20/10/11
How can we create a safe environment for children online without discouraging participation?
Today we were given a presentation from a member of the BBC who deals with the more interactive side that is aimed at teenagers online. The website is based obviously based around the programming that is televised to children/teenagers on the BBC, and it is a some what social network that tries to not only let kids have fun but also educate them at the same time.
The website is aimed at 5-16 year olds and runs on a daily basis. The site is highly monitored as it is a site that tries to engage the users to have a joyful interactive experience whilst trying to keep them as safe as possible.This means keeping to the rules and regulations that is upholded by the law and by what the BBC stands by.
Children and teenagers who create a CBBC account can only have their account up until they are 16 years of age, by this time their account will be automatically deleted as the website is only intended for 5-16 year olds.
Users of the site are not allowed to exchange any kind of personal details so that their personal identity and location is kept safe from people who may be using the CBBC website for the wrong intent. If they should do so the content will be immediately deleted or their account stopped. This means that the users cannot upload images of themselves, or use a self image as a display picture. The website only uses a message board system which is somewhat like a blog, so topics can be created and then comments can be added by users but there isn't instant connections between users unlike such websites as facebook or twitter. This means you can't find your friends and have them join you on the site so you can be continously connected to each other. Everything seems a little disjointed and less connected unlike the social networks that exist today.
The message board also runs on a timing system so can only be accessed between certain periods of time depending on the day, much like recess periods. The representative from the BBC stated that it more females participate in the message board rather than boys, and that they were looking into other ideas to make the site more appealing to the users but still keeping to the safety aspect of it.
They have been researching and prototyping such things as E-Buds/E-Friends were the user creates an avatar as a representation of them. Through this system then they can find their friends and are then able to send message to each other. Another idea was E-Pets which is a virtual pet which is designed by the user and then cared/looked after almost like a real pet. It follows the same principals as a tamogotchi.
Their ideas are good but do children/teenagers want more these days? When there are such things as Facebook and Myspace where they are able to interact with their friends freely and enjoy games. Do children/teenagers want to have a personal presence online?
The BBC representative showed us these two links and told us that they were highly popular with people. We ourselves used them within the class and everyone was hooked for awhile.
The first link is an animation that lets you type in your address, then by accessing google maps it uses images of your street and the surrounding area to play out a scene of a robot destroying your home.
The next link is featured on the E4 website and is a video of the hit TV series "Misfits". The video consists of the characters going around cleaning up the town which is filled with posters and flyers. The only thing is that the flyers are advertising you! This is all done once you have uploaded an image of yourself to the site before playing the video.
Both of these links were highly addictive and why? I personally think it is that people enjoy things that relate to them, things that are personal to them. You have a sense of firmilularity with what's being shown on the screen. People wether they like to admit it or not are some what self obsessed. People like to be out there, they like to feel like they have some sort of presense, like they have an effect on things, or even just that they matter. It doesn't matter how big or small people still like to publicize themselves to an audience. And with the increase of such things as social networking, blogs, and media uploading sites such as Youtube people are more drawn to these things because they not only have easy access to information but they have a huge platform on which they can be displayed upon. It's all about personal presence online I think, that's what interests and drives people who use the website. It's about being known. But this is just my opinion and when our research is conducted we can find out what this target audience enjoys, what they care about and why when it comes to such websites as the CBBC one.
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