Rising concerns over short-form videos and their impact on children's mental health and safety

As children increasingly consume short-form videos, experts warn of the risks posed by harmful content and passive scrolling, urging a multi-layered approach involving families, schools, creators, platforms, and regulators to safeguard young users.

Parents cannot watch every swipe a child makes on a phone, and that may be the central problem with short-form video: the issue is no longer just how long a child is online, but what appears next. A seventh-grade pupil in Quang Ngai, Trần Thanh Thanh, said he often starts with a few minutes of clips before studying, only to keep going as the app serves one video after another. His mother, Nguyễn Thị Thế, said her concern is not only screen time but the mix of fighting, prank content, shock tactics, profanity and unverified claims that can show up in a child’s feed.

That concern is backed by a growing body of research. A recent review on the impact of short-form video found links between heavy use and weaker attention, more compulsive viewing and poorer emotional regulation in young people. Another scoping review concluded that passive scrolling and short-video use are associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression and psychological distress, while also affecting concentration and academic productivity. Health writers have similarly warned that platforms built around endless feeds can make it difficult for teenagers to stop watching once they start.

Psychologist Vũ Hoàng Anh said limits on time still matter, but they are not enough on their own. Instead of only asking how long a child watched, she suggested parents ask what the child saw, why it seemed appealing and whether the information came from a reliable source. Vương Thị Thục Loan, who works in life-skills training, said schools should teach children how to read short videos critically: checking the original source, comparing claims with trusted outlets, spotting edits and recognising sensational headlines. Computer science researcher Đỗ Huỳnh Việt said this is part of digital literacy, because a polished clip can make falsehoods feel convincing within seconds.

Creators, too, have a role. Content creator Trần Hoàng Nam said short videos are under intense pressure to grab attention in the first few seconds, which pushes some makers towards shock, controversy or staged stunts. Media specialist Hà Quốc Hoan warned that entertainment is not an excuse for content that could encourage dangerous imitation, especially when children are likely to copy what they see. He argued that if a child watches a video and attempts to recreate it, the creator should have already considered that risk.

The responsibility does not end with the people making the clips. Việt said platforms should not wait for reports after harmful videos have already spread widely. Research on child-focused short-video experiences has also raised concerns about weak protections, including content that still appears in kids’ feeds despite the child-directed setting. In that context, Loan said the answer is not to expect children to fend for themselves, but to build several layers of protection at once: families, schools, creators, platforms and regulators each carrying part of the burden.