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Parents' Guide to

Online Nation

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

User-generated videos jump from Web to TV.

TV CW Reality TV 2007
Online Nation Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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What's the Story?

Bringing user-generated Web content even further into the mainstream, ONLINE NATION is an interactive series that uses online video clips from sites like YouTube to produce a show that has a lot in common with America's Funniest Home Videos.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Like the clips shown on AFHV, the amateur digital videos include lots of parodies and pranks that range from fun and entertaining to silly and/or shocking. (And some make you wonder if the creators just had too much time on their hands.) Online personalities Stevie "Little Loca" Ryan, Rhett McLaughlin, Lincoln "Link" Neal, and actress Joy Leslie host the show, sometimes contributing their own unique online content as well.

Online Nation will appeal to today's generation of Web-savvy content producers and viewers -- especially since it provides another outlet for their digital masterpieces. And folks who aren't yet very familiar with user-generated videos can tune in to see the range of creative, unique, and sometimes slightly disturbing content that calls the Web home.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the nature of the content featured on the show. Why do people spend so much time making videos and putting them on sites like YouTube? Is it an attempt to get their 15 minutes of fame or just for fun? What makes videos like these so appealing? Would you consider making and posting one of your own? Why or why not? Families can also discuss online videos in general. Is there too much "inappropriate" content on the Web? Who decides what's appropriate when it comes to the Internet? (For our Internet safety guide, click here.)

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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