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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to have said no, ds (ten yo) cannot have his own youtube channel?

22 replies

wannaBe · 25/04/2013 15:05

This morning ds asked out of the blue if he could have his own youtube channel. I said no from the outset but then asked him what he wanted it for. Apparently there is a trend of playing minecraft, videoing yourself doing as and then uploading it to youtube so others can watch it. I said no, and ds then proceeded to tell me more than one of his friends have their own channels on youtube!

Quite apart from the fact I cannot comprehend why anyone would want to video their computer screen to upload to the internet to then be watched by other users, I am somewhat that children as young as ten have their own channels on the likes of youtube.

Oh, and I have banned the watching of minecraft videos on youtube because some of the language is shocking!

OP posts:

SantanaLopez · 25/04/2013 15:09

YANBU, but I would actually be glad that he asked you first.

Can you compromise with him- maybe he can have an account but not upload anything, you have the passwords etc?

ThedementedPenguin · 25/04/2013 15:18

My little brother does this. He is 16. When I go to my mums house to visit I like to wander in and sing very loudly to ruin them.

Sorry went off topic there. At 10 I think he is far too young. You are right to say no.

Frettchen · 25/04/2013 15:35

Rather than an outright ban, could you allow him to watch certain channels. I don't know why gaming channels are so popular at the moment - I'd much rather play the games than watch someone else play them; esp something like MineCraft.

If you did allow him to watch content you've vetted first, I would recommend the TobyGames channel; Toby plays MineCraft and is very careful to mind his language in his videos because his young niece watches. (Just don't watch his Happy Wheels videos)

The bonus of having a channel is that he can then subscribe to other channels/post comments, but I would say 10 is too young to be interacting with the other users, so YANBU.

DoubleMum · 25/04/2013 16:07

Funnily enough we just had a message from school saying they had found out children were doing just this, and commenting on videos. DS isn't into Minecraft which might be the only reason he hasn't asked to do it yet!

DoubleMum · 25/04/2013 16:08

He would also be told no BTW.

Groovee · 25/04/2013 16:09

I think the fact he asked you was good. But I agree with you.

niceguy2 · 25/04/2013 16:11

Oh, and I have banned the watching of minecraft videos on youtube because some of the language is shocking!

Ha ha, us too. We thought it was all very innocent for our 6 year old to watch it until one day I caught some of the language! He's banned now.

Tee2072 · 25/04/2013 16:15

So it's fun to watch others play a video game? Really?!?!

Every day is a school day!

Vicki0294 · 25/04/2013 16:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JCDenton · 25/04/2013 17:41

I'd much rather play the games than watch someone else play them; esp something like MineCraft

Agreed! I love games but I think watching others play is another level of hell (reserved for wallhackers and griefers, obviously).

OP, my first impression is that YANBU, 10 is too young to have free rein on YouTube. Maybe in a couple of years.

In my day we made do with terrible LiveJournals and GeoCities...

GlassofRose · 25/04/2013 17:44

YNBU at all!

In fact only recently there was a youtube video of a rather young boy singing and doing silly dancing going around facebook the other day. So aside from all the obvious, possibly becoming a victim of this bullying / piss taking just isnt what you want.

Raum · 25/04/2013 17:48

YABU. Sorry but as someone who works in IT I am aware of the concerns but as always parental guidance in using it would be key. You missed a chance to reinforce good behaviour IMO. He came to you, that's a great indicator of him being responsible, at least give him a trail period to see how it goes and ensure you have the password for it etc.

MrsClown1 · 25/04/2013 17:53

YANBU.

I was watching a documentary the other day about internet safety. 2 girls aged around 12 uploaded a short video of themselves doing a dance (it was very innocent - in the mode of Steps etc). A few hours later the girl whose account it was got messages from some pervy bloke asking her if she liked sex etc. The mother was shocked.

StuntGirl · 25/04/2013 18:47

I play video games and even I can't think of anything more bloody dull than watching someone else play. I cannot stand gaming videos.

LaGuardia · 25/04/2013 19:56

I would let him watch gaming videos with the sound turned off. Legally he isn't allowed to access the interweb until he is 13 anyway.

hurricanewyn · 25/04/2013 20:06

Legally he isn't allowed to access the interweb until he is 13 anyway

This can't be right - if so, why are there websites like cbeebies, club penguin etc?

LisaMed · 25/04/2013 20:28

ds (6)loves watching minecraft videos, I second the Toby does minecraft. Trying to think of others that are okay. tbh the language on even the worse ones aren't as bad as the drug dealer's kids two doors down even the one in ds class. Ds watches some of the videos for hints.

Does anyone know how old the child is in 'Noob Training'? It is a child explaining Minecraft to a parent and it is really nice hearing them play together, and sometimes an older sister takes part as well.

I am not planning on letting ds upload anything yet, but I have considered getting him to work out what makes a good video and how to work that into something he does, just so he is not too passive when watching.

(Also if I can't sleep, I put Duncan does Tekkit on really quietly and it is so soothing, cannot recommend it enough)

LisaMed · 25/04/2013 20:32

LaGuardia - ds has been on the interwebs for years, ceebeebies, letterland videos, nickjr, etc. I never said I was a good mother. I get loads of knitting done as I don't like leaving him even for five minutes alone with the computer. Also the school has encouraged the youngsters to go on the internet to a scheme called the bug club which is a sort of reading scheme. As for the minecraft, he now can spell lapis lazuli and understands the definition of cohesive. I'll take what crumbs I get.

MamaBear17 · 25/04/2013 20:50

YANBU. Your son is the same age as the youngest pupils I teach and I deal with lots of bullying related issues thanks to youtube. The problem is, kids can 'comment' on each other's channels and it almost always turns nasty. I think you should wait until he gets a little older.

Enfyshedd · 25/04/2013 23:05

LaGuardia - You're not supposed to have a Facebook account until you're 13. Other sites may have their own age restrictions, but the only way I think you could enforce anything like that is a credit card (18+).

inchoccyheaven · 25/04/2013 23:20

My dc do this and watch endless videos of others doing it which like most on here I just don't get and yes the language on most videos is awful, however I have never heard my dc swearing and haven't heard from others they do, so I let them watch.

When they video the screen they are never on it themselves in view but you can hear them talking about the game. I asked that they didn't say their names so not immediately identifable. They are nearly 11 and nearly 13.

soimpressed · 25/04/2013 23:37

My 8 yo DS recently asked me this for the same reason. I said we would need to look at the rules and sure enough they say under 13s should not have an account. He said he thought some of the kids doing the minecraft tutorials sounded young but for now he's accepted it.

I do allow him to watch the videos though, but only when I am in the room . He's really good about turning it off if the language is too bad. He says he's heard it all before anyway from his mother. He seems to have found some posters who don't use bad language and will watch all of their videos.

Minecraft does drive me mad but I think it's been good for DS and I to have the discussions about swearing and internet safety.

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