Parenting Question

CptSternn · 07-31-2011, 12:04 PM

So I figured I would post this, even though I am sure it will devolve into a heated discussion and people irked with my position on the matter anyway.

I have a kid. He is three. Like myself, he has a natural ability with computers. So much to the fact I have given him one of the ones I have here in the house. IT may sound odd to give a three year old a computer, but he can navigate around better than some adults I know. I have taught him how to change the background, play music/sounds use paint. Save/open files in paint, and most recently I turned him loose on the web in Firefox and low and behold at the age of three he is already surfing like a pro. Seriously, no shit.

I turned on the parental controls in Windows to block him from doing some things, like starting up a game of Internet checkers or installing software. I also set Firefox to block a few things to keep him from making too many changes or accidentally giving out too much information. I then installed Net Nanny as to filter what he could get back in Firefox as well. I mean, he is only three.

He loves YouTube. He spends literally half the day these days clicking through YouTube watching his favourite cartoons (Dora, Spongebob, Mickey Mouse, etc.) and watching silly home videos of cats and some kid named Charlie who bites fingers.

The problem I recently encountered though was he came across the Happy Tree Friends clips. For some reason they show up in the suggestion list on YouTube when you are watching normal childrens cartoons. They are not rated as adult content and anyone can click on them.

This is where the question part comes into the post. Now I know this is going to make many of you post strong opinions here, but, I emailed YouTube about this as I thought they should be 18+. Their own website says not for kids, and Wikipedia says the same thing. YouTube however does not see it that way. They have even disabled the 'flag' option on the videos as they have already reviewed them and found no problems leaving them open to the public.

Are there any other parents out there who have encountered this sort of thing? Anyone else have any views on this? My Net Nanny software is great at filtering many things but the Happy Tree Friends gets through thanks to the lack of restrictions on YouTube.

I posted a similar thread like this on the YouTube help forums, and also found a few others that were identical, and the basic response was, if you don't like your kids watching it don't let them on YouTube. I personally think that is a cop out for many reasons. First and foremost, if they really felt it was our responsibility to keep kids off their site, then why even have the 18+ restrictions? They fact it exist shows the powers that be at YouTube do feel some content should not be viewed by minors. More importantly Happy Tree Friends was always on telly after the watershed (late night) as the content was barred by the FCC.

What are your thoughts on this? Should I and the other parents just block YouTube? It would be a shame since there is so much good content and the fact 99% of the time the age restriction does block the more adult based content. Why would Google/YouTube take such a perplexing approach to this content when they have made many music videos which show on MTV during the day 18+ content?

It just seems someone there has decided they want this content there and are willing to ignore common sense in this matter. Am I being naive for thinking YouTube should be doing more to protect our children? Should I just block YouTube and be done with it?

I, yes me, have also contemplated going nuclear with this. By that I mean there are a dozen right-wing conservative groups, a few which have already brought huge lawsuits against YouTube over content issues like this which I have thought about contacting. I know, the irony, eh? Me with a 18+ channel on YouTube complaining about adult content to the very groups I usually assail in my posts here when they do things like go after YouTube. It just seems this time I think a bit more conservatism on this matter might be just the thing. I am not asking anyone to remove anything or censor it, just to block it from children. Is that asking too much? Am I becoming a content nazi?

Feel free to blast me now and point out all of the irony.

Syconycteris australis · 07-31-2011, 07:32 PM

block utube, download some stuff he can watch and let him watch that instead.

Oh and make sure he gets plenty of time running around outside, so he knows balance.

ape descendant · 08-01-2011, 12:10 PM

Three-year-olds require direct adult supervision. It is good that you have protective software for your little one on his computer, it is super awesome that he's so good with computers so young, however the fact remains that he's a toddler, and should be supervised while on the internet.

Please don't be one of those parents who expect the world to be nerfed just for your child. The internet isn't really a place for little children, letting a little child loose on the internet is akin to going the mall, putting up a picket fence and expecting that child to be safe on their own.

On a side note, have you contacted the person who runs that channel? I figure that would be a good place to start.

But, suing youtube over this? IMO that's just silly.

If something you deem inappropriate comes on, turn it off.

HumanePain · 08-01-2011, 01:56 PM

YouTube should not be considered a cyber-sitter. Have him sit on your lap and surf with him and you will discover he enjoys your company and sharing laughs together. I love finding funny videos with my 4 year old grandson. He loves scuba-cat. This way I supervise and teach at the same time.

