Thoughts on the petition to ban Eugenia Cooney from YouTube?

[Crown]

There's a successful YouTuber called Eugenia Cooney. She has over 800k subs.

Sadly it seems that she suffers from anorexia and has been getting progressively thinner and thinner. She is currently dangerously thin and is receiving criticism for influencing her subscribers and making light of her condition. She denies that she is ill and claims that she is just naturally thin.

Things have got so bad that there is now a petition to get her banned from YouTube at least temporarily.
Among those to have signed the petition is one person who claimed their cousin starved herself to look more like the vlogger.

"My little cousin lost 17lbs because she wanted to look like Eugenia. She is now receiving care. She is only 12-years-old."


I have put links and images in spoilers. Warning, she really is very thin. Her videos and pictures may be upsetting to some people. Don't click if you'd rather not view them.

Spoiler: Links and images

Her channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/eugeniacooney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eugeniacooney/?hl=en

Instagram image:

Screenshot of the petition:

What are your thoughts on this?
Do you think she is ill?
Should she be banned for this?
What responsibilities do we have as YouTubers towards our viewers?

 

[Conso1727]

That's disturbingly thin, and without a doubt there is a screw out of place in her mind if she thinks that's "healty".
I honestly am on the fence if to ban or not. From one side, banning would mean a power abuse from Youtube (I don't think she is technically violating any of the TOS) but on the other hand it means potentially less influx to people that may eventually hurt themselves that way. But I believe the damage has been done already, even cutting the infected leg is useless.
The responsibility as creator towards the audience depends on the audience and the kind of channel, but you can't put all the blame on the creator only. If a kid watches videos meant for mature audiences, who's to blame? The creator that made a video for a mature audience, or the kid's parents that treat Youtube as a daycare?

 

[Yoursharkfriend]

I once saw Eugenia at Disneyland, without realizing it was her, and me and my sister were both in shock of how thin she was and I was literally afraid to look at her because I felt that my eyes could break her. I felt so bad for her and I wished she was getting help. After realizing that she is an internet celebrity (I suppose) it amazes me how she has not realized she is ill. I really hope one day soon she will realize that this is not healthy and she can get the help she needs. As well the followers she has gained will realize that a well and not follow in her footsteps.
If her channel does get banned then, I think as long as she promises to get help and is actually receiving help to gain back her channel then she can stay on YT.

 

[xingcat]

What if she is just naturally that thin? What if she has some other medical condition that is causing her to be that thin, but doesn't want to disclose it? What business is it of ours or anyone else's what someone looks like? If people think that kids are being unduly influenced by her, then it's the responsibility of those kids' parents to better monitor their screen time.

 

[HaileySimone]

I don't think that the petition will successfully ban her from YouTube, even temporarily, especially since she's not violating anything in the TOS. That being said, it's definitely a fact that she is seriously unhealthy and a low weight like that will lead to death. I do realize that her eating disorder is a mental illness, and of course she will deny everything. So, at the end of the day, it is her life, and if she wants to die like that, then let it be. You would've thought all the comments on all her social media telling her, and warning her about her future would've done something, but apparently not. Also, the fact that a kid looks up to her as a role model and starves themselves to look like her shows a problem within the kid, not Eugenia.[DOUBLEPOST=1477680574,1477680075][/DOUBLEPOST]

What if she is just naturally that thin? What if she has some other medical condition that is causing her to be that thin, but doesn't want to disclose it? What business is it of ours or anyone else's what someone looks like? If people think that kids are being unduly influenced by her, then it's the responsibility of those kids' parents to better monitor their screen time.

Statistically speaking, she most likely is anorexic. I don't even think a thing such as "naturally thin" exists. Sure, there can be differing metabolisms within people that help them gain weight easier, but it's never impossible. I used to be underweight (not like Eugenia though) so I started tracking calories and realized I never ate enough to begin with. That being said, it really isn't our business and the fact that kids are influenced by her show a problem within the kids and not her, for being readily available as a scapegoat.

 

[PictureFIT]

Knowing that children are so easily influenced, it is the job of the parents to assure that they are being influenced by the appropriate platforms. Who are we to withhold someone from making videos just because parents are not doing their job monitoring their children? She has every right to do what she does. Censoring her isn't going to help. The people that might be negatively impacted by her videos are the ones that need to seek help. If that's the argument to have her banned, then everyone should be banned from YouTube, as any video can have "indirect" influences that will affect people's behavior. People that already have a mental disorder will only seek other means to reinforce their behavior.

Now whether her video is deemed appropriate for monetization might be a different manner. I can see how her content isn't exactly ad-friendly, but that is YouTube's decision. Personally, I think she should still be monetized since her videos aren't much different to your typical vlog-type YouTuber outside of her being significantly thin.

 

[Camermon]

Encouraging anorexia or even obesity is just as bad as encouraging drugs IMO. But YouTube never takes action on these kind of things. The petition wont lead to anything unfortunately.

 

[itsaquagemini]

Knowing that children are so easily influenced, it is the job of the parents to assure that they are being influenced by the appropriate platforms. Who are we to withhold someone from making videos just because parents are not doing their job monitoring their children? She has every right to do what she does. Censoring her isn't going to help. The people that might be negatively impacted by her videos are the ones that need to seek help. If that's the argument to have her banned, then everyone should be banned from YouTube, as any video can have "indirect" influences that will affect people's behavior. People that already have a mental disorder will only seek other means to reinforce their behavior.

Now whether her video is deemed appropriate for monetization might be a different manner. I can see how her content isn't exactly ad-friendly, but that is YouTube's decision. Personally, I think she should still be monetized since her videos aren't much different to your typical vlog-type YouTuber outside of her being significantly thin.

I agree with this. I do think it's the parents job to start noticing if their kid is eating less and also when they see a doctor who will be able to tell. In the case that the kid doesn't have parents that care though, I mean, I still don't think it's YouTube's right to ban her. I DO think taking a break from YouTube might help if she is anorexic so she can work on herself. But since we don't know well then we don't know. It's not really in our hands to decide.

 

[TheDelectableStillbirth]

I've been subbed to her since that twerking tutorial video (lol)
It is worrying how thin she is and this might be the first youtuber I witness dying before my eyes.

 

[JRTrax]

What if she is just naturally that thin? What if she has some other medical condition that is causing her to be that thin, but doesn't want to disclose it? What business is it of ours or anyone else's what someone looks like? If people think that kids are being unduly influenced by her, then it's the responsibility of those kids' parents to better monitor their screen time.

Yeah. Right there with you. If they start banning people because of how they look, well....It was nice knowing you guys.