YouTube Kids Not For Kids?

www.nytimes.com

Everyone knows that the internet is a scary place, definitely the last place innocent children should be. Parents and companies have been working together for years to develop different forms of protection to shield children from viewing inappropriate content on the web.

In 2015, YouTube seemed to find a perfect way for children to watch fun, age appropriate content, without the parent having to monitor every video that YouTube auto-plays for their child, by releasing YouTube Kids. In theory, this was an amazing idea. Now parents can hand their child an iPad, without the fear of the son or daughter viewing explicit, potentially harmful videos.

However, nothing can be perfect. Over time, dark, creepy videos have started popping up all over YouTube. How are these videos passing through YouTube's safety measures and getting into YouTube Kids?  This is because, these videos feature some of the most popular faces in children’s TV shows and movies. Characters such as Elsa, Paw Patrol, and Spiderman just to name a few. These videos not only feature sexually explicit content, which is already horrible enough on its own. As The New York Times author, Sapna

Maheshwari writes, there are even videos which feature suicide; she describesone video about Paw Patrol by saying, “some characters died, and onewalked off a roof after being hypnotized by a likeness of a doll possessed by ademon”.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/

The worst part is that these videos are getting millions of views. That means that the sick people who are creating them are making money off scaring children.

Another bad part about this situation is that YouTube can do very little to help fix the problem immediately. Thousands of hours of YouTube content gets uploaded every minute, so it is impossible for a person to skim through every video and make sure it is safe for children. The only thing that YouTube says they can do right now, is strengthen the algorithm which flags videos as age restricted content, and keeps them out of YouTube Kids, and to tell Parents and YouTube users to flag any inappropriate videos they see.

Sadly, many of these disgusting videos are still floating around the YouTube Kids app, and all parents are being told to do is watch their children more carefully. However, the app was created to eliminate the need for parents to become hawks who sit on their kids shoulders and watch every button they click. Telling a parent to simply watch their children more closely on an app meant for kids, is like telling someone to wash their clothes by hand first if their washing machine doesn’t clean them well enough. If YouTube Kids isn’t meant to block out inappropriate content for children, then the app is useless and should never have been created in the first place.     

What do you think? Should YouTube do more to try and keep only age appropriate content on their Kids app? Or is it the job of the parents to watch what their children are consuming? Comment down below!          

Links to where all this information what found: 

• https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/something-really-is-wrong-on-the-internet-time-to-fix-it/2017/11/13/4317a252-c89a-11e7-b0cf-7689a9f2d84e_story.html?utm_term=.16fd2e437c35
• https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/04/business/media/youtube-kids-paw-patrol.html
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_K-shDq-kM

War on Labels?

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For a while now, there has been a “war on labels” flowing through the internet. Whether the labels determine a person's race, religion, or sexual orientation, there has been a rise in people wishing to disregard the labels and just be themselves. Even Raven Symone told Oprah, back in 2014, “I'm an American; I'm not an African-American. I'm an American." (CNN). However, what does it mean to be “just yourself” and how can we define ourselves without a label?

While everyone is attacking labels, it can be hard to see that not all labels are bad or restricting. For instance, just being a dog or a cat person is a label. Even the type of music a person enjoys is a label in itself. However, the problem arises when people start to use simple labels, like music interest, to start defining every aspect of a person. Just because a person’s favorite music genre is pop-punk, that doesn’t mean that they will grow up to become a bank robber. The connection of these two things is crazy, and comes from a place of ignorance rather than logic.

In the same way that a person’s musical interest does not correlate to their criminal history, neither does any other label connect to other aspects of a person's life. Just because a person is visibly black on the outside, that single factor gives no other insight to who that person is. They could really enjoy painting, or they could own 15 cars. There is no way to tell by simply looking at the color of their skin.

It is sad that race has to be a thing people want to pretend doesn’t exist. Race can be a beautiful thing, especially when connected to culture. A person's race could give insight to cultures that have since gone extinct, yet have beautiful traditions which should have the chance to live on. Yet, because a few people can not seem to see past the narrow views they have about people and race, we must all be color blind and forget about the wonderful differences that do exist in each culture.

