The rise of YouTube channels devoted to toy reviews has raised questions about the ethics and legitimacy of toy review videos. The genre has been a focus of debates over digital parenting and child infringement scandals. But are there real dangers associated with these videos? Can they make children less safe? What do these content creators gain from exposing these products to the public? How can we ensure we are not doing harm to children?
One challenge is determining what constitutes a good review. This is particularly difficult in the case of toy reviews, as the genre often features children as producers, rather than just consumers. While early reviews were mostly written by laypeople, more recent ones often feature children as co-producers. Toy reviews can be a lucrative business, as they can be both entertaining and profitable. However, they are not limited to the internet.
The purpose of toy reviews is to inform consumers about the quality of children’s products. These videos are not meant to educate consumers about the quality of products, but to promote them. In addition, many “toy review” channels are not strictly professional. Their purpose is simply to promote a particular brand. ToysReviewToys video channels are self-described as entertainment channels, and they are most often based in the U.S. and have high views and subscriptions.