As the holiday vacation nears and young ones have more free time, it is helpful to use this time to begin (or continue) conversations about media literacy and safety and engage with your kids about what they. are watching online. From the NY Times - here are some great questions to ask your tweens and teens.
When it comes to teenagers' digital media consumption, experts say it's time for parents to stop lecturing and start listening. Exposure to negative video content like violence, substance use or unhealthy body images may be harmful to teens, but adults can buffer the negative effects by initiating open conversations. Here are some questions to get the conversation started and discussion flowing.
Have you ever seen an A.I. generated video? If so, how do you know? We live in a world peppered with digital fakery. But our brains are wired to believe what we're seeing, so it takes 'conscious overriding' to realize that certain content - or people might not be real. A.I. can be used to alter videos for the purpose of sharing misinformation. You and your teen can learn more about false claims and how they spread by playing the game Get Bad News, which exposes players age 14 and up to the strategies used to create fake news. Or try your hand at the Clemson University quiz Spot the Troll, and decide whether the social media accounts you're seeing are real. Teens can bring these recognition skills to their daily video viewing, helping them to recognize fake content or false claims as they watch their favorite shows or scroll on their phones.
Who are some of your favorite YouTubers? This question can open up conversations about how online creators make money, why they focus on certain topics and the types of content that are inappropriate or not aligned with your family values. You can follow up with questions like 'What are other YouTubers that are popular with your friends or kids your age? What do you think of them?' Or, 'Why do you think YouTubers post the kinds of videos they do?' Asking about YouTube is a pretty good conversation starter since 9 out of 10 teenagers say they use YouTube. Be sure to ask the same questions about any video platform that your child frequents.
Have you ever seen that in real life? This question prompt can be useful in situations when your child has recently watched something unsettling, such as a risky stunt, content tied to self-harm or 'pro-ana' videos that promote disordered eating. It's important to stay calm. If you child says that he or she is watching a video about cutting because someone at school does it, one neutral response could be 'Ok - let's talk about that'.
The key to keep the conversation going without putting your child on the spot or projecting judgment - that way, if he or she also wants to talk about other experiences or worries, there will also be a level of comfort in doing so.
NY Times 12/3/24
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