p>The dystopian South Korean horror series "Squid Game" has become the most watched Netflix television show however it is rapidly becoming as controversial as it is well-known.
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p>The latest controversy to surface in relation to "Squid Game," which is rated TV-MA in United States, relates to the excitement it has created in children. This includes warnings from an Australian school that children as young as 6 are creating games featured in the gory and dark show. In Australia, similar warnings were issued by teachers in Sydney and Western Australia.
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p>The "Squid Game" is a show where characters compete for cash prizes, taking part in games that are a variation on classic Korean games for children. The "losers," however, are killed at the conclusion of every round. Further highlighting the show's twisted approach to child's play, the games are played out in highly stylized arenas, such as an adult scale children's play area. These traditional playgrounds for children are often with bloody stains and littered with corpses following each game. The show is certainly popular among children's online cultures.
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p>A variety of channels that have been successful on YouTube Kids (designed for viewers under 12) have benefited from the "Squid Game" trend. The content on YouTube includes How to Draw "Squid Game" Character videos and gameplay videos from Roblox which include "Squid Game".
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p>The Roblox game "Squid Game" is a popular theme, has been extremely popular. Many Roblox videos featuring "Squid Game", have hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of views.
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p>On both the kids' and main version of YouTube, videos aimed at children showcase children (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 a popular trend on TikTok? where people are attempting to emulate the game in a wide range of real-life settings and videogames Roblox and Minecraft.
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p>"Squid Game"'s most popular video is "Red Light, Green Light". The meme-driven giant animatronic doll that acts as a motion sensor this game has been heavily memeified. This doll is often seen in video thumbnails for "Squid Game"-related children's YouTube content.
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p>These YouTube videos featuring children are quite harmless. These videos show how "Squid Game," a digital content platform that is specifically designed for children has managed to be a sneaky way to access digital content. But the boundaries between content geared towards children and adults online have always been murky.
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p>YouTube has been the focus of many controversies over inappropriate content directed at children. TikTok? has also been the subject of similar concerns about children's safety and the content that is watched by children. TikTok? provides full access to the app to children older than 13, but reports suggest that children of a younger age are using it: Alongside YouTube, TikTok? is currently facing a U.S. Senate hearing on kids' safety.S. Federal Trade Commission, in 2019, made significant changes to clarify the distinction between children's and adult content on the platform. YouTube now requires creators to tell YouTube that their content is targeted at children. Machine learning is used to determine videos that have clearly defined target audiences.
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p>YouTube is still a very different platform from broadcast television. YouTube's content is extremely popular for children, and it is different from children's TV.
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p>YouTube content for children that riffs off "Squid Game" characters and scenes continues a long-running trend of "mashups" content for children.
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p>Similar to "Squid Game" content "mashups" videos incorporate popular themes or search terms and characters, often featuring famous characters in thumbnail imagery or video titles.
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p>The "Momo phenomenon of 2018 and 2019 echos the growing worldwide fear of children taking part in "Squid Game" challenges. In this case the image of a savage figure that was tagged with the moniker "Momo" became viral on the internet (the image was actually of a Japanese sculpture).
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p>International news media reported on "Momo," which claimed that the creature was seen in videos for children on YouTube and urged youngsters to participate in dangerous games and challenges.
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p>As is now occurring in relation to "Squid Game,"" official warnings were issued to parents regarding the "Momo Challenge," advising them to be vigilant. It was soon clear that the "Momo Challenge" is an internet-wide hoax, was probably an elaborate ruse.
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p>Momo was an emblem of parents' most feared fears about children's internet usage. The fear of "Squid Game"'s influence on children has the same tone. These fears might not be a reaction to actual dangers but an expression of our displeasure with the ease that adult-oriented media can be incorporated into websites that are geared towards young children.
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p>The streaming media's inter-generational appeal shows how streaming media is challenging traditional notions of "child-appropriate content." https://30tt.com/ </p>
p>Adult concerns regarding "Squid Game"'s harmful influence on children are based on earlier concerns about this "mashup", but also about children's interactions with the internet in general.
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p>This article is republished by The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. The original article is available here.
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p>Jessica Balanzategui is a senior lecturer in screen and cinema studies at Swinburne University of Technology in Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia. She receives financial support from the Australian Children's Television Foundation.
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