Nick Pernisco on the Media Literacy Ning points out this article from the New York Times about how entertainment companies are clamoring to create the next Second Life for the pre-teen and younger set. Nick asks, “Are kids really safe on these sites, or are they being stalked by online predators called advertisers?”

While I think that the sites are safe. Brand loyalty is being created in subtler and subtler ways. Now you don’t have to use the actual product, you can just have an experience using the virtual product and it works just the same in terms of raising your awareness of a brand.

As these technologies are new, however, I wonder if parents are able to talk to their kids about this because of their own limited experience with Second Life environments. It again points to the importance of media literacy education.

If we were teaching students how to be aware of advertisements such as product placement on TV then their knowledge would probably transfer to the video game. In the absence of any media literacy education we’re raising generations of students who are going to fall prey easily to subtle even subliminal messages from advertisers.

Join the Media Literacy Ning if you’re interested in networking with other teachers around this topic.