Representation of Childhood Culture on Teen YouTube Channels

Significant part of the YouTube content consists of videos created by teenagers. In these videos, they reflect the modern culture of childhood. This research aims to study the elements of childhood culture represented by teenagers in their own videos on YouTube. In addition, it analyzes what role production and consumption of videos on YouTube play, according to, in the lives of adolescent creators and consumers and in the culture of childhood in general. The author considers the content of 30 videos from Russian teen YouTube channels and data from 6 in-depth interviews with children who make videos themselves for video hosting. To achieve the purpose of the study, such methods as typology, discourse analysis, in-depth interview and survey were used. The results showed that teenagers in their videos on YouTube represent various “worlds” of childhood, depicting not only school, relationships with parents and hobbies. Other areas (for example, relationships with friends, relationships with pets, the gastronomic world, the world of beauty) that are present in the real life of adolescents are also presented in the video. Also, adolescents confirm that the creation and viewing of videos on YouTube play an important role in the modern culture of childhood. In addition, adolescent subscribers of Russian teen YouTube channels adopt behavioral patterns and arrogate to themselves the elements of a childhood culture that are broadcast by the authors of the videos.