Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community
As the .kids.us domain is set up, establishing a 'safe zone' for kids - "designed to be free of pornography, hate speech, gambling, discount tobacco sales and other content deemed inappropriate for young audiences" - it becomes appropriate to ask about what kids should be protected from. I have long maintained that some of the content most harmful to kids never falls under the usual hit lists such as the one above. McDonald's commercials, cartoons featuring toys or products, commercial Christmas buy-me advertising, pro-war and militaristic content - all of these I consider more dangerous to children than the usual suspects. Creating a safe zone is a very political act, and a failure to recognize the value statements inherent in such an act is to allow, under the guise of 'protection,' the creation of a kids-only propaganda zone.

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Mar 29, 2024 06:42 a.m.

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