Do you have rules about your teens sharing making dark memes etc?

[Basketly]

Just wondering what others do really.

A friend of mine has found out her son has a meme account with some pretty dark stuff on it. She made him delete the account, but he is claiming “freedom of expression” and creativity...

Was speaking to my teens about it today and they showed me that bloody song which is going around about the girl we’re not allowed to talk about on MN. I told them I wasn’t happy about it being shared by them but they said it’s on YouTube so pretty mainstream.

I have a dark sense of humour sometimes (with boundaries) but when do you allow teens the same thing?

What girl?

Your friend was wrong in my opinion.

Their son will just keep doing it, but Find a way to hide it.

So what anyway, it's not doing anyone any harm and they're just jokes.

MM

Yes they can be dark, but they are not malicious. The humour may be offensive to some but that’s life.

When they're old enough to pay for the internet themselves and deal with any reaction from others online as a result of their trolling.

It's not just if the memes/songs/comments are 'dark' offensive , it's whether they're actually illegal, in contravention of court orders or, as most kids/people aren't brilliant at keeping their identity completely hidden online, they could attract attention from very unpleasant people.

Are they psychologically able to handle the pile ons that some kids who have received due to expressing political comments? Thousands of notification a day, threats of violence, of rape, their names and addresses being made public? Being identified in the Press? Doorstepped by reporters or internet warriors?

I think and will say I think Yaxley-Lennon is a racist, violent and abusive prick. But I'd feel differently were I to open the door one morning and find him or his fan club there I'd think he was a racist, violent, abusive prick who was scaring the shit out of me by tracking me down and letting thousands know I, MitziK of number 28 Acacia Avenue, Bournemouth, alone at night and physically defenceless, disagreed with their opinion of their hero.

It all seems so safe to do or say things you think are funny in the safety of a bedroom in suburbia. But the internet is not a safe place - it invites the attention of unpleasant, violent, fanatical and at times, fucking demented, people. They aren't old enough to be able to cope with that or necessarily to protect themselves from it.

So until they're old enough to be responsible for their own bills and safety, I agree with your friend.

I have no idea what I just read.

That was just....odd

@chocomug - are you referring to the post above yours?

@VeniVidiViciTwice

Yes I am. Seems to have come out of the blue

Not really, although I am typing in between doing a million other things.

I'll try to rephrase.

Kids posting controversial stuff online are not only at risk of posting something that is deemed illegal, they are potentially vulnerable to offending utter nutcases.

Due to their being children, they are less likely to be competent at ensuring their online safety - with the result that not only could they attract negative posts/online harassment, this could spill over into real life targeting.

As some have found to their cost when expressing 'normal' opinions about politics.

So, as the kid in the OP has posted stuff that could cause offence and potentially attract the attention of unsavoury people, their wish to 'freedom of expression' is outweighed by a parent saying no and insisting they are deleted. When they are adults and can look after themselves, it's their call instead.

Apologies for what must have come across as a bit of a brain dump first time round. I tried to give an example of how a relatively reasonable opinion online, if privacy isn't maintained, could result in very scary behaviour from others offended by it.