WORLD EDUCATION CONNECT MULTIDISCIPLINARY E-PUBLICATION
Vol. V Issue IX (September 2025)
International Circulation
This is an open-access, peer-reviewed, and refereed international publication in online & printed versions that features research papers, abstracts, theses, dissertations, and journals. It is registered to the ISSN National Center of the Philippines, and ISSN International Center, the Global Index for Continuing Resources with ISSN (Online) 2799-0842 and ISSN (Print) 2799-130X.
World Education Connect Multidisciplinary e-Publication, Vol. V, Issue IX (September 2025), pp.159-167
Authors
Jeressa A. Delfinado, Claire A. Jabol, Judith P. Ondras, Annabelle A. Dela Rama, Joel D. Comaling
Language and Literature Unit
Abuyog Community College
ABSTRACT
This qualitative study examines how Filipino vloggers navigate the interplay of ethics, creativity, and challenges posed by digital platforms during content creation and publication. It is grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior, which explains how attitudes, social pressures, and perceived control influence behavior. Data were gathered from the narratives of seven active vloggers through semi-structured interviews. and analyzed through thematic analysis.
Findings revealed major themes: (i) the importance of relatable and humorous content to engage audiences, (ii) ethical mindfulness including avoidance of sensitive topics and self-censorship, (iii) navigating platform policies and content moderation challenges, (iv) coping strategies to maintain emotional resilience against criticism, (v) the role of passion, consistency, and creativity in sustaining vlogging, (vi) balancing content creation with personal life and algorithmic demands, and (vii) developing niche content to build authentic audiences.
And while previous research broadly addressed content creation and ethics, there have been limited focus on how Filipino vloggers specifically navigate the interplay of personal values, community expectations, and platform constraints within their unique cultural and technological context, particularly in Region 8. This study sheds light on these complexities, emphasizing the importance of fostering ethical awareness, supporting emotional well-being, and developing clearer guidelines tailored to the realities of independent content creators.
Keywords: ethical challenges, vlogging, digital content creation, platform policies, emotional resilience
INTRODUCTION
Vlogging, a combination of "video" and "blogging," refers to creating and sharing video content that documents personal experiences, opinions, and creative expressions, serving as a visual extension of traditional blogging. This medium enables individuals to connect with potentially unlimited audiences, fostering a participatory digital culture through authentic and immediate storytelling (Lange, 2007). While vlogging empowers creators with significant freedom of expression, it also raises ethical concerns related to content creation, public influence, and adherence to platform algorithms. In today's digital era, vlogging has become a powerful storytelling tool that shapes culture and facilitates meaningful connections between creators and their audiences.
Vlogging has become one of the most dynamic and influential forms of online content creation, attracting millions of viewers globally. Platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook have elevated vloggers to powerful public figures whose content entertains while shaping public attitudes and behaviors. As personal narratives merge with public broadcasting, complex ethical considerations emerge, including issues of authenticity and social responsibility (Burgess & Green, 2018).
On the other hand; Vloggers face challenges like misinformation, privacy violations, exploitation of sensitive topics, and blurring the lines between truth and entertainment. These dilemmas are intensified by pressures to attract views, gain followers, and remain relevant in a competitive digital environment (Aran-Ramspott, Fedele, & Tarrago 2018). Although media ethics have been extensively studied in traditional journalism and advertising (Day, 2006), less is known about how independent content creators perceive and address these ethical issues.
The study of Abidin (2016) explores how influencers balance authenticity and commercial pressures, revealing tensions between personal expression and audience expectations. Similarly, Marwick (2015) highlights the performative nature of online identities and the importance of ethical reflection within platform governance. Pelletier (2020) notes that many vloggers navigate ethical challenges without institutional guidance, relying on personal values and community feedback, leading to diverse experiences shaped by cultural and audience contexts.
This study aims to explore how vloggers today balance ethical considerations, creativity, and platform pressures while creating content to earn a living. Although emerging studies have begun to address challenges faced by vloggers in the Philippines, none had focused on region 8 specifically. This gap motivated the researcher to investigate how vloggers in the region negotiate ethical boundaries, creativity, and platform demands. By amplifying their voices, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of responsible vlogging practices and the development of ethical awareness within the influencer community.
Statement of the Problem
This study aims to investigate the challenges faced by vloggers as they strive to adhere to ethical standards in the creation and publication of their content.
What ethical dilemmas and platform pressures vloggers commonly encounter in the process of creating and publishing their content?
How do vloggers define and interpret ethical responsibility in relation to their role as content creators?
In what ways do personal values and past experiences influence vloggers' ethical decision-making?
