Overview
Chances are, you haven’t heard your kid say, “My favorite YouTube channel is BuzzFeed!” Maybe they’ve never even mentioned BuzzFeed before. But if your kid is active on the internet, it’s more than likely they’ve come across their content in some way. And that’s because BuzzFeed is a digital media company that produces a little of almost everything. They have YouTube videos, news articles, shopping reviews, online quizzes, and more. And their main focus? Anything and everything pop culture. So whatever celebrity, show, movie, or trend your kid is into right now, they could probably find a lot of content about it on BuzzFeed.
And specifically, their YouTube channel is no different. They actually have multiple YouTube channels, but today we’re going to be focusing on BuzzFeed Video which is maybe their most general YouTube channel. This one is particularly tuned into YouTube trends, featuring a lot of challenges, reaction videos, some celebrity appearances, and more. There’s no one star of BuzzFeed Video, you’ll find new faces in almost every video (although this is where The Try Guys got their start, which is a popular internet group that may sound familiar. They now have their own YouTube channel separate from BuzzFeed).
So now that you know the wide-spreading, intricate web of BuzzFeed, the question remains if it’s safe for your kid to watch. This blog post will answer exactly that, so keep reading to find out!
Harmful Content ❗️
Overall, this channel is light-hearted and silly in nature. Some of the titles and thumbnails can feel somewhat over the top, a clear sign of clickbait which is very commonplace on YouTube. BuzzFeed is by no means the most extreme example of clickbait, but it could explain why kids will want to watch BuzzFeed’s content.
But BuzzFeed has never claimed their target audience to be young kids, their aim is more teenagers and young adults. So parents will want to take note of that before giving their kids full access to these videos.
Language 4/5
There is a certain amount of profanity on this channel, but it’s a little inconsistent. Because they have such a wide breadth of content, not all videos are treated the same when it comes to inappropriate words. Some videos don’t have any cursing, but others are full of foul language. And on top of that, sometimes the words are bleeped, and sometimes they’re not. So it’s a mixed bag.
Sex 3/5
While there is no explicit sexual content on BuzzFeed Video, parents should know some of the videos have suggestive or sexual themes that are not appropriate for a younger audience.
To give an example, BuzzFeed has a category of videos where they put two people in a slightly awkward situation and film what happens. One video in particular from the last couple of months is titled “Can You Guess Who The Sexpert Is Based On Their Kiss?” where one guy is filmed making out with five different women, and he has to guess who the “sexpert” is (“sexpert” is defined as a person who professes a knowledge of sexual matters, according to BuzzFeed). Similarly, another video was made in which a woman makes out with five people and she has to guess who the virgin is.
Violence 1/5
BuzzFeed Video is pretty tame in terms of violence. Their videos are a lot more interviews and conversations rather than action or violence.
Positive Value 💫
Surprisingly, BuzzFeed has a lot of educational videos interspersed with its other trendy YouTube videos. Again, its content hits almost every corner of the internet.
Some examples include:
- “I Survived The Holocaust Twin Experiments”, interview with Eva Mozes Kor, Holocaust survivor.
- “A Dominican & A Chinese American Swap Popular Dishes”, explores different cultures through food.
- “Teen With Tourette Syndrome Answers Your Questions”, interview with Sophie Adams, a teen who lives with Tourette Syndrome.
Some of these videos could be beneficial to show your kid, but depending on your kid’s age, we would caution parents to limit their ability to watch all of BuzzFeed’s videos.
So, should my kid watch it?
If your kid is old enough or mature enough, BuzzFeed could be a fun channel for them to enjoy. We would recommend ages 14 and up, but you know your kid best. As long as you’re aware of the content, you’ll be able to make the right decision for your kid.
