Page 10 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 1_2023

Today's Child

2. Restricted mode: This will help to
filter out inappropriate videos, but
due to the volume of videos on the
platform, it isn’t 100% effective. This
feature can be enabled on “Settings”
and by clicking on “Restricted mode”
on the drop-down menu at the
bottom of the screen. Change the
option to “On” and click on “Save”.

3. Custom password: You can set up
a custom password to prevent your
child from accessing your parental
controls and making changes. To
do this, tap on the “Lock” icon and
choose “Set my own password”.
4. Save videos to private: If your child
For the user, viewing is a physically Woody’s Got Wood, which was actually is posting videos, talk to them about
rewarding experience because the “a sexualised parody of the children’s setting the content they upload
surprise element triggers the reward film, Toy Story”. to “Private”, so that only their
centre in the brain. Images and subscribers or followers can view the
videos are also more believable than An interesting point raised was videos. Also, talk to them about who is
words alone. The social component is that because YouTube’s algorithm allowed to follow or subscribe to their
reflected in teens being able to connect recommends content based on what channel. Set this by going to “Library”
with like-minded people watching the it determines users are interested in, and selecting your videos, then click
same videos. How so? The platform is it often suggests videos that reinforce on “Select more” and “Visibility”, and
entertaining and, given that the Covid-19 existing ideas or beliefs. For teens still you will be able to choose between
pandemic isolated most people for long forming their own ideas, beliefs and private, public and unlisted.
periods, YouTube became a form of values, these rabbit holes or “echo
escape and connection. chambers” made up of one-sided 5. Auto-play: This stops videos from
perspectives can be dangerous. Many automatically playing after one has
Teenagers also love the creativity of will also argue that this phenomenon ended, preventing further suggested
platforms such as YouTube and TikTok; (which is not unique to YouTube) fuels videos from playing. To turn this on,
they can watch and make creative the increasingly polarised culture we find go to “Watch screen on any video”,
content which they can share, and we all ourselves in. then tap the auto-play switch to “Off”.
know how “likes” influence their thinking
and actions. WHAT CAN PARENTS DO? 6. Create playlists: Playlists help you
If your child has posted nude videos or manage the videos your younger
WHAT ARE THE RISKS? photos of themselves online, Childline child can watch. It is recommended
First and foremost, the risk is that of and the Internet Watch Foundation that you watch videos before your
exposure to inappropriate content, (IWF) have created a tool called Report child does in order to ensure that
as confirmed by an investigation Remove for young people under the age they are appropriate, and then add
conducted by Mozilla into YouTube’s of 18. It provides steps to determine if them (or not) to the new playlist. To
recommendation system. The most the image can be removed from online add a video to the playlist, select
frequent categories of inappropriate platforms and prevent further sharing. “Save” at the bottom of the video
content on the site were misinformation, British child protection charity the and select the playlist or choose to
graphic/violent content, hate speech National Society for the Prevention of create a new playlist.
and spams or scams. Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) lists six
features to help ensure your child’s YouTube Kids is a separate app and
A study found that more than 25% of safety on YouTube. website that offers more filters and
the most viewed videos about Covid-19 restrictions to prevent children from being
contained misinformation while reaching 1. Supervision: YouTube has a exposed to inappropriate content. There
millions of viewers across the world. supervised experience account are also additional parental controls
Researchers found the site’s algorithm available for children under the available, depending on children’s ages.
to be the problem as “71% percent of age of 13, with a Google account You can even create individual user
the inappropriate content reported came managed by Family Link. This can profiles for more than one child.
from videos recommended by YouTube’s help you manage how the app is
automatic recommendation system”. used by giving you access to content Remember: controls are never 100%
settings and parental controls that effective, so it’s essential that you
They also found that many of the videos manage the channels children can supervise what your children are
fell into what YouTube calls “borderline subscribe to, as well as how long they watching, especially when they are
content” – videos that “skirt the borders can spend on the app. Information younger. Teaching them how to stay safe
of their Community Guidelines without on how to set this up can be found in an online world is a critical parental
actually violating them”. For example, on YouTube’s advice page. responsibility, and guidance is easy to
the report pointed to the animated video find online.
RESOURCES:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/online-safety-blog/re-
port-remove-tool-for-young-people/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_
content=Report%20Remove&utm_campaign=2022_August_CSO-newletter

8 DPL issue 1 2023