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Like Squid Game Content

The dystopian South Korean horror series "Squid Game" has become Netflix's most watched TV series however, it is fast becoming as controversial as it is popular.



The recent controversy over "Squid Game," which has been classified as TV-MA in the United States is related to the growing interest in the show among young children. An Australian school has warned that children aged 6 and under are playing the same kinds of games as the hit show's dark and gory episodes. In Australia similar warnings were issued by teachers in Sydney and Western Australia.



In "Squid Game,"" characters compete for cash prizes by taking part in challenges that augment classic Korean games for children in which the "losers" being killed at the end of each round. These games, which emphasise the show's bizarre take on the game of children, are played in highly stylized arenas such as a children's playground that is large enough for adults. After each game the traditional play areas are filled with blood and filled with corpses. This show is a huge success in the digital world of children.



A variety of popular channels on YouTube Kids (designed specifically for viewers younger than 12) have benefited from the "Squid Game" trend. The YouTube content includes How to Draw "Squid Game" character videos, as well as "Squid Game" themed gameplay videos from online video game Roblox.



The Roblox game "Squid Game", which is a well-loved theme has become extremely popular. Many Roblox videos that feature "Squid Game" have hundreds of thousands, if not millions of views.



On both the main and kids' version of YouTube, videos aimed at children show users (often children) playing these "Squid Game" inspired games in Roblox and Minecraft, with the "Red Light, Green Light" challenge becoming a wildly popular trend. This challenge is also trending on TikTok, with people emulating the game in a range of real-life settings as well as in videogames such as Roblox and Minecraft.
minecraft


The "Red Light, Green Light” scene has become a massive meme. The animatronic doll that functions as motion sensors in "Squid Game" has been widely used to create memes. The doll is often featured in thumbnails of videos for "Squid Game"-related children's YouTube content.



These YouTube videos of children are innocent. These videos demonstrate how "Squid Game," a digital content platform that specifically targets young children, has managed to be a sneaky way to access digital content. However the distinction between adult-oriented and child-oriented content on the internet were never clear.



YouTube has been the focus of many controversies over inappropriate content targeted at children. TikTok is also subject to similar concerns regarding children's safety and inappropriate content being watched by children. TikTok allows children over 13 years old to have full access to the app, but reports indicate that children younger than 13 are using it. A U.S. Senate hearing is currently taking place on the safety of TikTok for children. Federal Trade Commission in 2019 and introduced sweeping changes to make the distinction between children's and adult content easier to spot on the platform. For instance, creators now have to be able to inform YouTube if their content is intended for children, and machine-learning is used to determine videos that specifically target young viewers.



Despite these modifications, YouTube remains a very different beast from broadcast television. The content popular with children on both the main and children's versions of the platform often differs significantly from children's TV.



YouTube content for children that riffs on "Squid Game" characters and scenes continues a long-standing trend of "mashups" content for children.



Like "Squid Game" content, "mashup" videos harness the latest trends in themes, search terms, and characters - often featuring popular characters in thumbnail imagery and video titles.



The "Momo phenomenon of 2018 and 2019 echos the growing worldwide fear of children participating in "Squid Game" challenges. In this instance an image of a sinister character that was later attributed to the moniker "Momo" was a viral image on the internet (the photo was actually of an actual Japanese sculpture).



International news media covered "Momo," which claimed that the creature was featured in videos for children on YouTube and urged children to play dangerous games and challenges.



As is currently happening in relation to "Squid Game," official warnings were issued to parents regarding the "Momo Challenge," advising them to be on guard. It quickly became clear that the "Momo Challenge", an internet-wide hoax, was likely an elaborate hoax.



Momo embodied parents' worst fears regarding the dangers children face through internet usage. Concerns about "Squid Game's" influence on children share the same tone The fears might not be a reaction to actual dangers, but a expression of our displeasure with how easily adult-oriented media can seep into online content targeted at young children.



The streaming media's inter-generational appeal illustrates how streaming media challenges traditional notions of "child-appropriate content."



Adult concerns regarding "Squid Game"'s harmful influence on children are rooted in earlier concerns about this "mashup" as well as about children's interactions with the internet more broadly.



This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. The original article is available here.



Jessica Balanzategui is a senior lecturer in screen studies and cinema at Swinburne University of Technology in Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia. She receives funding from the Australian Children's Television Foundation.


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