Italian culture is completely different than culture in other countries, to take a small piece of stance there. I mean.. It really isn't a big deal touching other people. Even here in Texas we touch people all the time, and the same touches are seen as creepy in another state. (To give an example, someone here in NC wanted to pet my faux-fur-lined coat with a large collar.. and I didn't see it as creepy, but the Northern girl that was hanging out with us thought it was a total invasion of my privacy.. to me he was just "ooh sweet sensory experience!") So the term 'caress' in the thing.. I don't really think that's the big thing everyone's talking about. On top of that, children are more likely to touch each other anyways... it isn't so much a matter of personal bubbles, and before and around puberty starting children are just not really so into personal spaces and things like that. They don't quite get it yet. At 9 years old I wouldn't expect anyone to be all, "Oh, hey, can I ask permission to touch your hair a bit after this adult told me it was okay?"
The slapping thing I think has more to do with parental moralities being mirrored in the children than the children themselves. I'm sure I could look up the studies I'm thinking of, but there's a significant portion especially in that age group that don't say things for their own ideas, but more to get the praise of their parents by mimicking their ideas and morals.
On top of ALL of that, there's an authority figure there. An adult, and probably the kids' parents because there's no way they can release a video about these kids without permission from the parents in the first place. So... I don't see it being anti-gender-equality, or ironic, or anything like that. It seems like kids being kids to me.