The Youth Have (Critical) Eyes
Generation Like is a very well made yet dated film. The film provided a lot of information and I’m sure for a parent or an adult this film was revelatory and provided some key context for what their children are doing online. However, as someone who went through high school the same time as the kids in the documentary. Nothing stood out as shocking. In fact, I think some of the way they talk about teens and tweens in the film seems overly reactionary. I argue that the youth are more aware of what companies are using them for online then this film gives them credit for.
One example of young people’s awareness is shown in a small scene of the film itself. During Tyler Oakley’s meeting with the executive board of a major company he mentions how his audience can always tell when he’s making an ad for something. He can’t try to force it in to one of his videos and act casually about it. Most of the time he is just completely direct about it being an ad or sponsorship because the audience understands he wants to make money. Teenagers are some of the most critical people when it comes to entertainment, especially in the age of the internet. Tyler Oakley probably has haters and fans that are analyzing every video to see if he’s being genuine or not and would be quick to call him out. These youtubers and other internet celebrities can’t lie to their audience the way celebrities could before. A major celebrity like Nicki Minaj can’t even get away with it when so much of your life is broadcasted online many people are looking to see what’s real and what’s fake.
Another simple yet important point, Teens do not like ads. This may seem simple but it really shows how many youth online feel about advertising and the economy. In a study conducted in over 40 countries, they found that teens were less interested in ads than any other generation and were more discerning when it came to ads. This fact can also be a smaller part of the fact that more young people are rejecting capitalism overall. A Harvard University study of 18 – 29 year olds found that more than half of millennials view capitalism negatively. This contrasts with previous generation’s views of capitalism as more positive and American and socialism as a foreign and failed concept. If more young people are rejecting capitalism then why wouldn’t they be skeptical of most ads. They can use Adblock on their browsers to block ads on most sites and most teenagers today have casually watched something illegally very easily.
My final point is that young people have an unlimited number of resources at their disposal and have learned the game of advertising. The film even mentions this. The way baby scumbag uses his videos to get sponsors, he’s aware that he’s not making any actual money and that the advertisers are using him but he needs the money and hopes that it will lead to more. Tyler Oakley knows what these advertisers want from him and knows how to sell it perfectly and while he is one of the biggest youtubers out there, there are still tons of smaller youtubers who are just as knowledgeable and know how to sell things. They know how to market themselves as a brand. Whether its teen girls figuring out which time of day will get them the most likes or a teen wondering how much controversy would posting this meme create and affect how they’re viewed. When young people are advertising their own personal brands more deftly and accurately than larger brands, then why would they fall for these larger companies’ tricks? Why would they watch commercials trying to sell their culture back to them (like the parody video below) when they can change the culture with the click of a button?
Young people are smarter than this film and other adults give them credit for. They understand what’s being advertised to them and easily choose whether to accept that ad or not and in turn use the company’s marketing techniques to other young people for their own personal gain.
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