The online sensation of the year, YouTube, has opened the door for all kinds of opportunities. From joining with CNN to allow voters to directly pose questions to presidential candidates, to allowing students to view class lectures when they can’t physically make it to class, YouTube and other online video sites can also have some negative effects.

For many people, these sites are a monumental waste of time. For others who are videoed and posted without their knowledge or consent, they are a source of embarrassment and anger. For a few others, online videos may be a cause for arrest or even evidence in a criminal trial.

The Motive
Typically, hoaxers and vandals want to work invisibly, but have the results of their work highly visible, to be “appreciated” by all. They may consider their work art, such as some graffiti artists, or may think what they have done is funny, and want all their friends, and even strangers, to be able to join in on the “joke.” All too often, these pranks are dangerous to the participants, the victims, the cameraman, and bystanders, and on occasion, what began as a joke turns into a serious calamity.

Alerting Authorities
While it is never the intention of the person posting the video online, viewers sometimes recognize the danger or the illegality of the actions caught on video and authorities are alerted. In general, police are tipped off by viewers about a suspicious video, and aren’t seeking out videos of illegal activities on their own.

Some do, however. One California Police Lieutenant asserted that police officers stationed at middle and high schools routinely search popular sites such as MySpace and YouTube for criminal activity such as drug or alcohol use, vandalism, or sexual assault. (more…)

Despite the warnings and training offered to parents, more children than ever are hopping online without correct supervision. Unfortunately, many of the unethical webmasters who like to target these young visitors with ads, pop-ups and inappropriate content hear the same messages as parents and quickly find ways around firewalls and blocking software parents install.

So what’s a parent to do? If the bad guys know all the tricks the good guys know, is there any tool left for parents in the fight to protect their children? The answer is a resounding – YES!

Parental Supervision

The number one diversionary tactic parents can use to protect their children online has little to do with a particular website or brand of software. If parents simply monitor what their children are doing online, many problems would be diverted. Of course there are terrific websites and online options available to aid in this supervision, and parents should explore all of their supervision options fully. (more…)