'Edgy' Logan Paul defies suicide scandal to become children's top YouTuber

Just weeks after YouTube sensation Logan Paul uploaded a video of a suicide victim in Japan, UK children have made him their favourite channel on the site.

According to a new study by Childwise, the media habits of 2000 children were analysed and revealed Paul's channel was the most popular among viewers aged between five and 16. Paul has more than 16 million followers on his "Logan Paul Vlogs" channel.

Speaking to the BBC, research director Simon Leggett said that children were seeking "edgier" videos and that many had already been exposed to "shocking content".

"Children used to mainly follow wholesome, big-sister/brother types who offered chatty advice and company," Leggett said. "However, children's favourite new vloggers are more edgy, with a style more akin to negative playground behaviour where the most popular vloggers are the ones that do the worst possible thing they can get away with on YouTube."

The former top children's entertainer on YouTube was Zoella, a beauty and fashion vlogger. "Zoella losing her top YouTuber slot to Logan Paul shows that we could be moving into a new era with a change in the kind of vloggers that are popular with children," Leggett said.

Paul is still facing immense backlash for his suicide video and has already been removed from YouTube's preferred advertising list. He also had several YouTube Red projects axed.

Leggett said Paul has only become a favourite of children this year. "His growing audience, which starts as young as age nine, were potentially exposed to shocking content over new year after Logan's ill-considered decision to upload a widely criticised video of his visit to Aokigahara, Japan's 'suicide forest'."

According to the BBC, the study also revealed that more than half of children between five and 16 are now using Instagram. Unsurprisingly, the children revealed that most of the media they consume comes from the internet, not a television.