15-year-old Venus Palermo (aka Venus Angelic) is a Londoner who is taking her doll obsession to the next level.

The teen started posting tutorials for fans who want to look like her (or simply adore her)…and in this case, there are over 5 million fans who do just that. The ball-jointed doll (BJD, for short) is popular in Japan, a country that she is obsessed with.  And despite her seemingly Japanese Harajuku accent, Palermo is actually Austrian, Swiss and Hungarian.

Critics and even some fans are looking at this from a less innocent angle.

“The case of Venus Angelic is uncomfortably exploitative,” explains Harvard sociologist Hilary Levey Friedman. “There is clearly a sexual undertone to what she is doing.” With the perverted comments and fanfare on her blog and videos, Friedman’s statement has some merit.

So is her mom worried? It appears not, as she often hosts Q&A chats with Venus’s fans. What line can be drawn between supporting your child’s passion and protecting her from unwanted attention?

Citing the rampant “Am I Pretty?” videos, Friedman adds, “In general, young girls on YouTube is a disturbing, growing trend.”

Venus Palermo in the News

Venus Angelic BJD Tutorial

Venus Palermo’s 24-year-old Fan