Creating Guided Meditation Videos on Youtube

[Ted903]

TEXAS...Hi All,

In a nutshell, I am looking to create guided meditation videos on my own personal youtube channel. I plan on trying the traditional approach of guided meditation, as well as trying something new, where I inject humor into the meditation videos.

When listening to others' videos, I have heard disclaimers that say at the beginning of the video: 'Do not try this while driving or operating machinery,' which I feel is a good disclaimer to use. (Throw that in there as a sidenote)

My big question now is, how can I, as a Youtube guided meditation content creator protect myself against the worst-case scenario that someone actually is driving, operating machinery, or is mentally unstable and the meditation causes them to do something to injure themselves or someone else while listening to the video?

I realize that generally, people meditate in safe and quiet areas, but I want to make sure that I completely cover my "butt" so that I don't have to worry about any freak accidents happening.

Would it best to start every video I make with a disclaimer to not drive, operate machinery, or listen to my meditation if they have mental health issues?

Thanks again and I realize that sometimes being overly neurotic is a good thing, with situations like this.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Anyone can sue anyone at any time for anything.

That said I think we would be hard pressed to find any YouTube meditation instructor (or meditation instructor at all) that was successfully sued for an idiot that tried to meditate while they were driving.

I'm be willing to bet "do not drive..." warnings you've seen were more for promotion of the video than for liability protection.

 

[Ted903]

Thanks! I figured that was the case, but wanted to double check.

Oddly enough, speaking of driving, I thought of when I was a kid and I saw on a 'windshield sun shade' product that it said: 'Warning: Remove Before Driving." ;-),. Now that got a laugh out of me, although it was sad but true that some people might actually try to drive with it on (intentionally or not).

 

[quincy]

TEXAS...Hi All,

In a nutshell, I am looking to create guided meditation videos on my own personal youtube channel. I plan on trying the traditional approach of guided meditation, as well as trying something new, where I inject humor into the meditation videos.

When listening to others' videos, I have heard disclaimers that say at the beginning of the video: 'Do not try this while driving or operating machinery,' which I feel is a good disclaimer to use. (Throw that in there as a sidenote)

My big question now is, how can I, as a Youtube guided meditation content creator protect myself against the worst-case scenario that someone actually is driving, operating machinery, or is mentally unstable and the meditation causes them to do something to injure themselves or someone else while listening to the video?

I realize that generally, people meditate in safe and quiet areas, but I want to make sure that I completely cover my "butt" so that I don't have to worry about any freak accidents happening.

Would it best to start every video I make with a disclaimer to not drive, operate machinery, or listen to my meditation if they have mental health issues?

Thanks again and I realize that sometimes being overly neurotic is a good thing, with situations like this.

There is a warning label placed on four-inch round inflated inner tubes that come with "My Little Ponies" bath toys. The inner tube is obviously designed for use by a small My Little Pony toy.

But, despite the obviousness, a warning says: "Not to be used by humans as a floatation device."

This warning, and other similarly ridiculous warnings like it placed on a wide variety of products, is placed on the product by the manufacturer to protect against a lawsuit.

Warnings and disclaimers cannot prevent lawsuits but they can help the makers and sellers of consumer goods escape liability or mitigate damages, in the event some child relies on a Pony inner tube to float in the deep end of a pool - or in the event some mental giant decides to meditate while driving or operating other heavy machinery.

A warning is primarily for your protection and you must judge the risks. Although it would be nice to think all people, even kids, are bright enough to, say, not use a tiny toy inner tube as a flotation device, people (including kids) often aren't.