Entries Tagged 'Media' ↓

There is an increasing trend for fashion houses to glamorise death. The obsession with beautiful dead women has seen a number of recent ad campaigns idolise death, murder and suicide in women’s fashion. Young girls are being told that you can even look sexy when you are dead.

Taking the theme of ‘dead women are sexy’, Gucci recently featured a new ad campaign shot in Marrakech which showed models lying lifeless in the desert sand.

More disturbingly are the more graphic ads which further suggest that the model’s demise has been the result of male violence. Ads like Duncan Quinn show a man in a smart suit who has clearly strangled a woman. She is wearing nothing but sexy underwear and is lying motionless on the bonnet of a car.

Another ad by Dolce and Gabbana (later banned in Italy) featured a woman being pinned down by a man while a group of men looked on (waiting their turn?) the scene looked like a gang rape, and yet it was actually selling shoes.

Author of Getting Real and Generation Next speaker, Melinda Tankard Reist is a long standing campaigner for the portrayal of sexualisation and violence against women in the media to be banned.

“All these images and messages make a mockery of global campaigns to stop the abuse of women. They feed violence, fuel violence and contribute to an environment which every day becomes more dangerous for women and girls” she said.

Now to suicide – The South Korean fashion label Lewitt recently engaged American photographer Ryan McGinley to make a video promoting their brand of clothing.

It featured Australian model Abbey Lee Kershaw and was apparently inspired by Alice in Wonderland. However the clip depicts Kershaw jumping from a tall building rather than falling down something. Her climb to the top of the building, hesitation before jumping and free fall as she tumbles down over the building all feature multiple changes of wardrobe.

But Alice in Wonderland wasn’t climbing a very tall building with the intent of throwing herself off, oh no, she fell down a rabbit hole and it was an accident.

Adolescent psychologist and Generation Next speaker Dr Michael Carr-Gregg commented that it seemed like an odd concept for promoting fashion to young women in a country that boasts one of the world’s highest female suicide rates. Odder still, given that seven models have committed suicide in the last 2 years (4 by jumping), including South Korea’s Daul Kim who committed suicide in November 2009.

The data showed that 18.7 out of every 100,000 South Korean women committed suicide in 2008 while suicide rates in other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries remained stable (source: World Health Organisation 2008).

Julie Gale, founder of Kids Free 2B Kids suggested calling for a protocol where these themes are not used. Just like newspapers have an ethic of not reporting suicides. She went on to say that the Advisory Group on Body Image set up by Youth Minister Kate Ellis in March 2009, should be looking into advertising which depicts acts of self harm such as suicide as glamorous and something to aspire to.

At the time of the launch she said “The Advisory Group will help to develop a new Voluntary Industry Code of Conduct on Body Image, and provide advice to the Government on a national response.”

“Young Australians are telling us loud and clear that they are concerned about negative body image and the impact that it has on them, their friends and the community,” said Ms Ellis.

“This is a very complex issue and the Government believes the most affective approach is to work in partnership with the media, health sector, fashion industry and young people themselves to develop a national approach to tackle negative body image in a coordinated and targeted way.”

Melinda Tankard Reist, when talking about suicide and body image said “now Lindsay Lohan, soaked in blood, is showing us you can still sell yourself as a sex object while threatening to kill yourself.”

She added “self harm is the highest cause of hospital admission for girls aged 13 to 19 in Australia. Should it be treated so lightly? Should it be seen as something you do if you want to be seen as hot and sexy? Branding yourself with blood as some kind of artistic statement?”

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: Dr Michael Carr-Gregg. Melinda Tankard Reist. Kids Free 2B Kids (Julie Gale)

At the centre of popular culture lies popular (pop) music, it has always been the music of the next generation, as young people come into their own they begin to express themselves through their clothes, interests, friends and music.

In modern times, the mass media has become a major instrument for the spread and dissemination of popular-culture to young people.

In Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, John Storey equates pop culture with Mass Culture. This is seen as a commercial culture, mass produced for mass consumption. This definition can also be applied to today’s music industry and the phenomenon that encompasses it.

Popular music is present almost everywhere, and it is easily available through the radio, ipods, the Internet, and new technologies, allowing adolescents to hear it in diverse settings and situations, alone or shared with friends. They use music in their process of identity formation, and their music preference gives them a means to achieve group identity and integration into the youth culture.

Much of the music today no longer has sexual innuendos where the imagination joins the dots. Today the lyrics are graphic and vulgar, this is seen in songs by artists like Lady Gaga “I’m educated in sex, yes … I wanna take a ride on your disco stick”, or Katy Perry with “Sex on a beach. We get sand in our stilettos. We freak and we’re cheap”.

The content of pop music is highly sexualised and seems to know no bounds. Music by R ‘n’ B singer Rihanna is considered by some experts in the music industry to be soft porn.

Music producer Mike Stock (part of Stock, Aiken and Waterman) thinks children are at risk from the pop stars who peddle porn. He has condemned raunchy clips as “sexualising” children.

“The music industry has gone too far,” he said, “99% of the charts is R ‘n’ B music and 99% of that is soft pornography.

“Kids are being forced to grow up too young. Look at the videos, I wouldn’t necessarily want my young kids to watch them. It’s not about me being old fashioned. It’s about keeping values that are important in the modern world. These days you can’t watch modern stars like Britney Spears or Lady Gaga with a two-year-old.”

Research has found that nearly 42% of songs contain very explicitly sexual language. Lyrics revolve around topics such as sexual promiscuity, rape, death, homicide, suicide, and substance abuse. Rap music in particular often carries messages of violence, racism, homophobia and hatred towards women as well as drug, tobacco, and alcohol use – all of which are glorified.

Generation Next speaker and adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said the classification system needed to be toughed to stop the “skankification of this generation”.

“Mike Stock is right – it’s amazing that the Senate inquiry a few years ago actually recommended that the TV stations review the classifications, but when they redid their Code they didn’t change a single word,” he said.

Kids Free 2B Kids director Julie Gale said research has found sexualised video clips can impact on children’s self-esteem after just ten minutes exposure.

“The recommendation of the Senate inquiry two years ago should be followed through, they should not be in children’s prime viewing hours,” she said.

The Senate’s report Sexualisation of children in the contemporary media, published in June 2008 recommended that broadcasters review their classification of music videos specifically with regard to sexualising imagery.

Australian recording artist Kate Ceberano has also said artists needed to take more responsibility, “Artists need to be responsible for how they use sex to sell their products. There’s a fine line between beauty and hard core.”

In November 2009 the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement on the “Impact of Music, Lyrics, and Music Videos on Children and Youth”

Research by the AAP showed that popular music effects schoolwork, social interactions, mood and affect, and particularly behaviour. Exposure to violence, sexual messages, sexual stereotypes, and use of substances of abuse in music videos might produce significant changes in behaviours and attitudes of young viewers.

It is estimated that over 60% of young people watch music videos on a regular basis, with 7% of these watching them before they go to school.

In studies performed to assess the reactions of adolescent boys exposed to violent rap music videos or sexist videos, participants reported an increased probability that they would engage in violence, a greater acceptance of the use of violence, and a greater acceptance of the use of violence against women than did participants who were not exposed to these videos. Researchers also found an association between music-video–watching and promiscuous sexual behaviours.

The American Academy for Pediatrics recommended that the music-video industry produce videos with more positive themes about relationships, racial harmony, drug avoidance, nonviolent conflict resolution, sexual abstinence, pregnancy prevention, and avoidance of promiscuity.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics. They Sydney Morning Herald

Cyber Safety expert Susan McLean describes cyber-bulllying in the following terms:

“cyber-bullying can be described as any harassment, insults and humiliation that occurs through the electronic mediums such as email, mobile phones, social networking sites, instant messaging programs, chat rooms, web sites and through the playing of online games.”