When it comes to religion, people should not be afraid to speak their mind. The main issue people have with religion, is that most people have a very defined stance on what they believe, and people are unsure of how to disagree without letting hatred for a person’s beliefs get in the way. Everyone should be allowed to express their thoughts and beliefs, however, those beliefs should never be forced on another person. It is okay to have disagreeing viewpoints on any topic in life, and it is okay to talk about those differences, especially since those differences make us who we are.  However, just because we have differences, doesn’t mean we can not still love the people who see differently than us. You would never yell hateful things at someone just for owning a different car than you. Same with religion.

Google.com/images

In regards to sexual orientation, whether a person chooses to be labeled is solely up to them, just as their sexual orientation is up to them. If an issue has no personal effect on another person’s life, then that person really has no right to attack them for it. It is okay to disagree, but at the end of the day, it is their life, not the other person’s.   

Labels are a part of everyday life, whether they are about a person's interest, or about a person’s life choices. However, these labels should never be used to define more about a person then what the label clearly states. If they say they like dogs, then that label means simply that, they like dogs. Not that they are more likely to cheat in a relationship. Labels don’t need to be taken away, people just need to stop using them to determine more than they blatantly state.  

What do you think? Should labels be used, or do they have no place?

• For more information about Oprah’s Raven Symone interview:      http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/06/showbiz/raven-symone-gay-labels/index.html

• For more information about the problem with labels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0qD2K2RWkc

Lady Gaga Too Fat?

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    On February 5 Lady Gaga performed at the Super Bowl halftime show. Her performance was nothing less than amazing! She flawlessly sang her greatest hits, and definitely lived up to the expectations set by past performers.

   

Google.com

Despite her amazing performance, people could not help but criticize her, particularly  her stomach.  There is no denying that Lady Gaga is in impeccable shape, however, this did not stop haters from shaming her for having a little tummy.  

   

Lady Gaga, being the wonderful person she is, took to Instagram to say that she, and no one else, should have to worry about other people's opinions about their body, and that she loves her body, and so should everyone else.

https://www.instagram.com/ladygaga/?hl=en

    Hopefully everyone can listen to Gaga’s message, since it is something we should apply to our lives everyday. Tearing people down is never the way to make yourself feel better. If someone has an issue with self love, they should focus on fixing the part of themselves that says they are not worth it. Tearing people down will never feel the void that self hatred can leaves. So why not be kind and loving to everyone, or at least not attack someone's appearance, since truth be told, an attack on the way someone looks is easy and cheap. Let’s all take a lesson from Gaga, and just focus on being the greatest and most beautiful people we can  be. Then maybe we could learn to love ourselves along the way.

Google.com 

 

PTSD Stigma

Recently singer Lady Gaga opened up about her mental health battle; disclosing her struggle with PTSD caused by sexual abuse at the age of 19. Journalist Piers Morgan felt the need to respond to Gaga’s vulnerability via twitter, even going as far as to call it “vain- glorious nonsense” and tried to claim that PTSD is an illness which only affects soldiers. Lady Gaga flawlessly and intelligently informed her audience of the misconceptions which Morgan was encouraging, however, the conversation about mental health is one that needs to be discussed.

During WWI, PTSD was known as “shell shock”, and it was only known to affect soldiers. Even today, some studies estimate that “1 in 5 military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan has PTSD”. However, around 70% of adults in the US have experienced some kind of traumatic event, and 20% of those people go on to develop PTSD. (Around 31.3 million people) A majority of people suffering from this disorder have never served anytime in the military.

Morgan’s accusation, about sexual abuse not linking to PTSD, is completely disproves once one looks at the facts that “71% of female military personnel develop PTSD due to sexual abuse within the ranks”. 71% of women risking their lives for their country, develop a mental illness due to SEXUAL ABUSE, yet Piers Morgan fails to recognise the traumatic effect any kind abuse can have on a person.

Sadly, Morgan’s ignorance continues to be prevalent in many people, since many are unaware of the magnitude of individuals affected by numerous mental illnesses. The first step that people should take towards becoming more educated on this topic, is simply researching different mental illnesses. Secondly, people should realize that the only people who have the right to determine a person’s mental state is the person themselves, or a licensed professional. To think that anyone can look at a random stranger, and determine how their mind works, is disrespectful and degrading to that person. They know how they feel, and to tell them they are wrong, will only do more damage than good.

