Lately, there have been many studies regarding the “concerning” number of children who want to become YouTubers when they grow up. When one really puts some thought into it, it’s obvious to see why.
A study published in The Sun states that “75% of children ages 6 to 17 want to become YouTubers.” A majority of Gen Z and Millennials also chose becoming a YouTuber as their most desired career.
When man stepped on the moon, imagine how many children wanted to become astronauts – because it looked fun. Today on YouTube, kids see so many channels doing crazy stuff, like former NASA and Apple engineer Mark Rober. Rober is known for his mind-blowing inventions and one-of-a-kind ideas. Family channels on YouTube are sprouting left and right allowing viewers to watch the family have once-in-a-lifetime experiences. How can people not find that fun? The obsession with a YouTube career is simply children doing what children do. They see something entertaining, and they want to do it too.
CNBC’s “Make It” found the following results. “Today’s kids are three times more likely to aspire toward a career as a YouTuber rather than an astronaut. However, the responses varied depending where children were from. More than half of those in China said they wanted to be an astronaut, making it the most popular career aspiration. In the U.S. and the U.K., that number fell to just over 10%, with vlogger (video blogger) or YouTuber ranked as the top aspiration in both countries.”
It’s important to note that YouTube is blocked in China. The article never mentioned this crucial piece of information. It’s possible that if China had YouTube, a vlogger would be a more popular career among younger generations.
YouTube may not be considered a real career among adults, but it’s becoming a respected job among rising generations. Some have been concerned with their children pursuing a vlogger’s salary, but ultimately, they don’t need to be. Interests change quickly, and it’s likely that as these kids grow up they won’t want to be an influencer anymore.
Works Cited:
CNBC Make It, Kids Now Dream of Being Professional YouTubers Rather than Astronauts, Study Finds, 2019.
The Sun, Children Turn Backs on Traditional Careers in Favour of Internet Fame, study finds, 2017.
MediaKix, Why Children are Set on Becoming YouTubers When They Grow Up
Mark Rober, Mark Rober YouTube Channel
Photo Credits: Pixabay
great information I got mind blown by that fact that YouTube is blocked in china and that’s why I love articles like this. I really enjoyed this article since in the past I’ve wanted to be a youtuber back in the day.