How do external factors such as audience expectations, sponsorships, or trending topics affect vloggers' ethical boundaries?
How do vloggers cope with criticism related to ethical violations in their content?
METHODOLOGY
Research Design This study uses Narrative Inquiry to explore vloggers’ lived experiences and ethical decision-making through their personal stories (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). This qualitative method captures rich, nuanced narratives that highlight participants’ perspectives and contextualize their actions.
Research Locale The study was conducted in a selected barangay of Abuyog, Leyte, a municipality of about 61,000 residents and 63 barangays. Abuyog’s economy centers on agriculture, fishing, and emerging digital ventures, with a rich cultural heritage and active community life, including religious centers and local vloggers on Facebook and YouTube. This makes it an ideal setting to explore the ethical challenges faced by community vloggers.
Research Participants The seven (7) active vloggers from Abuyog were selected through purposive sampling, ensuring a broad range of perspectives and experiences pertinent to the study’s focus. All participants had engaged in consistent vlogging for at least three (3) months.
Research Instrument and Validation A semi-structured interview guide, reviewed and validated by the research adviser for clarity and relevance. The critical evaluation process ensured that all questions were appropriate, clear, and designed to effectively elicit information related to the research objectives.
Ethical Considerations This study followed Bryman and Bell’s (2007) ethical principles, ensuring that all participants, including vloggers and stakeholders, were fully informed, participated voluntarily with withdrawal rights, and had their privacy protected through anonymization. Data were securely stored and used only for research, with findings reported honestly and conflicts of interest disclosed.
Data Gathering Procedure After obtaining informed consent from 7 participants, the researcher conducted face-to-face interviews per their preference. Each participant voluntarily signed a consent form and was informed of the study’s purpose and rights. Interviews lasted about 30 minutes, were audio-recorded with permission, and included notes on non-verbal cues. Recordings were transcribed and securely stored to ensure confidentiality.
Data Analysis After recording, the interviews were thematically analyzed to identify common moral issues and patterns in vloggers' thinking. This process involved data management, classification of key themes, initial coding, and clarification. This approach allowed for a deep understanding of the vloggers' experiences without sacrificing the nuances and implications of qualitative research. The evaluation was conducted manually to ensure accuracy and support thorough interpretation.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
After rigorous examination of data, the following themes emerged.
Content Relatability, Humor, and Audience Engagement: Participants consistently emphasized the importance of creating content that connects with a broad audience through relatability and humor. As Participant 1 expressed, "Kuan, dapat always kuan ano pa, patok sa masa ba generic ba maabot dayun sit kuan it mga viewers maabot dayun it humor ganun, importante kasi humor amo tak ginhuna hua pirme dapat may humor it akon content kay kun waray humor, waray views dire ka pansinon” (“Well, your content should always be something that connects with the masses, something generic and easily relatable. Humor should always be there, because without humor, there will be no views. ”) Participant 2 added that most of their content were jokes and humor. "Tak kasagaran ig content iton mga mga joke joke sugad situn la ba na damo makarelate nga mga nanay," (“is just jokes that many mothers can relate to,”) which helps engage viewers. Participants also highlighted the need to tailor content to the preferences of key demographics such as Gen Z, noting that adapting to their tastes is essential for success.
This theme aligns with findings from Alex (2024) study which noted that vloggers’ success often hinges on their ability to create relatable and humorous content that appeals broadly.
Ethical Considerations and Avoidance of Sensitive Topics: Vloggers described efforts to avoid offending others and respecting sensitivities, especially about religion, children’s privacy, and inappropriate language. Participant 1 shared, "Responsible na vlogger iton kuann gud, dire ka gud makaapak sin kuan, kay naka kuan naak siton nakasabod naak hiton san una, gintatry ko adi na di na makasabod, inen igbalance mo gud igbalance mo dapat tim vlog, maupay, dapat pero waray nimo nasasabod." (“A responsible vlogger should never step on or offend others. I learned that from my past mistakes. Now, I try my best not to hurt anyone... You need to balance your content so that it’s fun and engaging, but not harmful or offensive.”) Participant 1 also reflected on self-censorship: "Yes, mayda nak content kasi han una kuan hiton ban pickup lines ba, mayda kasi part na bagan, bagan ano pa binastos ba, ban sugad situn naghuna huna ako nga iupload ko ba ine bangin masina mga pamilya sine na mga babaye sugad sine, ah ayaw nala utro ak pag edit gintanggal nakon iton mga part na bagan may ban mayda bad effects." (“Yes, before I used to create content like pick-up lines... I thought, ‘Should I upload this? Families, especially women, might watch it, and it could have a negative effect.’ So, I decided to cut those parts out.”) Participant 5, privacy concerns related to children prompted similar caution: "Usahay it Facebook nagiging sensitive hiya, asya it rason kon kay ano tak account na restrict" (“Sometimes Facebook becomes sensitive... that’s one of the reasons my account got restricted.”) These demonstrate the ethical mindfulness vloggers bring to content creation. Alex (2024) highlights those ethical challenges faced by vloggers, emphasizing their responsibility to avoid offending viewers and the need for self-censorship to maintain respect around sensitive topics like religion and children’s privacy.