Generalizations, such as the ones made by Piers Morgan, hold back any progress that has been made in mental health research. I encourage everyone to become enlightened about an issue that affects millions of people every day.

What do you think? Comment Below!

Websites used:

http://www.healmyptsd.com/education/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-statistics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6obMGPr_SUs

 http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7624428/lady-gaga-piers-morgan-interview-rape-ptsd

http://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity/news/a24205/lady-gaga-piers-morgan-twitter-feud/

In case you have a mental illness, and are seeking help:

http://www.crisistextline.org/

http://www.nami.org/

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/

Brangelina Over! & Inappropriate Teacher?

Hello everyone! I hope that everyone is having a great week this week. Today I am going to give a little run down on some crazy and sad stories at have been circulating the internet recently. I hope you enjoy!

http://www.enstarz.com/

First off, and arguably the most important, Brangelina is no more. The world was shocked on September 20, when it was announced that Jolie filed for divorce do to  “irreconcilable differences”.

The couple has 6 children together, with three adopted and three biological. And when it was later announced that Jolie was seeking sole custody of all six children, rumors and questions started swirling about this decision; including rumors of abuse on Pitt’s part (which led to an investigation).

TMZ reported that “Angelina became "fed up" with Brad's consumption of weed and possibly alcohol, and mixed with what she believes is "an anger problem" ... felt it became dangerous for the children.” If this is true, then it is clear why she would seek sole custody. However, this does not automatically mean that abuse was part of the equation, and it is unfair to assume so without proper evidence to support the claims. Pitt is reportedly fighting this and seeking joint custody of their six children.

With all of this crazy drama it can be easy to forget that a family, with many children involved, is being split up. The children are between the ages of 15 and 8, so they all depend on their family to support them; yet they are still old enough to understand everything that is going on. For the sake of the children, I hope that everything works out in their favor, and that they can move on and learn from this experience.

In case you want to learn more about this story, here are some sources that helped me and that you might find interesting:

• http://www.tmz.com/2016/09/26/brad-pitt-angelina-jolie-ironclad-prenup-divorce/
• http://www.tmz.com/2016/09/20/angelina-joile-files-for-divorce-brad-pitt/
• http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2016/09/20/reports-angelina-jolie-files-divorce-brad-pitt/90731054/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWLlDfQQvTM
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GcKW18z8d8

http://www.xxlmag.com/

In other news, a few weeks back, a fourth grade teacher from Atlanta caused outrage for being too “hot”. Patrice Brown, also know as Paris Monroe, upset many people with outfits that they find inappropriate and distracting in a learning environment. While some of these outfits are a little tight, and could be view as inappropriate by some, other outfits being discussed include a tee-shirt and jeans. Brown also make sure to wear clothes in the classroom that is never low-cut or extremely short, making sure to cover up and not show excess skin. Yet people are still upset over a women with curves wearing clothes that fits.

The school even released a statement saying that they talked to Brown and she was cooperative and would abide by all the rules that the school has set in place. They seem to be taking her side on this, and even awarded her “Teacher of the Month” a few month ago, which sadly no one is discussing.

However, this drama has gain Brown a significant amount of instagram followers, now with about 297K followers (https://www.instagram.com/triceyl__/ ), and #teacherbae was even trending on twitter (you can click on it to see people's opinions and tweets on the topic as well).

Honestly this whole situation seems crazy. If she is abiding by the rules, and if the school sees no significant problem with her outfits, then why should people be so angry. I think Brown should continue doing her job and not let any negative attention affect her.

 

The sources used to find information:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGrfz_LdZb4
• http://cw39.com/2016/09/13/is-hot-4th-grade-teacher-causing-a-distraction-in-the-classroom/

Open Letter to My Parents: Thank You

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Life is all about growing up and discovering who you are. The people around you have a huge impact on the person you become, whether they affect you in a negative or positive way. My parents had a major role in molding me into the person I am today, even if I never realized it. This is an open letter to them, a way to say Thanks.

Dear Mom,

As a child, I saw you as a superhero. I watched you love, help, fix, feed, and provide for me, all while working hard and living your own life. I thought you could do anything, and you were perfect to me. I knew that I could go to you for anything, and I believed that you were one of the smartest people in the whole world.