What you can do to help a child who is being cyber bullied.

• Do not get angry with your child – remember they are the victim and it is someone else doing the wrong thing.
• Praise them for coming to you – this is a big step as most children are frightened to tell a parent about cyber-bullying.
• Save and store the emails, chat logs or SMS’s in case of police investigation.
• Help your child to block and delete the bully from all contact lists.
• Do not respond to nasty emails, chats, SMS’s or comments – this is what the bully wants so ignore them. (They will need your help to do this)
• Use the ‘report abuse’ button which all websites/applications have. Tell them the problems you are having and they are obligated to investigate.
• Have some ‘down time’ without computer or mobile (do not do this as punishment, rather as some peaceful time where they are not being bothered)
• If unwanted contact continues, consider deleting emails, msn, hotmail etc and start a new account. Only give your details to a small list of trusted friends.
• Get a new phone number if being harassed on your phone. Report the problem to your phone company and insist on a new number for free.
• Inform your child’s school. It is important that they know what is going on so that they can monitor any issues at school, and
• If ongoing report to the police. Each state has laws that prohibit online bullying and stalking. You don’t have to put up with it.

For more information go to Cybersafetysolutions.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: Susan McLean – Cybersafetysolutions

ThinkUKnow

ThinkUKnow is a website dedicated to protecting kids online. It shows you how to help kids stay safe and in control when using various forms of new media.

It gives teachers, parents and carers the tools they need to keep children safe while still letting them enjoy using emerging technologies. The site has free tools and resources including fact sheets and videos to download.

ThinkUKnow is an Internet safety program delivering interactive training through primary and secondary schools across Australia using a network of accredited trainers.

Created by the UK Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre, ThinkUKnow Australia has been developed by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Microsoft Australia.

School Presentations – Presentations are also available and they will come to your school and talk to parents, teachers and carers.
Fax expressions of interest to: (02) 6132 6063

Useful sections on the website include:

How Do Kids Have Fun? – explores how young people communicate with friends and family all over the world, access information for school work and develop their creativity. It looks at:
Instant Messaging
Gaming
Chat
Peer-to-Peer
Social Networking
Mobile phones
Blogs

How to Stay in Control – This section outlines some of the risks associated with the activities of young people online.
The site encourages adolescents to have fun online and with mobile technologies, but to always stay in control.

Just as you try to protect your child in the real world, you would also like to keep them safe in the online world. Helping to equip young people with online safety skills will help them to get the most out of the Internet and to stay in control whilst doing so.

Protect Your Computer – This section highlights some practical steps which you can take to protect you and your family online.

It is important that you safeguard your computer, devices and home networks. It is also important to practice safe online behaviour to minimise your exposure to online risks.
The website looks at:
Email safety
Firewall
Malware Protection
Updating computer operating systems
Shopping online
Protecting wireless networks

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: ThinkUKnow

Go into any young person’s bedroom now-a-days and you will find an assortment of electronic media scattered around the room. Many of these devises will be in operation simultaneously; the computer is on, the internet is connected, the iPod is playing, messages are being sent and received via the mobile phone and the TV is quietly playing away, just in case anyone glances over at it.

From their rooms teenagers are connected not only to friends but also to global networks through internet access, from the central hub of their bedrooms they conduct their social life, often well into the night.

A recent study “Electronic Media use and sleep in school-aged children and adolescents: a review” published in the journal Sleep Medicine by sleep medicine researchers at Flinders University in Adelaide has concluded that young people who have access to electronic media such as televisions, computers, internet, games and mobile phones in their bedrooms are putting their behavioral development at risk.

The research showed that the main reason for this seems to be because of the lack of sleep they get due to the fact that they continue to use these devises even after ‘lights out’. For some children this can delay sleep time by several hours, usually without their parent’s knowledge. Much of the action begins after 9pm and this means a shorter total sleep time. New media has now been linked to reduced time in bed and to sleep disturbances.