Navigating Platform Rules, Restrictions, and Content Moderation: Participants often encountered platform challenges, including content removal or account restrictions as Participants 2 and 3 told the researchers "Damo na ka beses ako gin-restrict tungod hin mga pagtalapas. Pananglitan, mayda ko gin-post hadto nga mahitungod hin mga brand, ngan nagin rason adto para ma-restrict ako. Kun nahitatabo ito, ginpapara ko nala an post." (“I’ve been restricted many times because of violations. For example, I once posted something about brands, and that got me restricted. When that happens, I just delete the post.”)
These narratives align with Baduria et al. (2024), who describe how YouTube’s community guidelines are designed to protect users by enforcing strict rules on content creators. These rules often result in content removal, demonetization, or account restrictions when violations occur, creating a challenging environment where creators must carefully navigate platform policies to maintain their channels.
Coping with Bashers and Maintaining Emotional Resilience: Most participants reported encountering negative comments but adopted effective coping strategies such as ignoring the comments, responding with humor, or using sarcastic replies. Participant 1 shared, “San siyahan, usahay nansakitan pero adi dire na... mas kilala mo man gud tim kalugaringon kaysa sit ira mga pinanstorya so.... dapat kasi magvlog ka you are in control, dire kay an viewers an nagcontrol sa imom." (“At first, I used to respond to bashers, but now I don’t anymore... I learned to ignore them because I know myself better than what they’re saying... As a vlogger, you must be in control of yourself, not the viewers.”) Participant 2 remarked, “Ngan iba it mga vlogger, ira ginpapatolan para damo mas pa’t mubash sa ira pero and ma advise saak padis nga ay nala tun pagpansina." (“Some vloggers fight back against bashers to gain engagement, but my partner advised me not to entertain them.”) Humor was also used to diffuse tension, as expressed by one participant, "Gintatawaan ko nala sugad ba." (“I just poke fun at them... it’s the ‘weight’ I always carry.”)
These findings were supported by Alex (2024) noting that ignoring negative comments or using humor helps vloggers maintain control and protect their mental well-being rather than engaging with toxic viewers.
The Significance of Passion, Consistency, and Creativity in Sustaining Vlogging: Participants advised new vloggers to focus on passion and consistency over immediate earnings. Participant 1 said, "Magstart pala, una nak na maadvise sa ira is, kun ano’t ira love himuon amo’t ira igvlog....himo la content ay kamo paghuna huna sit sweldo, upayon gud it ira mga content, dapat kuan ka consistency gud (cough) usa it consistency ngan sin dapat creative ka gud, creative kay mostly adi nga time it mga vlog is tundog- tundog na baya". (“For beginners in vlogging, my first advice is: focus on what you love... don’t think about money right away. Focus on improving your content... Consistency is very important... Also, be creative. Many vloggers just copy others, and it becomes repetitive.”) and Participant 2 noted, " duha talaga ak katuig ugsa naka monetize". (“Vlogging is stressful—be patient and creative. It took me two years before I finally got monetized"). The values of intrinsic motivation, persistence, and originality were clear. According to Alex (2024), intrinsic motivation fueled by passion, persistence, and creativity drives long-term success in vlogging, outweighing early focus on financial rewards.
Balancing Content Creation with Personal Life and Platform Demands: Participants 3 and 7 acknowledged the difficulty of balancing vlogging with other commitments such as school and family. Participant 3 said, “Sa mga mag start pala pag vlog diri gud talaga siya madali Kay siyempre mag eedit ka pa labi na Kun estudyante ka, mag edit kapa, maghuna huna ka pa sin content so diri ka maaram kun hain it imo unahon, pag skwela or an imo mga activities or vlogging ba Kay sa vlogging kasi nag rerequire si Meta nga kailangan sini nga week mayda matima nimo ini na tanan na mga task" (As a student, I still have to think of content, edit, and keep up with Meta’s weekly tasks... it’s hard to prioritize). Participant 7 added, “May time na diri ako nakakapagpost kay tungod nga bagat mayda kabusyhan labi na kon mag cater kami, iton" (I help with family catering events, so sometimes I can’t post). This reflects the pressure from algorithm-driven demands for frequent posting, which necessitates effective time management for vloggers to juggle content creation alongside their other responsibilities, a challenge noted by Alex (2024).
