Concern about the impact of short videos (of the ‘short’ type) in childhood has gained relevance after the public warning of Steve Chenco-founder of YouTubeabout the risks that these formats could pose to child development. Chen warned about the consumption of short videos by children, considering that they can negatively affect children’s attention and well-being.

This position coincides with observations from the scientific community, which documents the link between the intensive use of short videos and problems of digital mental health and cognitive in young people.

During a conference organized in early 2024 at the Stanford UniversitySteve Chen expressed his skepticism regarding the proliferation of short content on platforms like TikTok and his own YouTube. “The consumption of short content translates into shorter attention spans,” he noted, warning of the effects for those who are regularly exposed to this stimulus.

Chen, a father of two, said has decided to limit the access of minors in his family to these videos and prioritize contact with longer formats. According to their experience, other parents have taken similar measures, encouraging the consumption of content that does not depend on flashy colors or visual tricks to capture the attention of minors. This practice seeks to prevent children from developing a dependency on the immediate gratification characteristic of short videos.

The engineer also emphasized the pressure that technology companies face to adapt their platforms to this type of formats due to the rise of TikTok. However, he considered that it is still the responsibility of these firms to implement protection mechanisms, such as age restrictions or temporary access limits, to mitigate possible addictive risks.

The rise of short videos has profoundly transformed the digital lives of children and adolescents. According to a meta-analysis on digital health, platforms like TikTok, instagram and YouTube Today they form a central element of youth recreation and socialization. Through personalization algorithms, these services capture the attention of millions of minors, who can spend from one hour a day to more than seventy continuous minutes watching these contents, according to the same study.

In USAusers of TikTok Those between 12 and 17 years old spend an average of one hour and 18 minutes a day on the application, while those between 18 and 24 years old spend an average of one hour and 15 minutes a day. The constant flow of new videos, between fifteen and ninety seconds, has become integrated into the daily routine of young people in their formative stages. For some preteens, these platforms represent an avenue to explore interests and strengthen ties with peers; For others, persistent, uninterrupted use limits downtime and tests screen self-control.

The scientific report warns that automatic personalization and the lack of pauses turn watching short videos into a potentially compulsive experience. Immediate gratification and the continuous succession of stimuli can lead minors to spend more and more time and energy on these platforms, relegating other activities that are essential for their development.

Scientific evidence highlights the relationship between high consumption of short videos and different mental health problems in minors. Various studies mentioned in the meta-analysis have detected negative effects on concentration, impulse control and sleep quality among those who intensively use these contents.

The review of 71 studies, with almost 100,000 participants in total, revealed a moderate relationship between intensive use of these platforms and a reduction in both attention span and behavioral inhibition. The changing and emotionally intense nature of short videos can hinder the brain stability and relaxation necessary for sleep, often resulting in insomnia and social anxiety.

These sleep problems affect mood, memory and resilience, creating a cycle that is difficult to interrupt, especially in children subject to social or family pressures. Furthermore, constant exposure to the idealized lives of other users on social networks encourages unrealistic comparisons, being linked in some pre-adolescents to increased anxiety and lower self-esteem. However, recent research has not found a direct link between the use of short videos and a deteriorated body image, although it has found an increase in stress.

These conclusions coincide with the perspective of Steve Chenwho warns that the lack of regulation and control could turn short videos into a silent risk factor for the emotional and cognitive balance of new generations.