Dr Michael Gradisar, of Flinders University, noted that recent comparable studies in the US found that adolescents frequently used mass communication late into the night. 55% of US adolescents access the internet and 24% play computer games after 9 pm, while 30% of adolescents reported text messaging.

The American Academy of Paediatrics has suggested that children’s bedrooms ought to be “electronic media-free” rooms.

“Health and wellbeing of young Australians” published in March 2010 by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimated that adolescents need about 9 hours sleep each night. The report went on to say that “Sleep disorders and sleep deprivation have an impact on the health and wellbeing outcomes of young people by reducing their capacity to undertake normal everyday activities.” Thinking, emotional balance and behaviour are all affected by chronic sleep deprivation (Carpenter 2001) with the result being poor school grades and impaired social skills.

The publication went onto say that “communication technology, including TV, internet, newspaper and other media have shown to have an impact on young people and how they review themselves and their community and to inform their views on global issues. Young users are increasingly turning to the internet as a source of information, communication, socialising and entertainment (Gigli 2004).”

Another study conducted in Belgium by J. Van den Bulck (SLEEP 2007;30(9):1220-1223.)* looked at 1,656 children with an average of 13.7 years and found that “Mobile phone use after lights out is very prevalent among adolescents. Its use is related to increased levels of tiredness. There is no safe dose and no safe time for using the mobile phone for text messaging or for calling after lights out.”

The use of mobile phones, after parents have ensured that all other electronic media has been switched off, seems to be common place. The sending and receiving of SMS’s and practices such as “ringing” (interrupting the call before it is answered – which is a way of telling that person “I was thinking of you), “bombing” ( the number of times the phone rings signals what the caller is trying to convey) and sending “chain messages” to a number of friends, are nightly occurrences.

Many adolescents would have their parents believe that they need an array of electronic media as “sleep aids” and that these gadgets and applications help them to unwind and relax in preparation for sleep. However, research shoes that even as they sleep the interaction between media and sleep does not stop. Playing computer games has been shown to shorten REM sleep in adults and many adolescents report dreaming about what they saw on TV or in a computer game.

The Flinders University research team wants their findings to be used in developing guidelines on electronic media use by children, given that sleep is important for learning and memory, as well as having implications for emotional regulation and behaviour.

The researchers go onto say that lack of sleep and poor sleep quality have also been linked to lapses in memory, concentration, and poor academic performance.

“Considering the evidence to date … parents should be informed that simply having electronic media devices in the bedroom can negatively affect their children’s sleep,” they conclude.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.

Source: SLEEP 2007;30(9):1220-1223.

*The data used in this analysis were gathered by the Leuven School for Mass Communication Research with support from the Fund for Scientific Research (Flanders) and the Ministry of Welfare of the Flemish Government of Belgium.

The argument for ‘lads ads’ seems to be much the same as for ‘lads mags’; they aren’t really offensive, just harmless suggestive fun, a bit of titillation with no real damage intended. This of course is from a male perspective. Talk to most women and the response is more like; they are degrading, humiliating and offensive.

There has been a string of such ads lately, they began with a barrage of airline ads including Air New Zealand, the Russian airline Avianova and Spain’s Air Commet.

Then more recently came the Brut campaign, described by Pharmacare “a body spray deodorant range targeted at male deodorant users in their late teens to early 20s. The principle behind the Code element of Brut Code refers to ‘the amusing codes that friends live by’. An example might be ‘No matter what, two guys should never share an umbrella’.”

So what makes these ‘lads ads’ so offensive and degrading to women?

Well let’s start with the airlines, words that come to mind include raunchy, erotic, risqué, sexist, creepy, soft porn and voyeuristic.

In this day and age how on earth can we allow advertising campaigns that depict female flight attendants washing planes while wearing bikinis? It is like watching an old James Bond movie, which we all know depicts the ‘bond girl’ as a trophy to be won by Bond during the movie.

