Made-for-video fights raise alarms
The footage can be violent and disturbing.
Pairs or groups of young people are shown fighting with each other. In some cases, gangs of teens brutally attack a single victim.
The fight videos have popped up on YouTube, the video-sharing Web site, elsewhere online and in media coverage across the country.
Two weeks ago, a video of a fight between two North Tonawanda Middle School students showed up on YouTube, bringing the national debate to this area.
Teens have always used their fists to settle disputes, but what's new is the technology that allows people to easily record videos and share them over the Web.
In some cases the fights were staged with the intention of recording them and posting the video on YouTube.
Experts say the teens who do this are seeking attention, mimicking what they see on TV or in other fight videos or trying to humiliate the fight victims.
Some may just think it's funny to do this.
With thousands of such videos currently posted on YouTube, school and police officials wonder what can be done to stem the tide of video violence.
Should the law be changed to make it illegal to post such videos? Should the fight participants face tougher penalties? Should YouTube be forced to screen all videos before they are posted?
And should parents be doing more to keep their children from posting such videos?
-- Stephen T. Watson
Keep the videos on the air so society knows who the little darlings are that fight then make a law stating that anyone who has kids that record or participate in these fights has to actually punish the kids for bad behavior like grounding or taking away phones or real punishment. If the parents don't punish the kids the cops will for sure.
Posted by: Ubeter Watchout | July 06, 2008 at 09:24 AM
I agree with most of the other readers: how is this so new? When I was growing up, before the internet and Youtube, playground fights were must-see events which everyone crowded around to watch. The difference now is that a lot of the kids have a video recorder in their cellphones and an easy way to post it for all to see.
TC makes a good point that if one of the participants does not consent, the video is slam dunk evidence for criminal prosecution.
Posted by: Danno | July 03, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Where do kids get the $ for the technology? Their parents. How do they have the time to beat the tar out of each other and post it? The parents don't make them account for their time. Nice. You reap what you sow, parents.
Posted by: Jayne | July 03, 2008 at 06:49 AM
Hey news, I hear there is sex on the Interweb too. You should look into that.
Posted by: andrew | July 02, 2008 at 06:05 PM
Listen if reporters are gonna are going to talk about violence in kids and if they record it or not they should at least have the facts straight rather than blame things like this on "reality TV". If they are going to blame anyone it should be the parents of these kids not what the kids see or hear. The audacity of the media and the rest of our society to put blame on things that are meant to entertain not teach is just plain ignorant. Maybe if these so called reporters did their research on the parents of these kids they would see the truth and not accuse things that in reality have no bearing on what people do.
Posted by: nathan kasinski | July 02, 2008 at 03:46 PM
Not surprised that the world has come to this. Fighting has been on TV and in neighborhood arenas for years. These are the kind of people who will become productive (?) adults and govern us in our old age. Good luck to the world.
There is a First Amendment, but parents are SUPPOSED TO HAVE some CONTROL over their kids.
Posted by: Lydia Bezou-Hojnacki | July 02, 2008 at 02:35 PM
If someone really get s hurt in these video's, prosecute the offenders. I think a lot of these kids doing this have parents that have let them run loose for years. They probably all have the latest in cell phone technology, video cameras and computers to do these types of videos. As the tech Sarge says, it happened in the 60's and 70's and these people were jerks then and its probably their kids doing the same lame things today. Now its on camera. A good punishment for these spoiled brats would be on a Texas Road crew in July in West Texas. Then they'd learn the value of a dollar and what work is. if their parents complain, sound like they need some "Texas" time too.
Posted by: Texas Kid | July 02, 2008 at 12:59 PM
A staged fight and an attack are two different things entirely. I would understand prosecution if the fight was an attack on an innocent and unsuspecting victim rather than a staged fight...otherwise, how is boxing legal?
Posted by: MW | July 02, 2008 at 11:58 AM
Those morons who do the fighting and then post it on the internet are setting themselves up for legal consequences. Anyone who is videotaped is then liable for the damages they have done to others. Back in the 60's, this fighting happened too and it is just normal jerks doing jerk things, just a different day that is all.
Posted by: Mike "Ski" Wekarski, TSGT USAF retired | July 02, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Nonsense. Kids beat up on each other, and I suspect this sensationalist reaction is indicative of that "Oh Not My Little Johnny, He Doesn't Do That" attitude. Yeah, he does.
If the police see grounds for charges in the recorded evidence (e.g., a kid with a broken nose), then let them bring charges and demonstrate the foolishness of making such videos public. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with making a video of a staged fight. If MTV can do it, in theaters and on DVD, then anybody can.
There is no need to "force" YouTube (how, exactly?) to adopt a policy whereby they have to discriminate between fictional violence, which enjoys inherent protection as expression, and real violence.
And schools have no place interfering with or making policy regarding the off-campus activities of students. In loco parentis ends at the door.
Posted by: TC | July 02, 2008 at 08:55 AM