"I had no
idea that my kids were posting videos online. We don't even
own a camera! They were taking videos with their cell phones
at parties and posting them online. I am just glad that
I found them before their future employer did!"
These are the words of a parent whose teens are regular
visitors to a popular new Web site called YouTube.com. An
Internet storehouse for homemade videos, YouTube has fast
become one of the world's most popular sites, thanks to
this parent's kids and millions of others. The appeal of
YouTube is as simple as its name: the content on the site
can be created by anybody with access to a camera and an
Internet connection. The movies on the site range from old
TV clips to home videos. Many of them are funny and fascinating.
Unfortunately, as in the case of this parent, the clips
are sometimes irresponsible and inappropriate.
Sad as it is to say, we should probably expect our kids
to act irresponsibly and inappropriately when we give them
unmonitored access to some new place. That's as true in
the virtual world as it is in the real world, and it's as
true for the honors students as it is for the so-called
troublemakers. The fact is, kids need limits and guidance,
and when they discover a place without these things, it's
only natural that they begin to experiment.
A few months ago I wrote about the popular site MySpace.com.
In that column I urged parents to keep track of what their
kids were doing with their online profiles because of the
many reports of cyber-bullying, sexually explicit content,
and the celebration of risky behavior. The solution, I said,
is to talk to your kids about what is and isn't appropriate,
let them know you'll be checking in and then do so.
The same is true with YouTube, except this site may hold
even more potential for danger. Because the video format
demands a compelling performance, kids are even more likely
to engage in outrageous behavior. Often kids will do things
for the camera, and for the Internet, that they would never
do in everyday life. That's why it's more important than
ever to have a conversation with your kids about appropriate
behavior in cyberworld.
Recently, we created a MediaWise Parent Guide to help you
with this very conversation. Full of useful information
and helpful tips, it's available for free at MediaWise.org.
Please take a moment and check it out.
Used safely, YouTube could be a great way for your kids
to express themselves and meet new people. Here's what one
thirteen-year-old says about the site: "I meet a lot
of cool people on YouTube. When you like a video you just
post a comment on their profile and say what's up. Then
you can be friends with them in MySpace too." If we're
doing our jobs as parents, there should be nothing alarming
about a statement like that. But if we fail to help our
kids understand the Internet's pitfalls, YouTube could be
a pretty dangerous place for a thirteen-year-old kid.
David Walsh, Ph.D. is the founder of the
MediaWise Movement, a program of the National Institute
on Media and the Family (www.mediafamily.org).
His latest book, Why Do They Act That Way? A Survival
Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen,
is a national bestseller.
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