YOU TUBE

 YOU TUBE

You tube is a popular social platform that caters to social needs through a ‘free of cost’ modality for anyone to field his/ her ‘creations or makings’ to drive home a point or a theme. It is more a video outlet to bring forth intended ideas without malaise or slander of any kind. But, some users defy such directives and invite criticism and reprimand. All said and done ‘You tube’ offers a freedom of space for any individual who wishes to abide by norms and protocol. As such, it is ‘a sharing platform’ where viewers can react / respond by comment, share and upload videos. All modern gadgets like PCs, Laptops, Tablets and Mobile phones can provide access to ‘You tube’. Individuals can start ‘You tube’  channels of their own and field their videos for general public. Users can ‘subscribe’ as a means of lending support to that video channel. One can also view the videos without ‘subscribing’.

Being a visual medium, it helps to describe or prescribe recipes, Cooking methods, home-remedy formulations, Sessions of Physical exercise, Yoga postures, Gardening and other similar ‘instructive’ protocols.

In all fairness, it must be recalled that ‘doubt clearing’ sessions on ‘You tube’ were quite helpful at a time when institutions could not offer instructions through the traditional mode of class-room interaction even at the highest levels of University education[due to CoVid-imposed closure]. It proved a boon as visual approach helps to comprehend ideas better than descriptive lectures.

AGE RESTRICTION

Though a ‘free’ platform, the medium has restrictive regulations. Persons aged 18 or more alone can make programmes of their own, as per GDPR [General Data Protection Regulation of E.U European Union.]  With official parental consent, children aged 13 can have access to ‘You tube’. However, Ireland has stipulated age 16 for using ‘You tube’, with official parental consent.  Below 16, Ireland does not permit use of the platform.

For children in the age bracket 3-8, special Kid channel by ‘you tube’ can be used; it does not require ‘parental consent or similar clearance’.

RISK

With all ‘on paper’ norms, rules and restrictions, a grand risk that pervades social platforms is viewing of ‘un-intended’ adult content by teens  it begins as thrill and magnifies into ‘addiction’. If such content is noticed, the viewers can alert the Channel of ‘IN APPROPRIATE CONTENT’, before it reaches far and wide. The alerting is called ‘flagging’.

CYBER BULLY

Cyber bullying refers to the act of ‘passing negative or derogatory remarks’ about an item, so as to render it in bad light. Since the channel permits issuing ‘remarks/ comments’,’ cyber bullying’ can occur. The problem of cyber bullying is typical among viewers of ‘opposed political ideology’. It is like ‘dark lining among silver clouds though the well known expression is ‘silver lining in dark clouds’. For every facility, social responsibility is the best safe guard and how can it be any different for social platforms like ‘You tube’?                            

Prof. K. Raman