Parents: The Importance of Discussing YouTube with Your Children

 Parents the Importance of Discussing YouTube with Your Children Are you a parent? If so, is your child old enough to use the Internet? If you have a child in high school or even in high school, there is a good chance you are worried about internet safety, as you should. On the Internet, there are a large number of websites, including YouTube, that appeal to your children. The only problem with these websites is that if they are not used properly, they can be dangerous. That is why you are advised to discuss popular Internet sites, such as YouTube, with your children.

Parents:  The Importance of Discussing YouTube with Your Children

When it comes to discussing YouTube with their children, there are many parents who wonder what YouTube really is. If you have never heard of YouTube or visited it before, it is advisable to do so before talking to your children about it. When you visit the YouTube website, you will see that it is a video sharing website. Those thirteen years of age and older can sign up for a free YouTube account. Once the account is registered, account holders can watch YouTube videos, rate them, or chat with other YouTube members, and share their videos online.

For YouTube's security, the focus should be on uploading and sharing videos, but it's important that you also touch and watch videos. There are many YouTube videos with adult content. While YouTube is trying to ensure that each of these videos is tagged, somehow, not all of them are. You will want to remind your child that they are, indeed, children. You may also want to limit the type of videos they watch. For example, it is very possible to find instructional videos on YouTube, such as how to direct them. It would be a good idea for your children to watch those types of videos, as they may receive less education at the same time.

As mentioned earlier, most of the focus should be on uploading videos to YouTube. In the past, a large number of YouTube members posted videos with clips from their favorite movies, television shows, or music videos. Due to copyright issues, YouTube is trying to limit these types of videos, because they are actually illegal without proper permission. You may want to explain this to your children, as they may be unfamiliar with copyrights and how they work. In most cases, if your kids post a video on YouTube that they don't have permission to make, the video will be removed, but as more companies get tired of their online activity, the worst action can be taken.

It is also important that you communicate with your children safely, when sharing a video on YouTube or when making a video for the sole purpose of posting it on the YouTube website. Another popular type of video made by many young adults, including high school students is video blogs. Video blogs are similar to traditional blogs, where they describe what happens in one life, but not in video format. The only problem with the video blog is that many YouTube members are sitting in front of the camera, exposing their faces for everyone to see. While this may be considered safe, it provides a lot of information, while showing your face that it is not. You will want to inform your children that you should not, under any circumstances, give their full names, address, or phone numbers, or even cell phone numbers.

It is also recommended that Parents the Importance of Discussing YouTube with Your Children  about online predators. Although YouTube members are able to communicate, the risk of encountering online hunters is not as high as in traditional social networks, such as My Space, but the threat still exists. Let your kids know you don't want them talking to other YouTube members, because you never know who's behind the computer. If you and your children can't reach an agreement, you may want to consider blocking the YouTube website on your computer.