New Worlds, New Generations

Just a quick post, in part prompted by becoming aware of Izzy Neis' work (here) on online community and kids... Being a father myself now this is sort of especially important to me (amazing how important kids get when you're around one a lot).  In part too, I wanted to call attention to the recent launch of Ten Ton Hamster an online games community site for kids and their parents (and that's also sort of similar to the importance of kids as noted above...).

And I guess there are a couple of things that I've been trying to think about with respect to kids and online worlds and all that stuff..

First:  the obvious parts... they're coming (or already here) there are lots of them, and they view this experience, their adventures in online worlds, in a fundamentally different way than I do, who have not grown up with these experiences as part of the norm.  Although too... in some ways I'd also want to argue that they highlight what the real nature of these experiences are for anyone:  we take them as part of our world.  We, in the dim recesses at the back of our brains, accept this sensory input as just as real as any other.  And, of course, in many ways it clearly is just that.  For my son this will always have been as much a part of his world as the telephone, or movies, are to me.

And second... that especially with regard to kids... we need to think about our sheparding of their experience in different ways than we think about our own experience of these worlds (or any media).  We need not only to understand the importance and character of virtual worlds as social spaces, but also the importance of some sort of community management there (or not... certainly some communities are self-determining, or unguided).  And then we have to factor in parents, informing them, and how all of these pieces fit in to the optimal experience of these new innocent people venturing forth.

So, just wanted to raise the issue, and point to a couple of places that are starting to talk about what all this means.  I see it as a sort of staggering new landscape.  And that... well, they'll be telling us, soon, what this means!

Fun.....

Comments

[Izzy Neis]

HERE HERE!

I've been wondering for so long why parents aren't concerned with the people behind the scenes. I've reasoned it to myself so far as this: it's because parents weren't ready to think about such... having so much to catch up on in the first place. Kids + web = whole new language, no matter how often you yourself participate. They see things in a way we'll never quite grasp, but isn't that the way of things with kids & adults. Peter Pan never wanted his lost boys to grow up-- once they did, they couldn't see his world anymore. Oh, forever children, gotta appreciate them.

Anyway-- I'm feeling a phase coming in... and I dig it. Who is moderating your child and what are their social responsibilities? Kids deserve a respect of their own-- it's why they build their own worlds in imagination. Let's be forthright and up front about everything.

Thanks for the shout out! :)

[Khatie]

I agree with Izzy Neis! We at http://TenTonHamster.com are trying to do just this; making a safe, happy and fun community that is responsible for children's safety without being uncool or inhibiting. We're also doing articles and guides for parents.

My own children are young enough to need guidance but old enough to be taught responsibility for their own virtual selves whilst in these worlds. But I often wonder about children whose parents aren't 'net savvy or MMOG knowledgeable. One of two things must happen; either the child is left to their own devices (which scares me) or the parents assume the worst and do not let their children find or participate in the good places out there (which scares me too).

Thanks for the mention, Ron. VERY cool times are upon us!

~ Khatie
:)

[ron meiners]

Thanks to you both for the good word, and for the good work.

Kids are the next big wave in MMO/virtual world development... with the potential for imaginative play, learning, and with appropriate supervision, I think this is going to become a huge part of the landscape and a huge part of developmental experience.