We are fans of Sara Grimes over at Gamine Expedition (who has one of the best-named blogs in the b-sphere). Sadly, she doesn’t Twitter (if she does, please let us know), but she does post smart and intriguing bits about kids, digital culture, and media.

Doing our Sunday AM reading, we caught this:

I’m feeling more and more that the UN’s needs to broaden and formalize its condemnation of using children for reality television programming, unless strict guidelines are followed in ensuring the shows respect children’s rights and dignity. For example, last fall, a UN report on child welfare in the UK warned that the use of “distressed” children in reality shows such as Supernanny could harm their rights, and that these shows “may “constitute an unlawful interference with their privacy” and that the media had to act further to protect children in such shows.”

The comment stems from a story about a group of Canadian teens who are fighting to get the TLC reality show Toddlers & Tiaras banned from television (they might want to start by alerting Elton John that someone has pinched and malformed the name of his documentary Tantrums & Tiaras). Toddlers & Tiaras focuses on the 100,000 or so U.S. kids (yes, that many) who toddle around each year on runways with makeup, spray-on-tans, and high heels.

One could say many things about this, but pictures say it best:

The Canadians have started a Facebook group to get the show yanked and attract media attention. But no luck so far. TLC, owned by the Discovery channel, is digging in its heels, hiding behind the “we’re just documenting something that’s already happening” trope, knowing the show will attract both the lovers AND the haters.

If we are ever invited on the show, we plan on pulling an Abigail Breslin.

Thanks for the post Sara.