A Critique of Popular Media, Education and Resistance by M.Stack and D.KellyI found This article is very interesting and relevant to me as a future educator. It highlights the importance of media education and awareness, as it plays such an important role in our society. In the article it is stated that many children watch around 14 hours of television a day in a week, which is a huge amount of exposure for such an impressionable age group. The significant impact the media has on us is probably why so many people in our class are giving presentations on media-related topics. One group discussed reality television; I think most shows that fall into this genre may have the ability to lower a viewer's IQ, but that's just my opinion. If children are receiving such a large dose of media exposure, it concerns me that this is what is being made available to them. The authors go on to describe the large amount of marketing that targets children. Their television programs are used as advertisements and schools display company logos in exchange for money and materials. I've always had the idea that children's TV shows also serve as marketing tools. A step into my niece's bedroom tells me that Disney must be making a fortune in merchandise and toys. My niece watches a cartoon and then when she's in a store she's surrounded by products that have images of her favorite cartoons on them. She has a Disney Princess bedding set, a purse, a poster, a dress, a backpack… the list goes on. According to the article, video games are another profitable form of media with sales reaching $10 billion in 2004. I talk to many students in my job as a sub-TA. Many of the students who talk about these video games are often kids ...... halfway...... aware of many of these vulnerabilities. When I was in high school in the late 90s, chat rooms were gaining popularity. People could talk to each other with people from different countries and pretend to be anyone they wanted. This has raised concerns about young people being exploited, agreeing to meet strangers and online bullying. I think virtual worlds take these concerns to another level. Avatars might seem attractive to young people because all their insecurities could be erased by creating an avatar more to their liking. Virtual worlds open up potential for crime and other ethical issues. I wish this article discussed some of the potential issues in more detail. With all the problems that could arise, I hope that the people who profit from these worlds also take responsibility for creating and enforcing the rules related to the virtual world.