YouTube is influencing the next generation beyond the screen, and inspiring their youngest viewers to talk to an imaginary audience during playtime, pretend to unbox toys, and act as if they’re being recorded in every moment.

YouTube is influencing the next generation beyond the screen, and inspiring their youngest viewers to talk to an imaginary audience during playtime, pretend to unbox toys, and act as if they’re being recorded in every moment. For some, the audience is real: ten-year-old Annie Cole has her own vlog channel that draws in more than 36,000 viewers per video and has conditioned her parents to hit record on most childhood moments, which can include their five other children. Since the trend is a relatively new phenomenon, it is unclear how it will affect children long-term. (Stuff.co.nz)