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0Erinome: Hello dear friends! Welcome to our podcast. I'm Erinome, and sitting next to me is Enceladus. Today we’re going to talk about something important for kids – short videos made for children. The government just released new rules to stop some bad trends. Have you heard about it, Enceladus?
Enceladus: Oh right! I saw a little about it online. What exactly are these "bad trends" they want to stop?
Erinome: There are three main ones: "adult化" (cheng ren hua), "工具化" (gong ju hua), and "娱乐化" (yu le hua). Let me start with "adult化" first. It means making kids' videos have adult content. Like, some parents found their young kids watching cartoons that look like kids' shows but have really grown-up stuff.
Enceladus: Wow, really? How bad is it?
Erinome: A mom in Nanning said her 5-year-old was watching a cartoon, and suddenly heard words like "yuan fang" (getting married) or "chong xing" (favoring someone). The kid even repeated those words later! Sad, right?
Enceladus: Oh no! That’s not right for a 5-year-old. Why are they making such cartoons?
Erinome: Some companies make these short videos quickly and cheaply. They buy material packs for just几十块 (ji shi kuai – tens of yuan), use AI tools, and then try to get attention with crazy stories. Like, some have "one wife, many husbands" settings, or "reborn to take revenge", even "human-animal love"!
Enceladus: That sounds so weird. Do they have bad words too?
Erinome: Yes! There’s a short video called *I Conquer a Beauty Every Day* on Douyin. It has "擦边" (ca bian – inappropriate) pictures showing adult body parts, and bad words like "小杂种" (xiao za zhong – bad name) or "踏马" (ta ma – a rude word). Kids shouldn’t hear that!
Enceladus: Oh my… What about scary stuff?
Erinome: Worse! Some videos have dark or恐怖 (kong bu – scary) things. Like, one story shows villagers throwing an 18-year-old girl into a snake pit to lay eggs. The art style is so creepy. Or校园霸凌 (xiao yuan ba ling – school bullying) stories where the "solution" is a brother with mental illness leading patients to "violence against violence".
Enceladus: That’s not just scary – it teaches kids bad things! Don’t platforms have "teen mode" to stop this?
Erinome: They do, but parents say the teen mode is too boring for kids. And even with it, some bad videos still get through, using "kid-like" tags so the system recommends them. A professor said these videos are made to make kids addicted – fast pace, many twists, so kids can’t stop watching. That’s really bad for their minds, right?
Enceladus: Totally! Kids need to think, not just stare at the screen. So that’s "adult化". What about "工具化"?
Erinome: "工具化" (gong ju hua) means using kids as tools, like for making money. Some parents want their kids to be child stars, thinking "acting makes lots of money fast". But insiders say the success rate is like training an Olympic champion – super low!
Enceladus: Oh, so it’s really hard? Then why do parents still try?
Erinome: Some bad companies trick them! They say "we’ll make your kid a star" – first, take "auditions" in live streams, then "accidentally" meet them in malls like "star scouts". Then they ask for money: 几百块 (ji bai kuai – hundreds of yuan) for photos, 几万块 (ji wan kuai – tens of thousands) for "training packages". Parents start with "just trying", but end up losing lots of money and can’t get it back.
Enceladus: That’s so sad! Kids shouldn’t be tools for adults to get rich or famous.
Erinome: Exactly! The rules say kids can’t be "tools" in the entertainment industry. Now the third trend: "娱乐化" (yu le hua) – making kids’ videos too silly or without meaning.
Enceladus: Oh, like just making kids laugh but not learn anything?
Erinome: Yes! The rules say instead, videos should be "贴近现实" (tie jin xian shi – close to real life), "寓教于乐" (yu jiao yu le – teach while entertaining). They should show kids being positive, curious, or loving their country. Not just silly or empty.
Enceladus: That makes sense. Kids need fun, but also good things to learn from. So why are these new rules important?
Erinome: Because kids are still growing. If they watch bad content – adult words, violence, being used as tools – it hurts their minds. A professor said it can make them not think for themselves, just accept whatever they see.
Enceladus: So what can we do? Just rely on the rules?
Erinome: The rules help, but parents and platforms need to help too. Platforms should check videos more carefully, and parents… maybe watch with kids sometimes? Or pick good shows for them.
Enceladus: Right! Kids’ childhood is important. If we protect their screen time, we protect their future.
Erinome: Exactly! The rules want to make sure kids’ videos are healthy, not full of adult stuff, not using kids as tools, and not just silly. So kids can have a safe, happy digital world.
Enceladus: Well said! I hope these rules work. It’s scary to think little kids might see those bad videos.
