Creator of Peppa Pig video nasties says parents are to blame when kids are tricked into watching upsetting YouTube clips
A MAN who turns Peppa Pig cartoons into disturbing YouTube videos has said PARENTS are to blame if their kids are upset by accidentally watching them.
This week we reported that kids are being duped into watching violent and sexual clips disguised as their favourite cartoons.
Pharmaceutical worker Stephen Rattigan told the Sun Online: "The thing that annoys me is that YouTube is a creative outlet where people should be able to say whatever they want."
The father-of-three believes that parents who were "letting their iPhones and iPads raise their kids" were to blame.
He added: "No-one's children should be on YouTube without permission.
"Young children shouldn't have the opportunity to click on something they shouldn't.
"They either shouldn't be on iPads or you should be sitting with them while they're on it".
Stephen's kids use the YouTube Kids app to stop his children seeing dodgy content and says that he " would never let my children watch my cartoons".
He began creating Peppa Pig spoofs after hours spent watching the cartoon with his three young children.
"I'm driven mad by Peppa Pig in my house and how nice they were to each other, so I did a funny spin on it," he said.
The clip quickly went viral, amassing millions of views, encouraging Rattigan to continue his work.
Why are people worried about Peppa Pig cartoons?
Parents were shocked to learn YouTube channels claiming to show popular tots' shows Peppa Pig, Doc McStuffins and Thomas the Tank Engine are filled with disturbing scenes.
Hundreds of YouTube videos, including an episode where Peppa Pig has her teeth pulled out to the sound of children screaming and crying.
One channel, called Smile Kids TV, includes a video of a popular Disney Junior cartoon called "Doc McStuffins Drink Sex Medicine Full Episodes".
It shows the lead character being injected with needles, covered in blood and throwing stones at neighbour's homes.
In one episode, Stephen makes a plane crash into Peppa's house "and they all pass away".
He claims his work is light relief for parents who are ready to pull their hair out after watching too much children's telly.
But he described videos which appear to trick kids into watching inappropriate material as "sick".
"What annoys me is this Peppa Pig story is getting a lot of traction and I think YouTubers should have a say, because it is a creative outlet for people," he said.
"I don't agree with tricking kids into watching sick cartoons but you should be able to say what you want on YouTube."
How to protect young children from sick videos disguised as cartoons
There are plenty of spoofs of cartoons that are clearly labelled for adult eyes only. But you should be wary of certain YouTube channels that appear to be aimed at children. These include:
- LORD BAD BABY
- TOYS 4 FUN!
- SMILE KIDS TV
- TOYS AND FUNNY KIDS SURPRISE EGGS
- SUPERHERO-SPIDERMAN-FROZEN
You can download the YouTube Kids App, which only shows "appropriate" cartoons and blocks adult content.
Some cartoons will still slip through, but it will make it easier to monitor what tots are watching.
This also lets you set a timer.
The timer will display a friendly alert and stop the app when the session is over.
How to set up a timer
- Tap the lock icon in the bottom corner of any page in the app.
- Read and enter the numbers that appear or enter your password.
- Select Timer
- Use the slider bar or the and icons to set a time limit
- Tap Start Timer
Kids will see a "Time's up!" notification and the app will be locked once the time limit has been reached. To unlock the screen, select the lock icon again, read and enter the numbers that appear or enter your password, select Timer and tap End Timer. You can also activate a safety mode, or restricted mode on your account.
- Sign in to your YouTube account.
- Scroll to the bottom of any YouTube page and click the Restricted Mode drop-down menu.
- Select On or Off.
- Click on Save.
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