“New video-watching guidelines for teens just dropped”

I’m going to sound old here, but it is what it is. When I was growing up, there was one TV in the house, and everyone knew what was being watched. Today, kids have an endless list of ways to view content. Here’s a short list of 20 ways kids can watch videos today:

• YouTube (popular and accessible)
• TikTok (short videos and livestreams)
• Instagram Reels (short clips like TikTok)
• Snapchat (Discover content, Stories, and private shares)
• Netflix (mainstream streaming service)
• Disney+ (movies and TV)
• Hulu (TV shows and movies)
• Amazon Prime Video (wide variety of content)
• Twitch (live streams, often gaming-related)
• Vimeo (independent films and creative works)
• Facebook Watch (longer-form content and series)
• Reddit (video content on subreddits like r/videos or r/funny)
• Discord (shared video streaming within groups or servers)
• Telegram (video sharing in groups or private chats)
• Kick (alternative live streaming platform)
• Rumble (alternative video platform)
• Bilibili (anime, gaming, and entertainment content, popular in Asia)
• Peacock (streaming service with TV and movie options)
• Crackle (free streaming service for movies and shows)
• Plex (streaming personal or publicly available media collections)

Maybe you’ve heard of all these platforms—or perhaps just a few. All of them are easily accessible to kids on their phones, tablets, or laptops.

You may have some important questions about the content they’re consuming, such as:

• What are they watching?
  • Is the content educational, entertaining, or potentially harmful?
• What is the age recommendation for the platform or content?
  • Is it appropriate for their age and maturity level?
• Does the content include themes like violence, drug use, or sexual content?
  • Are there depictions of risky behaviors that could influence them?
• Who is creating or sharing the content?
  • Are they watching reputable creators, or content from unverified or potentially harmful sources?
• Are they interacting with others through the platform?
  • Could they be exposed to strangers or negative influences in comments, chats, or live streams?

With the world literally at our children’s fingertips, it’s hard to keep up with what they’re consuming. They are the primary consumers of video content. Check out this article for tips on how to stay informed about what kids are watching online.

May the Force be with you.

~ Ryan