'Am I ugly" videos on YouTube

Heartbreaking in two ways:

(1) That tween girls feel the need to seek approval in this way on the Internet;
(2) That people are so mean-spirited in responding. Not that it's surprising.


http://www.forbes.com/sites/deniserestauri/2012/02/22/am-i-ugly-fat-pretty-tween-and-teen-girls-ask-youtube-strangers-for-answers/?feed=rss_home

 

Re: 'Am I ugly" vidoes on YouTube

Yes, Dick, you are.

 

Re: 'Am I ugly" vidoes on YouTube

Hey, no outing!

 

Re: 'Am I ugly" vidoes on YouTube

I don't understand why the writer calls out YouTube and its safety measures. It's like asking the CEO of Smith & Wesson what kind of safety measures they're taking on gun control. The internet is a dangerous place, and it requires some level of responsibility (either from the child, which isn't likely to happen, or the parent). To me, YouTube has nothing to do with this.

 

Re: 'Am I ugly" vidoes on YouTube

I just glanced at the link, and didn't click on any of the videos. But those children are so young... whether they are pretty or whatever, they are going to go through complete changes in the next few years anyways. This is sad.

 

Re: 'Am I ugly" vidoes on YouTube

There's a 96% chance the answer is yes, so you probably shouldn't ask Dick.

 

Re: 'Am I ugly" vidoes on YouTube

"I can't see you. Please stand on a box or aim the camera down."

 

94 to 96 percent.

 

Joking aside, the scariest part of these videos is I would think they would make these girls targets for predators. And, no, I don't put this on YouTube. It's on parents to stop trying to "be cool" and make sure they protect their children, even if it pisses their kids off.

 

Yup. Besides, the Internet only magnifies and expands the audience for the cruelty of adolescence. When I was in middle and high school, instead of the Internet, you had stuff like burn books and rankings of the cutest boys in class, etc.

 

The camera is placed incorrectly

 

This isn't new. Remember the site amihotornot? Or something like that?

I also do lot of mentoring in another area, and as the question cross I've seen crap like this for awhile.

People seeking acceptance on their looks from their peers isn't new. Neither is people telling people they're not attractive, or people being mean on purpose.

The Internet just makes some of that crap easier, and it really stinks that suddenly media feels it needs to highlight this drivel. It's not a story, and by bringing attention to it, more people will do it.

The Web brings people together. Unfortunately, not always the right people. Introducing mean ones to insecure ones isn't in anyone's best interest.