Kid YouTube stars make sugary junk food look good — to millions of young viewers
The platform banned food advertising, yet many videos viewed by millions of kids continue to showcase candy, soda and packaged snacks, likely affecting kids' food preferences, researchers say.
Blonde and charismatic, 9-year-old Nastya, as she's known on YouTube, has a big grin and an even bigger social media presence. She has more than 100 million subscribers on YouTube, where she posts videos that show her engaged in activities like singing, imaginative role playing with friends or unboxing.
Nastya is part of a world of kid influencers, pint-sized social media stars who, like their adult counterparts, create digital content to generate views and engagement among their young followers. They are hugely popular: that 27% of 5-to-8-year-olds in the U.S. follow certain YouTube influencers.