Then there was Aeroflot’s calendar featuring a female flight attendant posing completely nude. This however was surpassed by Air Comet; their calendar showed staff in various flight-related poses including one in which a woman stretched out on a jet engine clad only in an emergency flotation vest.

Ms Jo-Ann Davidson, Secretary of the Flight Attendants Association of Australia pointed out that raunchy advertisements are offensive and place cabin crew at risk.

“Such suggestive advertising portraying cabin crew as part of the product they’re selling sends wrong messages and puts cabin crew at risk of sexual harassment and abuse – all for a $10 air fare,” she said.

“Cabin crew deserve to work in a safe environment and be treated with respect and dignity.”

Ms Davidson made a very shrewd comment when discussing airline executives; “it’s a sad reflection of the attitude of the airline’s executives – dare I say more than likely middle aged males – towards cabin crew, in particular, female cabin crew by portraying them in such a demeaning, distasteful and irrelevant manner.”

You may be feeling comforted that these airlines are all overseas and that in our part of the world the media is more ideologically sound. But oh no, just take a look at last years’ ads by Air New Zealand. They well and truly took their place among the most offensive ads by showing staff carrying out their duties wearing nothing more than body paint.

Now if we turn our attention back to Brut again. The Brut campaign with its tagline “still brutally male” and the series of “spot and share” ads – a set of amusing codes that friends life by – serve as a thin veneer covering the depiction of women as sex objects to be ‘shared around’ by men.

All the ads use a beautiful woman posing in a T-shirt and bikini. In the online video clips she whips off her T-shirt (not much product shot here, remembering this is an ad for male deodorant) to reveal a code. There is an obvious play on the word ‘reveal’. The double entendre about the ‘revealing’ of the codes is clearly intended to refer to women taking off their tops in addition to ‘revealing what the message of the next code is.

This sends a very strong message to teenage boys and adds to their understanding of how a man should treat a woman. In this case men should view women as nothing more than the sum of their body parts to be ‘spotted’ ‘noted’ and ‘shared’ around. Could this description also be applied the appreciation of soft porn or even gang rape? Surely these ads depict inappropriate role models for young men.

This is how The Advertising Standards Bureau dealt with complaints for one of the poster ads.  The poster features a beautiful blonde woman with her back to the viewer in nothing more than a bikini bottom (no surprises there). The words for the ad reads - BRUT Code #85: Always alert your mates to the presence of fine form. 

The complaint addressed the issues of the sexualisation and objectification of women and the affect this might have on both adolescent boys and girls. “No individual within society should be subjected to such over-sexualised and demeaning images that objectify women.”

“The site where this add is situated is a busy thoroughfare for both primary and high school students all of which are influenced by popular culture and the society that surrounds them. Firstly young women see images in which females are being sexualised and objectified for the means of appealing to the male audience – thus creating the view that a woman’s body is her only asset. These ads also affect young boys as they are sent the message that women are simply objects for their own pleasure.”

In their defence Pharmacare said “using attractive people in adverts is very common practice and in no way does this objectify or demean women.” They dispute that the ad is “overtly sexually suggestive” by arguing that the woman in the ad was smiling and looked happy.

The Advertising Standard Bureau (‘the Board’) decided “that the advertisement did treat sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant audience and that the advertisement did not breach section 2.3 of the Code.” They went on to determine that “the general community would find the portrayal of the women acceptable in the media utilised” and concluded  “finding that the advertisement did not breach the Code on any grounds the Board dismissed the complaints.”

In an ironic twist, The Board was quick to come down on the ads where health and safety issues were concerned.

“The board considered that as the vehicle is depicted in motion the depiction of the person in the boot and the person sitting on the car rather than in a seat is a depiction of material that does breach community standards on safety in vehicles and safe driving.”

Finally in its deliberation the board wrote: “The board considered that the overall theme of the advertisement is light-hearted and is specifically directed to depicting men who appreciate the beauty of a woman.”

