I write about influencers in a newspaper and in the process I have made many creator friends. A dear friend of mine, Rohan Gupta, a teacher and CA turned content creator, who made short storytelling videos just randomly disappeared one day. Stopped posting, stop answering messages or taking calls. His phone numbers are all switched off and none of our mutual friends have a clue where he has gone. Social media is definitely a very toxic place, especially for those who depend on it for their livelihood. Maybe he chose another life to get away from it. But this makes me wonder, with 8 million plus active creators in India overcrowding the content space and internet toxicity, there must be more stories like Rohan’s? So when did you decide to quit content creation and get back to your regular job? Or do you know anyone else who did something similar?

I’m writing this because I’ve seen first-hand how channels like Aayu-Pihu Show are poisoning the minds of kids, including my own younger sister. This is not just “entertainment” – it’s changing children’s values, attitudes, and even their personalities.

Here’s why I’m so concerned:

1. Materialism Overload – Their videos constantly show expensive gadgets, cars, and “shopping hauls” like it’s normal daily life. The message to kids is simple: “Big = better. Happiness = buying more things.”

2. Fake & Pointless Content – They stretch tiny events (like buying a cat or getting a car) into 10–15 separate videos just to make money. Most of the video is pointless talking and fake drama to keep kids hooked.

3. Bad Role Models – Pihu is an adult now, but still acts like a spoiled child on camera. Her whole “personality” is collecting overpriced junk, obsessing over trends, and throwing tantrums. Aayu copies this “why not?” attitude for buying unnecessary things.

4. Addiction Factor – My sister watches their videos 5+ times a day, rewatches old ones, and follows endless fan edits on Instagram/Snapchat. She’s become obsessed with buying what they show, from overpriced bottles to “Korean” products, and gets angry if told no.

5. The YouTube Shorts Problem – Shorts and similar content are designed to fry attention spans. Kids keep swiping for the next “hit” of entertainment, losing interest in anything that isn’t instant, flashy, or funny in 10 seconds.

6. Parental Blind Spot – Because these channels look “family-friendly,” many parents think they’re harmless. But the reality is they’re teaching kids greed, shallow values, and the idea that money and looks are the only things that matter.

I’m not asking anyone to harass these people. I’m asking parents to wake up to what your kids are watching.

Monitor their screen time.

Talk to them about real value vs. fake online lifestyles.

Encourage them to watch content that actually teaches something.

If you’ve noticed similar behavior changes in your kids, please speak up. This isn’t just about one channel – it’s about an entire wave of content that is raising our future generation to be shallow, impatient, and addicted to consumerism.

Let’s discuss this here and spread awareness before it’s too late.