AshleyO · 08-01-2011, 02:18 PM

I think the best they can do is to make sure that those that upload videos and those that report videos as adult oriented should obviously have the feature of being inaccessible to minors.

It's not a duty for Youtube to babysit your kids, but it's not too unreasonable for youtube as a company to cater to this sort of thing.

Obviously, Sternn put some options on his son's computer to protect him from unwanted content like a reasonable adult.

I don't see it as nerfing the world in order to give parents access to controlling what their children see on youtube or the internet. You'd think a rating system would be necessary or blatantly logical.

CptSternn · 08-02-2011, 01:36 AM

Thanks for the feedback.

I also hate parents who try and 'nerf' the world. I am extremely opposed to that. I do sit with him, in the same room at least and check on him constantly. It's just once he finds something and I have to run over and turn it off it upsets him and he doesn't really understand why, especially when he is watching his normal kids cartoons and this one pops up on the right in the suggestion list. He has no idea it is not just another kids cartoon.

But my feelings are that which Ashley stated. Why have an 18+ option on the site if they are not going to use it when needed? Most all of my videos are marked 18+, and pretty much all of the new MTV videos which they show on tv during the day are marked 18+ due to complaints, yet they let this on there without issue.

I just don't like having to manually censor this one thing when their own system is actually pretty damn good. It amazes me the line they have decided to take on this issue sure.

CptSternn · 08-02-2011, 01:38 AM

Thanks for the feedback.

I also hate parents who try and 'nerf' the world. I am extremely opposed to that. I do sit with him, in the same room at least and check on him constantly. It's just once he finds something and I have to run over and turn it off it upsets him and he doesn't really understand why, especially when he is watching his normal kids cartoons and this one pops up on the right in the suggestion list. He has no idea it is not just another kids cartoon.

But my feelings are that which Ashley stated. Why have an 18+ option on the site if they are not going to use it when needed? Most all of my videos are marked 18+, and pretty much all of the new MTV videos which they show on tv during the day are marked 18+ due to complaints, yet they let this on there without issue.

I just don't like having to manually censor this one thing when their own system is actually pretty damn good. It amazes me the line they have decided to take on this issue sure.

Ben Lahnger · 08-02-2011, 05:13 AM

Letting your kid have access to the internet is a lot like letting your kid have access to cable TV. We live in an age where you should be able to depend on the filters that are in place to allow your kid to enjoy the wonderful content that is available, secure in the knowledge that the filtering mechanism in place works. This is a failure on YouTube's fault. The folks that say you should not let your kid access the internet are well-meaning but misguided.

Have you looked at software like McAfee Family Protection? It appears to allow YouTube filtering by keyword.

JCC · 08-02-2011, 06:08 AM

Ben's suggestion is a good one, there's lots of good filters and McAfee are especially good all round. For the people who say you should be watching him all the time, finding something your kid likes so he will entertain himself and you can do the shit you've been thwarted from doing by their nagging is a great feeling, constant supervision would eliminate the point.

P.s. my sister and her son live with us full-time, I'm not a dad in case you read this post with horror

Solumina · 08-02-2011, 01:17 PM

As long as you are in the same room as him and look over to check that he hasn't gotten into something he shouldn't have then I have no problem with him surfing "unsupervised" it gives him a sense of freedom without him being in any danger, and it gives you time to do things that he would find terribly boring like paying bills or cleaning. It is a shame that a site with 18+ filters would insist that something like this is appropriate for kids.

Syconycteris australis · 08-02-2011, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ape descendant

Three-year-olds require direct adult supervision.

Awww... so this is why whenever I arrange for the cats to babysit master 2, it never works.

In all seriousness, my almost 3 year old has looked at a computer screen and is a dab hand at flying planes on the PS3, but I'd rather he go off and learn about his world than sit in front of a computer. I think studies have been done to show children should have no more than 2hrs of tv a day (I'd include computer games in that).

Hell, he's got his whole adoselence to sit in front of a computer.

I'm not a big fan of TV/computer babysitting, unless you are doing something like cooking dinner, then you need to get them out from under your feet. Oh and for the record, babybat is asleep at the moment, so I get online/write etc.

I guess the problem with you tube is the movie/tv rating system and how it varies from country to country.

Saya · 08-02-2011, 11:59 PM

Its not that because that if they don't give it an 18+ rating they think its appropriate for kids, just don't think its inappropriate enough to block underage teenagers from. There's a whole age range under 18, fancy that. And I don't expect many people beyond the age of 18 really care for Happy Tree Friends >.>