Launched for beta testing in May 2008, Totlol is an independent website made in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Why Totlol?
Online video is a great new experience, and new parents discovered that showing their tots videos on the computer screen is a great way to spend time together. So they head to the leading video websites.Most video websites use some method of content filtering to block content that is considered inappropriate for young adults. While the sites have great content for all ages, including tots and kids, they were not intended for children under the age of 13.
They provide no way to filter anything that may be inappropriate and they provide very limited tools to find what is appropriate and relevant.
This is where Totlol steps in.
Videos available at Totlol are all intended to be enjoyed by tots. Parents can easily find the content they want because all the "other stuff" is now out of the way.
How is Totlol different?
Totlol is obviously not the only website designed for tots and kids. There are some great ones out there, and most use one of two methods to ensure their content is suitable for young audiences. They either restrict the source of the content, or, they employ an editorial review process.This is where Totlol is different.
Totlol does not restrict content source. The current version makes all videos available on YouTube also available on Totlol. While this is not "all that is out there", it is a pretty big collection to choose from.
Totlol also has no editorial review process. Instead of having a person or committee decide what is appropriate, Totlol has a community moderation process. Parents decide.
How community moderation works?
The community moderation process has three parts: scouting, submitting and screening.
1. When scouting parents search the YouTube database via a Totlol interface.
The scouting interface lets parents search and watch videos just as they used to do on YouTube.
When they find a video that they think is appropriate and relevant they can choose to submit it.
2. When submitting parents are asked to review the title and tags associated with the video and to provide a review of the content.
They are also asked to specify the main language of the video and categorize it.
This information, together with the original YouTube information is presented at screening.
3. The screening part of the process is where the community plays the most significant role.
Each Totlol user is invited to screen videos submitted by others and to answer screening questions. The answers are collected and analyzed by computer.
Only videos that pass the grade are then available for the viewing tots.
How can I join?
In order to participate in content moderation users have to register for a Totlol account. Registration is simple and free.
No registration is required to view videos.
"Totlol is a cool idea, and the only children's video site that we know of that relies on parental screening to decide which videos to add to its database. With the number of computer savvy 6-year-olds on the rise, this site will probably be a hit among both parents and toddler alike."
(Josh Catone - ReadWriteWeb)
"Kids are web-savvier than ever, and spend a good portion of time online already. Why not build a secure destination where tots can safely navigate for short bursts of entertainment? It's likely to be better than commercial-saturated prime time viewing."
(Jenna Wortham - Wired)
"Though it might be tempting to group Totlol with kid-oriented social networks, I think it makes a lot more sense than they do. Kids have a much bigger need for entertainment than they do for their own online presence."
(Liz Gannes - NewTeeVee)
"While there's a potential for this to raise some eyebrows amongst the traditional media executives, I do think that Totlol's setup is primed for independently produced content."
(Kristen Nicole - Mashable)
"The site has all the tools to potentially develop a great online community of parents and the young-at-heart."
(Lily Chaos - InventorSpot)
"I am in love with the concept of this website. It allows parents to safely find videos their children may enjoy and adore without having to worry about objectionable content. It's about time the internet included the toddlers demographic."
(Christie St. Martin - Los Angeles Times)
"If you're looking for a good, safe way to give your kids something to watch on the Web, Totlol is a great site.
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(Alan Henry - AppScout by PC Magazine)
More from the blogs:
Philipp Lenssen calls Totlol "an interesting concept", Jason Lee Miller became a weepy mess,
Alex Santoso said "my little Maddy is going to like this website" and
James Lewin called it "a great idea for kids".
