Overview
If your kid watches gaming videos on YouTube, you’ve probably seen it in a similar format to this: A screen record of the YouTuber playing the game, with a small window in the corner of the screen showing their face as they play and talk into a microphone.
Well, that specific type of gaming video had to start somewhere, and it started with legendary YouTuber PewDiePie.
PewDiePie is a Swedish gaming YouTuber who, over the course of a decade, has amassed over a hundred million subscribers. At one point, he was the most subscribed YouTuber on the platform. Today, his channel looks a lot different, and he’s no longer the top dog for YouTube gaming anymore. But since his latest video received millions of views, it’s safe to say that he’s quite popular. So we made sure to research and review all his videos so parents know exactly what to expect from PewDiePie. Let’s jump in!
Harmful Content ❗️
PewDiePie’s channel may go down in YouTube history, but he didn’t achieve his popularity by being family-friendly. Part of PewDiePie’s persona is embracing crude and “shock” humor, which is not always suitable for young audiences. It’s not uncommon for him to make jokes at the expense of others (sometimes targeted at someone in a game). He also used to make satirical videos about other YouTubers and poke fun at them.
Some of the games he’s played over the years are not necessarily ones you want your child exposed to. He’s played many horror games, violent games such as Call of Duty, and a couple of niche games that are highly inappropriate. One example is a Japanese game called Love Death 4 which features sexualized anime characters.
Parents may also want to know that PewDiePie was involved in some controversies back in 2017. Some of his older videos included a few off-colored jokes surrounding race and even some blatantly insensitive jokes about sexual assault. The controversy resulted in the loss of his YouTube Premium TV show and many mainstream companies severed their ties with him. Since then, he has apologized for his poor judgment and no longer makes jokes in the same vein.
Language
Adult language is used frequently in his videos and is not bleeped. Unfortunately, this sort of language goes hand in hand with YouTube gaming culture.
Sex
Overall, PewDiePie’s channel is not sexual. However, as we mentioned, he doesn’t shy away from crude humor. Especially in his older videos, sexual jokes are very common.
Violence
Some of PewDiePie’s most popular videos are of him playing horror video games such as Amnesia and Five Nights at Freddy’s. These games are usually dark and intense. But PewDiePie’s commentary often adds a comedic and lighthearted element to the otherwise scary game.
Positive Value 💫
One reason why millions of people were drawn to PewDiePie was his happy and quirky disposition. He was never afraid to show his hilariously strange personality in his videos. Watching PewDiePie’s channel can encourage kids to always be themselves and remind them that it’s okay to laugh at yourself sometimes!
PewDiePie also made sure to put his fame and fortune to good use, as he has notably raised millions of dollars for charities such as the WWF.
So, should my kid watch it?
PewDiePie’s channel is more appropriate for older teens, but we don’t suggest allowing younger children to watch him due to the crude and adult humor.
