What are her qualifications for giving advice?

[al218]

I don't know the background of "Dear Abby" or "Dear Libby" but I'm not sure it's wise for Nikki to be giving advice to thousands of teenagers. I appreciate that she "helps" people but I'd like to know a little more about what makes her a self proclamed expert just because she has a camera. She is not a certified life coach, therapist, psych major.

And Dr Laura is a quack. A nutty quack in my opinion.

[VlogLover]

I think she came up with the idea to have that channel because maybe some people were asking those kinds of questions in the comments of her normal videos/vlogs. Idk, I don't follow a ton of YouTubers who do have advice channels, just the occasional videos, so I can see why she would think it's a good idea.

I agree though, she doesn't really have any qualifications to give advice. A lot of what she says is common sense advice. Sometimes she does say something insightful, often probably what a therapist or counselor would say, except she's offering it for free, so there's an added benefit there. But at the same time, she has a very narrow worldview so she's never going to be 100% relatable to her audience. But that's the thing about advice too, people can listen to what she has to say but they don't have to take it.

[al218]

I am bumping this thread due to recent postings on her main thread. Please reread concerns from others:

by Snowflake » Fri Aug 08, 2014 1:48 pm

Ugh, the AskNikki videos are SO irresponsible of her!! It does not matter that much if the video is about more light-hearted things such as boy advice, school or breakups. But she is giving advice about abusive relationships, suicide, depression, addiction, eating disorders, etc. without giving any thought to her answers! Heck, she does not even read the questions before she starts filming and just blurts out the first thing she thinks of. She should NOT talk about such heavy topics if she is not taking it seriously.

According to the topic she is discussing, Nikki could at least put an appropriate link in the box below that refers people to a legitimate website that gives more helpful information (about safe sex, negative effects of drugs, eating disorders) or to a helpline that can provide further support for people who are dealing with serious issues (suicide, depression or abusive relationships).

Nikki if you are reading this, get your act together and take some responsibility! Girls who are looking up to you are entrusting you with their problems and deepest feelings, they deserve MUCH better from you.

[ForLoveOfGossip]

I disagree with this because I have never seen her claiming she is a qualified counsellor or anything like that. And every one is awareof it. She is giving advice on a persnal basis. You don't need qualifications for that. Her followers evidently want to hear what would she do in specific situations. When you ask your best girl friend what would she do in your place if your boyfriend is being abusive, you don't ask her to take a course and get a license to practice before doing so. This is the same. Anybody taking this as something more serious than it is must be one those people who need cake packaging to advise that this is cake, is sweet and you most remove packaging before eating it. Stop being so grave and getting offended by anything.

[Scar]

I think it's fine to share personal advice based on your own experiences but I don't think she needs to be talking to her young viewers about sex, eating disorders, and suicide. I know to 10 year olds that it's probably exciting to hear your "idol" tell you what your parents have probably already told you but Nikki is not someone who can give serious advice. She always has a "laughy voice" like when she talks it seems too over the top and way too excited and that kind of voice doesn't convey a seriously concerned advice-giving kind of person. She is just too fake.

[al218]

Talking about suicide, depression, sex and eating disorders is just too much for a 10 year old who thinks she's watching a video on lipstick or cupcakes is ridiculous.

[Elyezabeth]

Talking about suicide, depression, sex and eating disorders is just too much for a 10 year old who thinks she's watching a video on lipstick or cupcakes is ridiculous.

And if she has a whole separate channel for her advice videos, I don't think there are many 10 year olds (or people in general) actually making that mistake. You're creating strawmen because you don't like her doing this.

[al218]

^^ Hi Nikki or Nikki's mom!!!

[lurkerdoodle]

After her ED video, I think Nikki should take down her advice channel.

[ForLoveOfGossip]

I don't think she is giving advice to anyone claiming to be an expert, if anything, she is giving it as a fellow woman, human being and some sort of virtual friend. Why read anything else into this