NSPCC Warns YouTube Stars Over Relationships With Young Fans

Many successful YouTubers with a large subscriber base tend to be idolised by impressionable younger fans which make them rather vulnerable. Of course, this doesn’t mean the individuals in question are always taken advantage of but there are cases which raise alarm bells. Recently, the children’s charity NSPCC raised the issue and argued YouTube celebrities have a “responsibility” to ensure relationships with fans didn’t cross the line. The charity added that “blurred boundaries” can pose a risk between YouTube stars and their viewers. Emily Cherry of the NSPCC said to the BBC:

“One child told me that checking their social media accounts and what their favourite YouTube stars are up to was as important to them as eating,”

In 2014, Ania Magliano-Wright created a video detailing her alleged sexual encounter with the YouTube star VeeOneEye when she was only 15. She said about the meet-up:

“He bought a big bottle of alcohol,”

“I wasn’t really aware of how much alcohol it would take for me to lose control over myself.”

“I didn’t want to seem uncool or boring and I wanted to seem normal… it didn’t ring as many alarm bells as it should have.”

Another example revolves around the blogger Alex Day who received 14 serious allegations. The amount of power and influence over fans YouTube personalities have can lead to “manipulative relationships.”  This is why it’s important to educate the younger audience and provide guidelines for YouTube stars to follow. Hopefully, both can learn from the mistakes of the past.