It added: “The board considered that the song ‘spot and share’ does not imply sexual behaviour … and that the song and language are not suggestive of rape.”

It is very neglectful of our society to encourage teenage boys to view girls in this way. It is a view that they will take into adulthood and it will undoubtedly be reflected in the way they treat women in the future.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald.  The Advertising Standards Bureau

Experts world wide are condemning the sexualisation of young children and teenagers through the media. All are agreed that it is damaging the youth of today.

At this time, it is surprising then, that Monash University’s Dr Blaise is condoning the teaching of sexuality to pre-school and kindergarten children. In fact she is going one step further by actively encouraging it and suggesting the subject be incorporated into the teaching curriculum.

It is even more surprising that in the name of research, children at an unnamed childcare centre have been subjected to questions like “are you a flirt?”, “Do boys give you the dreamy eye?”and “have you ever kissed a boy?”

Dr Blaise said it was important that kids felt “healthy sexuality was not dirty or wrong”.

To argue that children are already ‘sexual beings’ at the age of 3 years old goes against everything we know about the innocence of children. If they are displaying any kind of ‘flirtatious’ behavior at this age then it is learnt behavior that they do not understand. Behavior usually learnt to get the approval of a grown up. Bits and pieces they have heard from older children or siblings; comments heard but not really understood.

Maggie Hamilton, author of “What’s happening to our Girls?” and Generation Next speaker says “that through toys and the media, little girls are increasingly being exposed to a superficial, sexualized way of seeing themselves and their world. As these girls are too young to properly judge what they’re experiencing, they begin to assume that’s what is expected of them”.

Could it be that if Blaise has seen any kind of evidence that children are ‘sexual beings’ it is because of the influences they are exposed to on TV and the sexualisation of young children by the media, marketing and toys such as ‘Bratz dolls’?

By introducing this topic into children’s attention at such a young age, there is a potential to cause damage and deprive them of those very short years when they can be truly innocent and enjoy being ‘themselves’ before the conditionings of society step in.

Psychologist and Generation Next speaker, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said he was deeply concerned by the research and surprised it cleared the university’s ethics committee.

“Why the hell can’t we just let children be children?” he said.

Echoing Dr Carr-Gregg’s sentiments, Terri Kelleher of the Australian Family Association said “we’re surprised such research would be carried out drawing the attention of pre-school children to such matters.”

“Children of that age would not be thinking of sexual or gender issues” she added.

Although the paper “Kiss and Tell: Gendered narratives and childhood sexuality” has been published by the Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, it was financed by the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, a US-based organisation dedicated to the advancement of knowledge about sexuality.

Research techniques included asking children to photograph things they thought were cool, sexy or pretty, and to discuss a photograph of two crocodiles kissing. This line of questioning is totally inappropriate for 3 and 4 year olds.

As Dr Carr-Gregg pointed out; it is very surprising and of great concern that Melbourne’s Monash University’s ethical review board passed and approved this research without raising any concerns.

The fact that it was published in the Australasian Journal of Early Childhood also sets of alarm bells. Surely there is something wrong when a leading member of the Early Childhood Association is prepared to endorse these sorts of subjects being introduced into childcare centres and incorporated into the curriculum, as long as it is “child-led”.

How on earth can a child of 3 or 4 years old ‘lead’ a topic like this? Has anyone ever heard a toddler say “mummy I want to talk about sexuality”? Children don’t even know what sexuality is. Most children at the age of three are only just getting to grips with the idea that boys and girls exist.

Dr Blaise goes on to talk about the “myth” of childhood innocence.

Innocence is no myth; it is a fundamental instinct that protects us when we are young. It allows children a few precious years of freedom to truly be themselves. It is the innocence of a child that makes adults want to protect them and shield them from harm.

Why are we allowing our children to be robbed of that in the name of research to prove a point that someone somewhere has already decided to be true?

Let children be children, while they still can be. There is time enough later for the complications that hormones and relationships create within a teenager’s life.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.

