Online Video may be putting your family at risk

It looks like fun! Your child posting crazy videos or family videos online can be dangerous to your child and to the safety of your family.

There is a good chance your child is using using the internet to either watch, download, or post videos. In the past few years, a lot of focus as been placed on internet safety. Many parents, as well as teachers, politicians, and police officers, are concerned because predators are luring children online through the latest video posting craze online. Until recently, much of this focus has been placed on the monitoring of online chat rooms and social networking sites. However, as a parent, you should also be concerned with online video websites.

Online video websites, such as YouTube or Google Video, are known as websites that allow internet users to view the videos that are hosted on the site. Many sites allow free video viewing. What many parents are unaware of is that internet users can also make, upload, and share their own videos. As a parent, you will want to know whether or not your child is doing this.

Your child makes online videos, so what? Is that what you are thinking? Many parents feel that way. You are likely unaware of the types of videos that can be found online. You Tube and Google Video has strict guidelines that prohibit videos that have pornographic or hate-based or offensive content but there are many more such sites that have almost no such restrictions or very little restrictions at best.

A major danger to your child or your family is if your child is using video websites as if they were dating websites. Is your teenager one of them?

One of the first things that you should do is talk to your child about online video websites. You may not want to alert them to these websites and there is a good chance that they already know about them but they may not realize the danger they are putting themselves and family members in. Ask your child whether or not they have made their own online videos. If they have, you need to determine what the content of those videos are and where they were hosted.

As you know, when it comes to getting information from your child, especially teenagers, there is a good chance that you may get an inaccurate response. They want their privacy and guard it with a vengance.

If you know that your child is making use of online video websites, you may be able to find their video or videos on your own. This can be done by visiting popular video websites, such as Google Video or YouTube, and performing a search. You may want to try searching for your child’s name, the town in which you reside in, or any screen names that they may have used. If your child has posted an online video, there is a good chance that you will be able to find it.

Whether or not you find an online video that your child has made, it is important that you emphasis the safety of your whole family when talking with your child. It is perfectly okay, as long as you agree, for your child to view online videos or make their own, but they need to be aware of the consequences. It is important to let your child know how to stay safe online, especially when making their own videos to share with other internet users. Let them know it is unwise to include personal information about themselves, such as their full name, their telephone number, and their address. Be sure to emphasize the fact that online video websites are viewed by millions of people. This means that their video will likely get watched by people who they don’t even know. This can put your entire family at risk. Strangers can find out where you live.

If you are concerned with the way that your child is or may be using an online video website, you may want to take action. That action could involve having the websites blocked or just monitoring them. You have the responsibility to decide what is or isn’t right for your children and your family unit.

On the plus side, a number of fun and educational videos can also be obtained online. If you plan on monitoring your child’s use of online video websites, you are encouraged to take a look the sites with them. In fact, you may find enjoyable entertainment that you weren’t expecting to find.

Jim DeSantis
jdanswers-ebooks.com

Jim DeSantis is a retired investigative journalist who edits a family of websites dedicated to information to help families cope in today's society. Visit jdAnswers for a library of ebooks and software.