I chose question #3 for my week 2 blog over explore Web 2.0 technology, specifically an YouTube overview. As I see Mary also blogged over YouTube, I will try not to repeat too much and take a different angle. However; I will have to give some research background specifics.

According to Wikipedia, YouTube is a video sharing website that enables viewers to share, upload, and view videos. This website was originally created by 3 former PayPal employees in 2005. The technology used to display videos is Adobe Flash Video and HTML5. Today, there are many platforms that can access YouTube easily to support the plethora of users. Amongst some are Apple products such as ipod and iPhones, various smart phones,TIVO, and gaming stations such as PlayStation 3 and the wii (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youtube).

As most of you know, the format YouTube employs is fairly easy to understand and use. This easy format was created after several years of learning what the viewer needed and was designed to navigate easily for all. When you first go to the site, it is set up for easy selection in categories such as: Video, Favorites, Subscription, Browse Categories, History, Music, Most Popular and so on. You can view movie clips, video clips, commercials, as well as amateur uploads of all sorts from family video moments to police brutality. The possibilities are endless. Oddly enough, there are policies that "supposedly" regulate what can be uploaded and viewed determined by the user agreement and privacy policy and laws. The terms of service do state that pornography and defamation material is prohibited along with anything that may encourage criminal acts. However; many have gotten around the loop holes. When and if these types of uploads are discovered, YouTube or a viewer may "Red Flag" them for review. Unfortunately, by this times, generally thousands have already viewed the content, even minors.

Although YouTube allows access to all, only rated content can be viewed by users over 18 years of age, supposedly. I know as I have young children, they view hundreds of videos and uploads that I deem inappropriate. That is why parental supervision should be used with YouTube. Recently, Fox News wrote a story about the "trouble shooting" with YouTube. A teacher tried to search for a video with her class watching when a video streamed in the side margins was viewable called "Your Business Card is Crap." Needless to say, the teacher was mortified (http://www.foxnews.com/). This issued was raised about how safe is YouTube. The answer is, while YouTube can be an informative, educating and an entertaining website, caution must be used in the presence of children and for your own privacy. Parents need to pay attention to web language.

With the new and ever changing face of technology, we must be ready and willing to take the good with the bad. Resisting technological advances as many of us teachers have, only leaves us behind, less equipped to deal with the teens of this i-generation. Maybe there is a way to integrate old customs and ideals with the new. Maybe there is a way to preserve the past while welcoming the future. For most of us, an even diet of both could make the shift less scary and maybe even fun.