Source: Journal of Early Childhood and Herald Sun.

For some time now experts have been warning about the dangers of social network sites and how some teenagers are being manipulated into situations they cannot handle by the people they are chatting to. Studies show that teenagers are often happy to provide their personal information to complete strangers.

Many adolescents feel in control of the situation when they are on the net; they can log on and off when they want, answer a question in their own time and say things they wouldn’t say in a face to face situation. The internet seems safe because it is anonymous, removed from reality and there is no emotional investment.

Unfortunately, Sydney teenager Nona Belomesoff, found out that making new friends on the social networking site Facebook is anything but safe. She was allegedly lured to her death by a man who fabricated his Facebook profile. Claiming to work for WIRES, Christopher James Dannevig then invited her to an overnight camp to study wildlife.

Mr Belmosesoff (Nona’s brother) said ”he said he worked there and he could get her a job, she loved animals and saw this as an opportunity to follow her dream.” Her in experience of real life and a misplaced trust in the internet led her to believe the alleged words of Dannevig.

Author and Generation Next speaker Maggie Hamilton says “girls may not realise they are being carefully groomed to do things they had no intention of doing when their cyber relationship began”.

NSW Premier Kristina Keneally agreed “No matter what our age … we should be careful of the people who we meet online and not assume that they are who they represent themselves to be.”

Unfortunately many young people still seem unaware of the predators that trawl the internet looking for vulnerable teenagers who have not yet had enough experience in the world to realise the dangers of befriending people over the internet.

Also many people, teenagers and parents alike, are not aware of the changed privacy settings on Facebook which automatically publishes previously private information and has now made formerly default private settings public. Users now have to change 50 different settings to stop the site from sharing private information with third parties. They have to consciously choose not to accept the new “Instant personalisation” feature.

Social media strategist Laurel Papworth said” Sometimes people see the message [about the new settings] on their screen, and they click OK without fully understanding that the message Facebook told them about changing their settings … to these new default settings.”

It is important for parents and guardians to be aware of their teenagers activities on the internet and keep the lines of communication open, Papworth says “the first thing parents should say is, ‘I’m not going to take your Facebook access away. I want you to know that if you see anything on Facebook that you don’t like or you are worried about or anybody contacts you or anything, I want you to come and talk to me about it.’

In an unparalleled move, Police in Australia have urged users to remove photos of themselves from their profiles. Det Supt Peter Crawford of Taskforce Argos, the unit which hunts online predators, said “I don’t think kids need to have a profile photograph on the internet”.

Facebook, via their head offices in the USA, issued a statement saying “This case serves as a painful reminder that all Internet users must use extreme caution when contacted over the Internet by people they do not know.”

“We echo the advice of the Police, who urge people not to meet anyone they have been contacted by online unless they know for certain who they are, as there are unscrupulous people in the world with malevolent agendas,” the statement concluded.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha

By Maggie Hamilton.

AT RISK. How the new techologies, drugs and alcohol, peer pressure and porn affect our boys.

Some of the material covered here is shocking, but its important to realise this is the toxic atmosphere many of our children encounter daily… When we understand what they’re up against, we can help bring about much-needed change and support our boys in appealing, meaningful and relevant ways.

Australian author and Generation Next speaker, Maggie Hamilton has written a new book What’s Happening to our boys? Available at the end of May, this insightful book takes an in-depth look into the lives and experiences of teenage boys and the complicated relationships they have with the world around them.

What kind of world are our boys to growing up in? Why are increasing numbers of boys suffering body image and self-esteem problems? Why do they feel worthless without the latest branded toy, game or item of clothing? What makes soft drinks, snacks and fast foods so attractive?

Why are they drawn to countless acts of violence on TV, in movies and in computer games? What impact does our highly sexualised climate, our emphasis on success and money, have on them as they grow? And why are so many boys vulnerable to cyber bullying and to porn?

