As we explored in the previous post, Helium.com is a wonderful place to write to a variety of topics. There are a myriad of titles to post to organized through a large selection of interests. And while thousands of writers post multiple articles, stories, poems, reviews, etc. every day, you will find that some of them are including borderline language and unsuitable subject matter with not-so-admirable overtones. Unsuitable for whom? For adolescents.
Yes, Helium.com is a site that allows membership and full privileges to minors. What this means is that either Helium.com or the member authors should provide some sort of self-censorship or policy with respect to what they post or what is posted. Granted, Helium.com employees have been known to remove a posting now and again for a variety of reasons, however, it does also post questionable titles to its member base in pursuit of submissions that, simply based on the topic, give tacit approval for purely adult material. While we are not referring to outright offensive material necessarily, it is worth pointing out that much material is getting onto the site that is not objectively suitable for young readers/writers.
As we covered previously, in order receive the full benefits of the Helium.com program, authors read the postings of others and rate them. What is not being carefully weighed or accounted for is that young people may be offered unsuitable content to read and rate. So what should be done?
One solution may be to allow the site to continue to pursue a broad demographic membership base, but develop some sort of pre-posting screening process to weed out submissions using what may be considered "adult-only" material, such as articles on sadomasochism, lewd and lascivious behavior, unadulterated lust and concerted pursuits of adulterous encounters. In this solution, Helium.com would also have to censor itself somewhat on the topics and titles it is soliciting. Or at least be sensitive to what it offers up, given the presence of minors.
Another solution might be to retract or change the membership rules and move the under 18 membership to a new, but similar, site that is either just for them or structured as mentioned above in the first solution.
Creating a Helium.com site for minor members is actually preferred by this author. It will provide a host of benefits. Not only will it provide a writers site for a specific demographic (13 to 18), it could offer very specific topics and titles that address every day and common themes for today's teens. As an outlet to express themselves on topics very close to them, it allows those in the same demographic to read what others like them are going through and allows the group to share experiences and perspectives - without having to wade through the ramblings of hundreds of responses by adults on each topic.
This solution would also offer a very specific demographic to advertisers looking to reach the teen audience. Helium.com could stand to benefit from such a site, should it catch on in huge numbers.
Last, it raises other segmentation opportunities for Helium.com. Could/should they segment their Website offering in other ways? Should there be, for example, a site for proven and proficient writers that, through some achievement or certification process, has been granted a Helium Gold or Helium Silver status? Would it be better to offer Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced level opportunities to members so they could be with their writing peers? Would this in turn help Helium.com gain more visibility to higher-quality writing as an offering to outside content bidders? Would it provide an opportunity to offer writing improvement services or Webinars to those looking to become better writers?
There are many things to consider with respect to how Helium.com should conduct itself and what it should offer in the future, but regarding our main point here, the site should consider corrective action against hosting unsuitable content for minors.
It's just the responsible thing to do.
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