Colombia. Surely a few years ago, you like most of us hadn't even heard the term youtuber. Nowadays, hardly anyone can ignore who we are talking about because they are idols for millions of people. However, it is necessary to emphasize that they have in their hands a great ethical, social, and even legal responsibility, towards those who follow them and give them confidence.
The power of mobilization that YouTubers have in front of their audience is enormous, both for the reach of their messages and for the degree of closeness and affinity they have with young people. Their comments and jokes in the face of a specific circumstance mobilize all followers to imitate them, therefore, it is essential that they elaborate their public content responsibly.
As for the legal, they must bear in mind that there are several decisions of the judges in which those who publish content on the Internet that affect or ignore the rights of third parties have been held responsible. Just to mention some of these determinations, in Maryland (USA) a couple of Youtuber parents lost custody of their children for posting videos in which they made jokes to minors. In Colombia, the Constitutional Court has been refining jurisprudence to point out that freedom of expression on the Internet is not without limits and that this right does not allow ignoring others such as honor and good name.
In this regard, I hope that those who read this column will reflect. The minimum that Internet users who use the network should take into account is that publications made in the digital environment must not show facts, values and circumstances contrary to the law, nor ignore the rights of those people who relate to their publications. As with most technological tools, they are not negative in themselves, but the way they are used. The Internet is a catalytic network of incalculable benefits, however, its scope and dimension can also be used to affect others.
Finally, I call on all Internet users who communicate with their families, friends and colleagues to use the Internet responsibly and ensure that it becomes a tool for education and development, and not a mechanism that threatens dignity or generates manipulation and violation of rights.
Text written by Suzy Sierra Ruíz, member of the National Television Board representing Civil Society.
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