Childhood and teenage life is changing rapidly, leaving parents exhausted and confused as to how best to tackle the many issues they face. How does this high pressure environment affect a boy’s confidence, his values and aspirations, his wellbeing, his sense of community, his attitudes to girls and women?

In her follow-up book to What’s Happening to Our Girls?, bestselling author Maggie Hamilton asks these and many other vital questions, as well as providing numerous tips for parents and educators on how to create a more promising future for our children.

She draws upon interviews with over 70 experts including doctors, psychologists, police and teachers, as well as the 50 anonymous boys themselves to see into their secret lives and understand the challenges they face.

What’s Happening to Our Boys? is a meticulously researched book that confronts the problems boys and young men face, suggesting positive and constructive ways to help them grow into resilient, productive and happy individuals.

What’s Happening to Our Boys? is published by the Penguin Group (Australia).

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.

Source: Penguin Group (Australia).

By Melinda Tankard Reist

Collective Shout is a new grassroots movement mobilising and equipping individuals and groups to target corporations, advertisers, marketers and media which objectify women and sexualise girls to sell products and services.

Most young women don’t like themselves very much. In fact, self-hatred has been described as a right-of-passage for teenage girls. They are suffering unprecedented levels of eating disorders, self-harm, depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. 

One in 100 Australian girls is anorexic, one in ten is bulimic and even eight-year-old girls are being hospitalised with eating disorders. One in four teenage girls wants to have cosmetic surgery. Deliberate self-harm is the number one reason for hospital admission in girls aged 13-19 in Australia.

Research tells us that young women are negatively impacted by messages from media and popular culture which tells them they are only the sum of their body parts; that they have to look thin and sexy and act “hot” to be acceptable. Many are obsessed with their looks and trying to lose weight. 

Research also shows that boys are increasingly affected by these messages;  worried about their looks and whether they are “muscly” enough . They are also affected by messages that teach them that girls are just there for their own pleasure and also by a deluge of violence in media and computer games which moulds their thinking and too often their behaviour.

But not all young men and women are happy with this situation. They have experienced the effects of this toxic culture on themselves and seen the impact on their siblings and friends.

Many want to resist the air headed cult of celebrity and fashion and be valued for their talents and abilities and desire to make a difference in the world, rather than be sucked-in by the cult of celebrity, fashion and body obsession.

Many are choosing to swim against the tide, taking part in movements and groups working to bring about change, engaging in culture-jamming actions, boycotts, new social media, forums, e-zines and other formats to promote alternatives to the current social scripts for how young people should live.

One of the groups which young people are joining is called Collective Shout: for a world free of sexploitation. Collective Shout is a new grassroots movement mobilising and equipping individuals and groups to target corporations, companies, advertisers, marketers and media who objectify women and sexualise girls to sell products.

We’ll be telling them:  if you are going to use the bodies of women and girls to sell your stuff in a way that objectifies, degrades, or exploits, then you’ll be hearing from us.

You will see your advertising on our site – reproduced, taken apart piece by piece to expose its negative messages. We’ll have a graffiti board where budding graffiti artists will ‘re-face’ your billboards and other ads. Thousands of  people will be educated about how dodgy you are and will want to avoid you.

Discussion Questions for teenagers

1. What are the ways you think the  media (TV, magazines, websites, advertising, music etc)  and popular culture in general (e.g. fashion, celebrity, music industry) objectify women and girls (and men and boys?)
2. Describe a current advertisement which you think objectifies women and girls. What do you think are the messages this advertisement sends?  How does it make you feel?
3. How do you feel when you read magazines like Dolly, Girlfriend, Cosmo and Cleo? Do you ever feel good about yourself after reading them, or do you think you need to improve yourself?
4. If you were a magazine editor, what sort of content would you include to help girls feel better about themselves and challenge stereotypes about how they should look and act?
5. How would you help a friend who was suffering an eating disorder, self harming, anxiety or depression?

Writer, Melinda Tankard Reist.  Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.