Introduction
This report, titled "Who Is the 'You' in YouTube?: Missed Opportunities in Race and Representation in Children's YouTube Videos", explores the significant gap in diverse representation within children's content on YouTube. Conducted in partnership with the University of Michigan, the analysis focuses on videos watched by children aged 0-8 and 9-18, revealing that much of the content fails to reflect the diversity of the United States and often perpetuates biased stereotypes regarding race and ethnicity.
Key Features:
- Diverse Representation: Highlights the lack of authentic stories that represent various communities, particularly BIPOC.
- User-Generated Content: Discusses the potential of YouTube as a platform for diverse storytelling through user-generated content.
- Recommendations for Improvement: Offers actionable steps for YouTube to enhance representation and for parents and educators to find quality content.
Use Cases:
- For Parents: Guidance on navigating YouTube to find diverse and representative content for their children.
- For Educators: Insights into the media landscape affecting children's perceptions of race and identity, aiding in media literacy education.
- For Content Creators: Encouragement to produce and promote content that reflects the diversity of audiences.