend…

Wow... I had no idea.

Re: Algorithm That Makes Preschoolers Obsessed with YouTube

#88

Post by spraak »

utefan001 wrote: post #85

This is how my 11 year old daughter uses YouTube now... After 30 min, DNS no longer works for entertainment sites. In order to fix that she has to do 5 Khan problems or read thoery.com, Duolingo, prodigy math, code monkey, splash math, Xtra math, or typing club. It takes her 5 to 7 mins to earn points. My server detects points and re enables DNS replies for YouTube, etc. Best result so far is she now understands how…

Yes! I've been doing similar manual/analog solutions but it's hard to keep up with

Re: Algorithm That Makes Preschoolers Obsessed with YouTube

#89

Post by AlexC04 »

I absolutely loathe youtube's suggestion stream. It is clearly designed to be exploitative of children's media-illiteracy.

Clickbait, misleading and outright deception in the headlines and thumbnails. For lack of a better term "trend-whoring" (a couple weeks back, a number of the video game streams suddenly had fidget spinners in all their thumnails)

I'm planning (hoping) on becoming a parent in a couple years, and it makes me really appreciate the regulations imposed on television regulators. Or the trust I'd have subscribing to a paid content service.

Youtube's suggested content feed often feels like dredging through bottom feeding sludge. And that's as an adult! I couldn't imagine subjecting children to that.

I often feel that way about AMP suggestions on my phone, though it isn't quite as bad, it sometimes goes really crazy.

I'm happy to read the rest of the parent-comments in this thread though, I'd love to hear what the rest of you with a bit more experience do.

Re: Algorithm That Makes Preschoolers Obsessed with YouTube

#90

Post by strictnein »

arbuge wrote: post #69
strictnein wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did, and now this is permanently burned into my brain: "Daddy finger, daddy finger, where are you? Here I am, here I am, how do you do?"

Almost as bad is the one about monkeys jumping on the bed...

And all the derivative versions of that featuring every type of animal and cartoon character.
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