THE ECHO

by Sunny Smyth

As a kid, I watched a lot of television. My Little Pony, Barbie, Plum Landing, Wild Kratts, Sesame Street, and Odd Squad were all the shows a six-year-old in 2015 could want. I learned about environmental issues, math formulas, friendship issues, and how antelopes avoided being eaten. It was great! I loved the shows, and, with most of the programs being on PBS kids, my parents didn’t really have to worry about me watching things too old or
mature for me.

Fast-forward to 2025. The PBS Kids network has been defunded, Netflix subscriptions cost18 dollars a month, and YouTube videos and short-form content is now the most easily accessible form of entertainment for young children. This is concerning. The TV that young kids are watching now consists of high-pitched screaming and mindless scenarios. While children’s content is nothing new to YouTube, it has become increasingly popular and
mainstream.

In a study published in the National Library of Medicine, scientists found that “Children who started watching television during their first year and who watched television more than 2 hours per day were approximately six times more likely to have language delays than the ones who did not.” My
further exploration of the effects that television and screen time have on children has led me to become increasingly concerned about the younger generation. While I love a good joke about how “cooked” gen alpha is, it has become glaringly clear to me just how true that statement is. As someone with a younger sibling who is a mass-consumer of kids’ channels and blogging YouTubers, the statement rings alarmingly true.

While I dislike the media my brother consumes, I do see the appeal. YouTube is host to many fascinating videos, billions of them, even. With special algorithms in place designed to suck you in and stay online, it provides quick and easy media that kids can enjoy and resonate with. The videos that my brother watches are exactly that, quick and easy. This is what I find so dangerous. The videos provide content that is insubstantial, teaches nothing, and provides quick bursts of energy straight to kids’ brains. Whether it’s family blogs that record tropical vacations or toy unboxing videos, the media that is put out there for kids to enjoy is offering them nothing. Instead
of learning how to solve addition problems with my favorite childhood show Odd Squad, kids are watching grown men play Fortnite with their ten-year-olds for quick views.

So, the next time you pass by your sibling on the couch, maybe pause for a bit and really look at what is on the screen, because the last time I did, I came to a very interesting conclusion. I really can’t stand the television my younger brother watches.