Transformation of the state agenda for children’s financial literacy on a digital media platform

Section: New Media

This article examines the transformation of the state agenda on children’s financial literacy on the YouTube platform. The initial contradiction lies in the fact that the official strategy, aimed at fostering safe and responsible financial behaviour, is not directly reflected in media content. The aim of the study is to identify the mechanisms by which platform logic redefines the target audience, thematic structure and content formats. The theoretical framework draws on agenda-setting theory and the concept of platform logic (van Dijck, Poell, de Waal). Based on a content analysis of 691 videos (2013–2023) and ANOVA, it is shown that YouTube redefines three key parameters: the target audience (from children to parents), thematic content (from security to narratives of ‘quick enrichment’), and formats (from animation to the blogger monologue). A discrepancy is revealed: formats with the highest audience reach demonstrate the lowest engagement, while adolescents remain outside the relevant media field. A comparison of the findings with the attributes of the state strategy shows that YouTube actively transforms the agenda, replacing educational content with simplified recipes for success and risky financial attitudes.

DOI: 10.55959/msu.vestnik.journ.4.2026.321

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