To not allow my 11 year old DS film himself for Youtube?

[LavenderLedge]

His friends have Youtube accounts and make videos of themselves. Now my DS wants to do the same but I've said no because I feel he's too young to have his face online.

AIBU? Am I being too cautious?

Genuinely interested in replies - they may make me reconsider.

DS is currently stamping around his bedroom in a strop as I keep saying no.

I thought the minimum age for a youtube acount is thirteen?
I would imagine that rule is there for a reason, though TBH it's a bit of an odd age to settle on.
I wouldn't let my DS (nearly 11) put himself on there. I've seen the fallout from arguments and bullying on Xbox Live spilling over into the classroom, I imagine anything viewed on Youtube could result in similar. I couldn't be arsed with all that again.

I wouldn't let him. We had a problem at work where some of our Year 6's were posting some stuff on YouTube that was innocent but could be taken out of context (sorry can't elaborate more as it would identify IRL). They were so happy because they had about 3000 likes in a few hours - their teacher had to sit them down and talk to them about who did they think was liking them? Did they know 3000 people - especially as she knew the comments were just so 'off' and the children hadn't twigged. Teacher phoned parents to come and chat etc - they weren't concerned!

TheWitches a lot of US sites settles on 13 because there are federal laws about data collection on under 13s.

Pretty much all the kids in DD's circle have active YouTube channels, they are all 11.
Although Musically is the current craze. We have comments blocked on Youtube. But so many kids upload hours of boring video footage, it's boring stuff and not going to have any impact on future job applications etc. Some of the Musically videos uploaded in her class are actually bloody good, we regularly watch them together. I can never understand how many of the parents/kids on Mumsnet are nothing like the families I know.

Oh and the 13yr old age limit is to do with US laws on data information being held on minors. Nothing to do with the UK. Although I am using it to keep DD off Instagram/FB etc at the mo.

Google age limit is 13and YouTube accounts are google accounts.
support.google.com/accounts/answer/1350409?hl=en

To ad ads to vids I think you have to be 18+

There's a really really embarrassing recording of me, my brother bd a friend singing our own made up song somewhere in my dads home video collection. All I can say is thank fuck it's not online
I'd consider the fact that children aren't really mature enough to decide whether or not they want a permanent online record if everything they do-in 10 years they may regret something like this and it's potentially irreversible.

I've also banned my DD11 from posting to you tube. It's just basic Internet safety - I don't give a crap if her friends do it.

She isn't allowed snapchat, Instagram etc for similar reasons.

I wouldn't, like others have said if it's filming hands doing something and comments are off that's ok (but school friends might see and pick on him) memes could be made and they can last years and be so embarrassing, it can be shared on all sorts of sites and it will be around FOREVER! I know there are lots of kids and babies that are filmed and on YouTube and young teens doing make up tutorials and little kids doing unboxing that make money and get free stuff but it still makes me feel iffy

Not all the parents of DD's classmates allow YouTube accounts, but they have them any way. They have access at friends, upload joint vids etc. I prefer to know what DD is doing online, rather than her going behind my back. Sleepover amusements at the moment is mainly uploading stuff to Musically.

I genuinely feel that this is just one of those things whereby some parents think it's fine, and others wont allow it, and i don't believe there's a right or wrong answer in this case, at least not a clear one. I don't even know how i feel about it on a personal level as DD is only 2, so.
I think you've just got to do whatever you feel comfortable with. he's under 16, he's living under your roof, it has to be your rules. if you decide not to let him, he will understand one day that you were only trying to protect him. whatever you decide has to be on your terms. good luck with it all

On a recent other thread a 17 yr old shared (perfectly innocent) pics of herself and mates and it was perved over by a family member.... You can't control it if it's out there in the ether.

Most websites like youtube, fb, whatsapp etc have minimum joining ages which most joiners and their parents ignore. I could be wrong, but I think you have to be a minimum age before you post on youtube. If as a parent you choose to not look into and/or ignore that, then I think to an extent you have waived away your right to be outraged.
But I'm increasingly puritan, so ignore me!

Personally I would not feel comfortable with it

If you don't want him too then that's the way it is, its not reasonable or unreasonable, just a choice.
My DD is 12 and has made videos for about 3 years. She has around 300 subscribers and for whatever reason they seem to like the mostly inane drivel she posts. I check everything before its posted, there've never been any bad things said. Hers are mostly gymnastics videos and the odd lip synch/singing video.

I have allowed my DS, who is 11 to have a You Tube account and post videos. His channel is all about football and he posts video's from grounds and games he goes to.

I have allowed him to do it, as he e joys it and it has given me a good opportunity to have some great discussions about Internet safety and cyber bullying. At the age of 11, he listens and takes in what I say. We have agreed rules - no identifying where we live, his school or any personal family details.

I vet all video's before they are up loaded and I do allow comments. He has only had one nasty comment and this led to a great discussion about the perils of putting yourself out there and up for these types of comments. An adult made a comment about one of his video's last week, which led to another discussion about Internet safety.

He also understands the concept of 'if you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it at all' when watching other people's video's.

We met a quite famous Vlogger when we were abroad at a football match a few weeks ago and he gave him some really good advice about Internet safety and how to make interesting video's.

I wasn't too keen on him doing it to start with, but the world has moved on. In my day, it was all about having pen pals and CB radios, now it is You Tube and social media. To say no constantly because it's different to what we did as kids is not the way to go for me. It's about engaging with your children and teenagers and talking about safety, the positives and negatives.

I have a great relationship with my DS and he tells me everything (and I mean everything). Whilst we have this kind of very honest and open relationship, it is the perfect time for us to be able to have these types of discussions - before he turns into a hormonal teenager, who doesn't want to engage.

Yanbu. Ds1's football coach suggested I film ds2 playing football and put it on YouTube as he is weirdly good for a 2 year old but there's no way I would do that. Dd has also said she wants to make her own gymnastics videos for YouTube and I've said no. I just don't like the idea of my children being out there for anyone to see. Not that I necessarily think the videos will be used for anything sinister but they are my children and I prefer to keep their lives private.

Also the football coach said ds2 would "go viral" and that's completely off putting anyway!