Niche Development and Audience Targeting: Most of the participants focused on niches aligned with their interests to attract and engage audience as they support the story of Participant 7 saying “about pagkaon kasagaran kay kita nga mga tawo is mahilig gud sa pagkaon.. kong hain mga okasyon adto ako." (Most of my content is about food... people really love food. I try to be where the events are.) moments. This finding support Cabbuag (2025), which claims that specializing in niches like food or family content helps vloggers build loyal audiences and maintain authenticity, essential for sustainable engagement.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings, the following conclusions are drawn:
1. Vloggers prioritize creating relatable and humorous content to engage a broad audience, especially targeting key demographics such as Generation Z.
2. Ethical mindfulness is evident among vloggers, who avoid sensitive topics, respect privacy, and practice self-censorship to maintain audience trust and comply with social norms.
3. Navigating platform rules and content moderation presents recurring challenges, with vloggers learning from earlier account restrictions to adapt and avoid violations.
4. Emotional resilience is crucial as vloggers cope with negative comments through strategies like ignoring critics or using humor to defuse tension.
5. Passion, consistency, and creativity drive sustained vlogging success, with many vloggers emphasizing intrinsic motivation over immediate financial rewards.
6. Balancing content creation with personal life and algorithmic demands requires effective time management, as many vloggers juggle multiple responsibilities.
7. Developing a specific niche and targeting an audience aligned with personal interests fosters authenticity and loyal viewership, contributing to sustainable engagement.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Considering the findings, the following recommendations are advanced:
1. Aspiring Vloggers, should focus on genuine passion and creativity rather than immediate financial gain. They should be consistent, adapt to audience preferences (especially Gen Z), create ethical content, and follow platform rules to ensure account safety and growth.
2. Educational Institutions should integrate digital ethics, content strategy, and emotional resilience into media training to prepare future vloggers for digital challenges.
3. It is recommended for future researchers conduct larger, quantitative studies to validate these findings and explore the impact of niche focus and resilience on vlogger success.
REFERENCES
Abidin, C. (2016). “Aren’t these just young, rich women doing vain things online?”: Influencer selfies as subversive frivolity.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2056305116641342
Aran-Ramspott, S., Fedele, M., & Tarragó, A. (2018). YouTubers’ social functions and their influence on pre-adolescence. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1192384.pdf
Burgess, J., & Green, J. (2018). YouTube: Online video and participatory culture (2nd ed.). Polity Press.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339234196
Cabbuag, S. I. (2025). “When I grow up, I want to be a vlogger”: Child influencers in the Philippines. Journal of Social Media Studies. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20563051251356157
Day, L. A. (2006). Ethics in media communications: Cases and controversies (5th ed.). Wadsworth Publishing.https://archive.org/details/ethicsinmediacom0000dayl/page/n5/mode/2up
Deng, Z., & Yilin, S. (2024). Ethical Issues in Vlog-Style Advertising on New Media Platforms: A Case Study of Xiaohongshu. https://ijmrap.com/wp- content/uploads/2024/11/IJMRAP-V7N5P94Y24.pdf
Ekinci, Y., Dam, S., & Buckle, G. (2025). The dark side of social media influencers: A research agenda for analysing deceptive practices and regulatory challenges. Psychology & Marketing. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mar.22173
Hamson, Z., Akbar, M., & Aziz, S. (2025). Communication ethics of content creators in the new media era based on Bugis Makassar local wisdom. Satwika : Kajian Ilmu Budaya Dan Perubahan Sosial, 9(1), 279–289. https://ejournal.umm.ac.id/index.php/JICC/article/view/40189
Lange, P. G. (2007). Publicly private and privately public: Social networking on YouTube. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication.https://academic.oup.com/jcmc/article/13/1/361/4583074?login=false
Marwick, A. E. (2015). Instafame: Luxury selfies in the attention economy. https://read.dukeupress.edu/public-culture/article-abstract/27/1%20(75)/137/31071
Patalauskaitė, E. (2024). Ethical Aspects of Content Creation. Filosofija. Sociologija, 35(3). https://www.lmaleidykla.lt/ojs/index.php/filosofija- sociologija/article/view/5428
Pelletier, K. (2020). The ethics of authenticity in influencer marketing. Journal of Business Ethics, 167, 387–400.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23736992.2020.1736078
Raesch, M. (2022). Ethics and Informal Learning in Vlogs. https://stage.mediacommons.org/imr/content/ethics-and- informal- learning-vlogs
DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17173579
