TOTLOL – Safe Video Viewing for Children

With online video viewing being as core a part of many people’s online usage habits as it is, it’s not surprising that children are increasingly included in this trend.  However many of the mainstay video sites like YouTube in particular do not distinguish between material that is appropriate for children, and that which isn’t.  As a result a search for Elmo can yield both expected and unexpected search results.

For example page 2 of the results for a YouTube search for “Elmo” yields a clip called “Exploding Elmo Death” and another called “Tickle Me Elmo on fire”.

I should emphasise though, that by raising the notion of appropriate versus inappropriate content for children I am in no way trying to advocate censorship or mandatory filtering – ultimately I feel this is an area best left to families and parents to decide for themselves.  What I am trying to bring to the table for discussion is how best to involve young people in online video viewing – and indeed online interaction in general – in ways that nurture and empower, while not exposing them to inappropriate or even dangerous material.

One site in particularly that seems to deal with this concept quite effectively is TOTLOL.  From the website:

“Totlol is a video website designed specifically for children. It is community moderated. It is constantly growing. It is powered by YouTube.”

The premise of Totlol is not one of arbitrary filtering by an enigmatic set of administrators.  It is community driven, parent filter and highly participatory in nature.  Videos showcased on the site are located and submitted by parents, and vetted through a peer review system.

The peer review system is such that every video submitted to site site must stand up to three questions:

1. Is this video appropriate for children?
2. How would you rate this video?
3. What age group will enjoy it most?

According to the site: “Only videos that pass the grade are then available for the viewing kids.”

What about Digital Literacy?

In saying all this though another topic comes to mind – that of the oft discussion, sometimes chided notion of digital literacy.  There are those who suggest that we should not go out of our way to shield young people from the realities of the online landscape – with the sometimes questionable people and material it can contain.  The argument goes it is safer and more effective in the long term to wander the landscape of the open web along-side young people, and thus play the role of interpreter and mentor – rather than shield them until they are left to explore without aid of informed adults with whom to reflect on their experiences.

By this argument, policies that block access to YouTube and other web sites in the name of child protection may in fact be detrimental in the long run, because young people may not run into questionable material until they do so alone.

On the other hand, perhaps there is an age before which the seeds of future online expertise, awareness, or even the capacity to make logical informed decisions just doesn’t exist yet. At this stage I’m really not sure, though I’m inclined to believe with growth and interaction comes experience and an increased capacity to navigate the wild web effectively and safely.

Thoughts on this matter are welcome and encouraged. If nothing else it points to a subject characterised by shades of grey that require ample exploration and thought.