However, one day, my whole world fell to pieces. I do not remember exactly what took place, but you did not have all the answers. I started becoming embarrassed by things I never noticed before, and I suddenly did not want to spend every second of everyday with you. The realization that you were not perfect sent me on a roller coaster of emotion. First I was angry, then hurt, then lost. However, now I want to thank you. Thanks for teaching me that I do not need to be perfect to be amazing. Thank you for showing me how to be strong yet gentle. Thank you for being my rock and support.

Dear Dad,

Much like Mom, as a child I thought you were perfect. I remember being able to ask you the craziest most outrageous question I could think of, and you would have an answer for it. I was fascinated by you extensive knowledge of everything imaginable. However, one day, I started to question your opinion. I do not remember what you said, but i do remember not agreeing with it. I felt like I mentally hit a wall, because the man who had all the answers was suddenly telling me something that contradicted what I had learned. I was left with a lasting burning question as to who to believe. Was I wrong, or you?  

Today, not much has changed. You still have extreme and unwavering opinions about everything, but you have taught me that I can too. Some of my favorite conversations that we have are the ones where we debate. I love hearing how truly differently we view the world, and sometimes, you open up my mind to things I never considered before. You have shown me that there is nothing wrong with having opinions, and that they are necessary in discovering who you are. For that I thank you.

www.google.com/images

Over the past year I have learned so much about myself, and I have grown much closer to the person that I want to be. I have discovered to love myself and to truly enjoy the beauty of life. Although y’all may not have done anything directly to help me, your love and support has pushed me through even my darkest days. I may not be perfect or flawless, however, your unconditional love will always continue to guide me throughout the rest of my life. Thank you for everything.

Hopefully this can inspire people to have the same realization about their parents, as I did about mine. Although parents are not perfect, they are still loving and amazing, and they determine who we become as people, more than we could ever imagine. Thanks for reading!

Racial Awareness

Throughout history there has always been a group of people who were fighting to get equal rights as everyone else, mainly because there have always been a race, gender, or another socially dividing factor that has cause one group to be superior to another. It makes sense, that if one group is contently considered dominant over another, the weaker of the two groups would eventually stand up, and say enough is enough, and try to put a stop to it.  However, many people still get surprised or even infuriated when people try to stand up for themselves, as if it has not been going on for decades, even centuries.

For example, in America, Black History Month has happened every February since 1976, and before that, there was Negro History Week, every second week in February, since 1926. Why then, do people seem so surprised and offended every year it takes place? Some people have even gone as far as to say “White Live Matter Too”. Obviously most people can see how this can be very offensive to many people, since black people have had to overcome many obstacles in this country through the decades. Only until recently have they had mostly equal rights, considering that segregation only became illegal in 1954, and that was only truly for education, in the Brown V. Board of Education trail. True integration didn’t happen until much later. One of the main reasons for things like Black History Month is to inform people of facts like this, and of all of the amazing and courageous people who fought to make everyone equal. Without knowledge of these events, younger generations will never fully understand all the obstacles that people had to go though to make America the way it is today, and they will take for granted all of the freedoms that they have been given. The goal of any event that raises awareness is not to take away other people's rights, or to try and make one group superior over the other, but rather to help preserve the legacy of the people, who fought and even risked their lives, to create a better country for us to live in. Without awareness of theses people and events, all of their hard work would have been for nothing.

Obviously there are many more issues than just this one, such as: gay and transgender rights, feminism, Mexican immigration, stigmas about Muslims, the list could go on and on. However, the only way that any of the issues can find a solution is by raising awareness, which would allow everyone to realize that there are still issues that need to be fixed. Without the awareness of the issues going on around us, people would never get to look outside of the walls of their life, and see the disheartening amount of discrimination still going on in America alone. I understand that not everyone will agree with what everyone has to say, and that maybe what one person is standing up for is not something that you believe in. However, there is a difference in saying your opinion and deliberately trying to hurt someone else just for stating facts. I beg everyone to open up their hearts and their minds to, at the very least accept that, for one, some people are going to have different opinions than you, and also, the world is changing and the only thing you can do is hold on and hope for the best.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!