Many years ago, I wrote a silly short story about a serial killer who didn’t go around murdering people in person, instead he stole their time by creating cat videos for them to watch. I love a good cat video, but I haven’t been able to shake the horror of the concept either.
The internet is a wonderous rabbit hole. It is central to the growth and future of our children, but it also deserves a sidelong look sometimes, particularly from them. Teagan reflects on this in the poem Paying Attention 4.
—Michael Stewart, 2024
One final activity for your students:
Have the students search for the most viewed YouTube video. (Apologies for the ear worm).
How many views does it have?
How long is the video?
How many years does this imply in terms of total viewing time?
What do the students think about this? Are these millennia well spent? (There are arguments on both sides!)
What does this mean for the decisions they wish to make as active participants on the internet?