5 Big Questions About YouTube

No! You have to be at least 13 years old to have one.

“If you want a channel, it will have to be one you share with a parent,” says Dr. Nusheen Ameenuddin, a pediatrician and media expert.

She also suggests having a parent or another trusted adult help run the channel, to protect your privacy and keep you safe.

“The internet is a big place, and any stranger can see your video,” she says. “Even little details like a school shirt or family photos can give away a lot of information.”

No! You have to be at least 13 years old to have one.

“If you want a channel, it will have to be one you share with a parent,” says Dr. Nusheen Ameenuddin, a pediatrician and media expert.

She also suggests having a parent or another trusted adult run the channel. This will help protect your privacy. It will also keep you safe.

“The internet is a big place. Any stranger can see your video,” she says. “Even little details like a school shirt or family photos can give away a lot of information.”

More than 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. That’s a lot of content! So what should you post? Experts suggest focusing on things you’re passionate about, whether it’s creating animations, playing Roblox, or performing funny skits.

“YouTube can be a great way to show off talent, connect with other kids, or talk about things that matter to you,” Ameenuddin says.

Still, with nearly 40 million channels to compete with, it can be hard to stand out. To get people to like and subscribe, YouTubers must constantly come up with unique content.

That’s what Ryan Kaji, the 9-year-old star of Ryan’s World, does. In 2015, his parents began posting videos of Ryan simply unboxing toy packages. Now his videos include challenges, science experiments, and more.

More than 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. That’s a lot of content! So what should you post? Experts suggest focusing on things you’re passionate about, whether it’s creating animations, playing Roblox, or performing funny skits.

“YouTube can be a great way to show off talent, connect with other kids, or talk about things that matter to you,” Ameenuddin says.

Still, there are nearly 40 million channels to compete with. It can be hard to stand out. To get people to like and subscribe, YouTubers must constantly come up with unique content.

That’s what Ryan Kaji does. He’s the 9-year-old star of Ryan’s World. In 2015, his parents began posting videos of Ryan unboxing toy packages. Now his videos have challenges, science experiments, and more.

Though it may seem like nothing but fun, running a channel can be hard work. The most successful YouTubers treat it like a job. They post a video nearly every day to keep followers coming back.

Most kids can’t do this alone, so running a channel becomes their parents’ responsibility too. They often write scripts and rehearse together. Some set up extra cameras and lighting equipment. After filming, they spend hours editing. It takes so many hours of hard work that Ryan’s family now employs a team of up to 30 people!

So the hobby you love could easily turn into a chore. Also, Ameenuddin points out, remember that what you see on-screen isn’t always real.

“What you see likely represents a tiny portion of someone’s life,” she says. “They’re regular kids like you, who have to do homework and chores.”

YouTube may seem like nothing but fun. However, running a channel can be hard work. The most successful YouTubers treat it like a job. They post daily videos to keep followers coming back.

Most kids can’t do this alone, so running a channel becomes their parents’ responsibility too. They often write scripts and rehearse together. Some set up extra cameras and lighting equipment. After filming, they spend hours editing. It takes so many hours of hard work that Ryan’s family now employs a team of up to 30 people!

So the hobby you love could easily turn into a chore. Also, Ameenuddin points out, remember that what you see on-screen isn’t always real.

“What you see likely represents a tiny portion of someone’s life,” she says. “They’re regular kids like you, who have to do homework and chores.”

You probably won’t! “This only happens to a few kids out of millions,” Ameenuddin explains.

Like all popular YouTube channels, Ryan’s World earns money when viewers watch the ads that play before and during videos. Also, because Ryan is so popular, he has his own line of toys that he sometimes promotes in his videos.

But Ryan is the exception. About 85 percent of YouTube channels have 1,000 followers or fewer—not enough to get noticed and make big money.

You probably won’t! “This only happens to a few kids out of millions,” Ameenuddin explains.

Like all popular YouTube channels, Ryan’s World earns money when viewers watch the ads that play before and during videos. Also, because Ryan is so popular, he has his own line of toys that he sometimes promotes in his videos.

But Ryan is the exception. About 85 percent of YouTube channels have 1,000 followers or fewer. That’s not enough to get noticed and make big money.