From hypnotic sludge videos to violent clips and beauty tutorials, Dutch children’s social media feeds reveal how algorithm-driven content is shaping their attention, self-image and emotional world
de Volkskrant sent reporters Kaya Bouma and Simoon Hermus to sit down with eighteen 10-year-olds across the Netherlands to peek at their timelines and ask: what exactly are children watching online, and what does it do to them? What emerged is a portrait of childhood immersed in a chaotic feed, where “sludge videos” – four-way split screens combining snippets of Family Guy, video games and kinetic sand cutting – leave kids in a trance. It fulfils an immediate need to be stimulated, suggests Esther Rozendaal, a professor of digital resilience. With children’s prefrontal cortex still developing up until their twenties, experts warn that such overstimulation could hamper their long-term ability to focus.
Influencers loom even larger. From challenge videos to hyper-sexualised content, children eagerly follow stars like SSSniperwolf or TikTok personalities who blur the line between entertainment and danger. One boy, Milendrick, admits to de Volkskrant: “This I like,” pointing to a so-called challenge video where a woman glued her skirt down with a lint roller. Yet, experts note, such content often normalises risky or superficial values: money, status and extreme dares. In some cases, challenges have proven deadly, such as the “choking challenge”, which has claimed teenage lives in the Netherlands.
At the same time, social media exposes children to unfiltered global news. From Gaza famine footage to rocket attacks in Ukraine, children report feeling angry, sad and scared. Ten-year-old Misha, who fled Ukraine, admitted these images make her angry at Russia and Russian people. While youth-focused news such as Jeugdjournaal tries to soften coverage and add context, algorithm-driven feeds often push children toward repeated exposure to trauma without explanation, leaving them vulnerable to desensitisation or anxiety.
Then there’s beauty culture, the daily “get-ready-with-me” makeup routines saturate girls’ feeds, subtly reshaping body image. Some girls resist but experts find repeated exposure can erode self-esteem, especially for those already insecure. Still, scholars like Irene van Driel argue there’s nuance: beauty influencers can also become role models, even encouraging interest in broader topics like STEM, when combined with positive messaging.
Finally, the darkest layer, all the unwanted clips of violence and sex. Every child interviewed had encountered something “they would rather not have seen.” The effects vary; some shake it off, others can’t sleep but experts agree that even rare exposure can be formative, especially without supportive conversation. Family psychologist Mirjam de Nijs stresses dialogue over prohibition and suggests that everything forbidden is extra attractive. What matters is creating a space where children can talk without shame or fear.
The article arrives as the Dutch caretaker government recommends banning screens entirely for children under two and delaying social media until 15. Yet as this investigation shows, the real issue may not just be time spent but what fills those hours. Parents are urged to shift from restriction to active guidance, watching alongside children and preparing them for what they might encounter. As Rozendaal puts it, better they watch YouTube on the TV than on a tablet. At least then, parents know what they’re seeing.
Original article (“Dit is wat 10-jarigen zien op hun telefoon (en wat dat met ze doet, volgens experts)’’) by Kaya Bouma and Simoon Hermus, with photography by Renée de Groot, was first published in Dutch on 21 June 2025.
It’s available here.
de Volkskrant is one of the Netherlands’ leading national newspapers, known for its in-depth reporting, investigative journalism, and cultural analysis.
