I think a lot (see: the company name) about YouTube culture and digital literacy, and how it directly affects our families’ lives today. That’s why I focus on sharing historical, cultural, and emotional contexts through commentary and interviews with experts.

With that in mind, here’s recent news in kids media, specifically YouTube and what you might need to know:

Can I stop my kids from seeing violent images online?

As a child, I would see violent images on the news while shopping, but those all had filters and some elements of editing. Even violent television shows choreograph and carefully curate what we see on screen.

Now that the lines of fantasy, reality, and hallucination surround us, it’s easy to get desensitized to the very violent images being shared online. How do those images get through?

Digital Safety Expert Shelley Delayne shares guidelines for parents to try to prevent kids from seeing violent images (and for our devices too, if we share them). Read how here.

Read what influential YouTube Streamer Hasan Piker is thinking about free speech online after Charlie Kirk was killed, two weeks before they were set to debate at Dartmouth Political Union.

Will I see the signs if my child is getting radicalized?

On Friday I posted a new, Patreon-only episode of Out Think Media History on Gamergate and how to identify targeted harassment campaigns.

It reminded me of how Gamergate was likely a turning point for some young gamers, where they saw their idols intentionally harass anyone who didn’t agree with them. I can only imagine how their ideas of what is appropriate to say or do got skewed.

In no way do I pin the blame of modern day on any one event; as always, there are layers and layers of context to consider if you’re looking for a cause. So what we can do is learn more about the breadcrumbs that we might not otherwise notice in kids media. These are seemingly meaningless comments, which over time wear down their viewers into acceptance, over time scaffolding a radical point-of-view.

I had outlined these bread crumbs in the On Boys Podcast two years ago, where we discussed:
*the educational power (potential) of YouTube
*How to mentor and guide kids’ YouTube use
*Trad wives (just at the beginning of awareness of them)
*The great replacement theory
*Gamergate and doxxing
*Kids’ parasocial relationship with YouTubers
*Discussing media as a family

Find the episode and more resources here.

What’s a Groyper and what do parents need to know?

Until I can go deeper into the motives of the assassin in Utah, here are two excellent pieces to help us understand.

Expert in extremism Joan Donovan served up the most succinct explanation of the messages of the killer’s bullet casings for the Los Angeles Times.

For a deeper dive, you want to take a moment with Ryan Broderick’s article in his publication Garbage Day, “Charlie Kirk was killed by a meme.“

Help kids self-regulate with cozy app Focus Friend by Hank Green

If you need a fun way to divert your kids away from their devices for a while, introduce them to the cute Beans in a new cozy timer focus app called Focus Friend.

You have an adorable bean who wants to help you focus! Set a timer and Bean will knit while you focus. Then you get to decorate the room, motivating you to focus even more. Read about Focus Friend here.

Monsters, menopause, and middle school: Back to school books for parents

I recently shared four books for parents, ranging from Dungeon Master Parenting to refreshing our passions for transforming education in Change Agents.

Next we’re going to try some of the adventures in Chris Balme’s new book Challenge Accepted: 50 Adventures to Make Middle School Awesome. I love this description:

The book is intended as a choose-your-own-adventure, playful set of activities for middle schoolers or soon-to-be middle schoolers. The aim behind both this and Chris’s first book is to change the story of middle school — because when we understand this time well, we invite the magic and transformation in it.

Roblox CEO signals he doesn’t really care about your kid’s safety; but hey look, we put AI in your games!

That’s the message I got from watching the first couple hours of the Roblox Developers Conference last week. Read the recent movement called #FreeSchlep to urge Roblox to stop ignoring predators on the platform and their lackluster response here.

New Ruby Franke documentary on HBO Max premieres

Two of my favorite ex-Mormon YouTubers (it’s a whole sub-culture) were interviewed at length about the entire situation. They went into more depth on the role the Mormon Church played in the years leading up to this ordeal. Viral Virtues with Jordan and McKay detailed their experience in their latest episodes found here.

To read my update after Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt were sentenced, head here.

If you aren’t sure how being part of a family vlog channel might affect kids, read eldest daughter Shari Franke’s book the house of my mother. Heavy content warnings for physical, psychological abuse and horrendous child neglect.

If you don’t have an HBO Max subscription, at some point this documentary will become available on their free collections page.

Listen: This is your child’s brain on Influencer Marketing w/ Lauren Mazzarese (Out Think Influencers ep 1)

Photo/Image Credit: Chris Balme, Canva

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