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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to complain about cbeebies Swashbuckle game?

37 replies

negrilbaby · 21/09/2013 15:16

Chatting to DS(5yrs) at lunch today and he was talking about taking a photo of himself using the computer.
We queried what he was talking about and it appears he was playing a game on cbeebies site - Swashbuckle - with his little sister and they took photos using the computer's internal webcam. www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/swashbuckle-online/games/swashbuckle-yourself/
The game is relatively innocent. They post a picture of themselves and decorate it as a pirate. And I know they should be supervised when on the computer. The computer is downstairs in a family room.
I went on line to check and they simply hit one button to activate the web-cam. Am I being overly paranoid or does it seem, in this climate, more than a little wrong to have a game aimed at pre-schoolers that asks children to take a photo of themselves?
Very concerned that cbeebies have made it so simple for a child to activate a webcam.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 21/09/2013 15:19

I think you hit the nail on the head when you said they should be supervised on the computer.

If your computer has a webcam and your child knows how to use it, they could activate it any time they like.

Other than that, what do you think is going to happen to all these face shots of children dressed as pirates?

BabyDubsEverywhere · 21/09/2013 15:22

My dc love that game, please don't get it taken down!

skittycat · 21/09/2013 15:23

Sorry but I think YABU and paranoid. From what I can tell from the game nothing happens to the photos, you are given the option to save the photo to your computer or print it, nothing else.

PrincessFlirtyPants · 21/09/2013 15:23

Yes, I agree with worraliberty

Children should be supervised on the computer and Internet especially.

skittycat · 21/09/2013 15:25

Also - If your children were supervised on the computer then you'd be able to tell if they were then using the webcam for anything that they perhaps shouldn't be (not having a go, just pointing out that even if they know how to use it, it doesn't mean they'll be using it for anything else)

FrigginRexManningDay · 21/09/2013 15:25

I agree with WorraLiberty ,you should be supervising them and who's going to be interested to kids faces covered in pirate stuff?

FWIW I think its a good game.

Moxiegirl · 21/09/2013 15:25

I can't get my webcam to work on that game for the kids!
I think you are overreacting, sit with them on the pc if you are that concerned.

Moxiegirl · 21/09/2013 15:26

Ps I don't think it's the only game on there that uses a cam. You do know noone else can see the picture right?

judgejudithjudy · 21/09/2013 15:36

yabvu - supervise your dc! & disconnect the webcam. why do some parents blame everything/everyone else when the simple answer is SUPERVISE YOUR CHILD!

Original poster
negrilbaby · 21/09/2013 20:52

The children were in the same room as me but I had thought that letting them play for a short while on cbeebies did not need me sitting with them and watching everything that they did. I could hear the computer and knew that they were still on cbeebies. I do supervise my children but they are allowed to breathe without me!

Moxiegirl, the photo ends up in the cache on the web browser from where it can be taken by even a fairly simple piece of malicious software or a web crawler like Google Chrome.

DS does not know how to activate the webcam on his own - he wasn't even aware that one existed on the computer until playing the game!
The web cam is normally inactive but the cbeebies app is capable of turning it on. There are viruses and malware which do the same thing. I have now deactivated the webcam

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 21/09/2013 21:45

the photo ends up in the cache on the web browser from where it can be taken by even a fairly simple piece of malicious software or a web crawler like Google Chrome.

Again...what do you think someone's going to do with a load of kid's face shots, done up like pirates? Confused

TooTryHard · 21/09/2013 21:46

Thank you for letting me know about this game. That's tomorrow morning sorted ;).

TrueStory · 21/09/2013 21:50

i don't think Op is overacting. its like a stranger coming into your home and taking a photo of your young child w/o your permission. i find it v. odd concept tbh

Original poster
negrilbaby · 21/09/2013 21:51

I'm worried about the encouragement/normalising of taking pictures of yourself while online.

OP posts:
gingerchick · 21/09/2013 21:51

YABU what do you think is going to happen! Children should always be supervised on the computer

gingerchick · 21/09/2013 21:54

You could always talk to your kids about computer safety or actually monitor what they do

Snazzyenjoyingsummer · 21/09/2013 21:55

Can't see any harm in this.

bsc · 21/09/2013 21:55

I find it odd that you left your 5yo and younger sibling unsupervised on an internet enabled computer!

It only takes seconds to load another page, click onto another part of the BBC website, perhaps news that you dont want them to read/see...

Confused why would you do that?

foslady · 21/09/2013 21:57

Suggest you maybe have a bit of time with DS on this website.

www.thinkuknow.co.uk/5_7/

My dd enjoyed it all and it got the message across without scaring her

Snazzyenjoyingsummer · 21/09/2013 21:58

But the normalising of putting photos of yourself online has already happened. So if they are on the net at all, you need to talk to them about safety, the difference between this and sending pictures to people, etc.

candycoatedwaterdrops · 21/09/2013 22:00

YABU. It's your job to supervise your young children online.

kali110 · 21/09/2013 22:00

Agree with judge completely, its not the sites fault.Doesnt matter if you could hear they were on the website, if they're that young with internet access they should be watched at all times.

WorraLiberty · 21/09/2013 22:03

i don't think Op is overacting. its like a stranger coming into your home and taking a photo of your young child w/o your permission. i find it v. odd concept tbh

No it's not Confused

If you want to compare it to something, it's like the OP giving her child a camera and wandering off to cook the dinner.

missmapp · 21/09/2013 22:03

The tree fu tom game does the same, but my ds , 5, knew to check before he clicked the button as we make it clear they don't follow online instructions without checking ( this is mainly so that ds1 doesn't cost us a fortune by downloading expensive extras on angry birds!)

I think, rather than complain about the game, you should see it as a timely reminder to improve your families internet security.

CreatureRetorts · 21/09/2013 22:10

You could disconnect the webcam while they're unsupervised on the computer?

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