DISQUS

odd time signatures: Internet Predators, MySpace and Solutions?

  • liz · 3 years ago
    Reasons for spike:

    1. the danged DOPA bill (RopaDopa if you ask me--anti-DOPA wiki here: http://dopa.pbwiki.com/

    Great links in there for safety conscious parents, roots of the DOPA legislation, etc.

    our motto is

    Filter a website and you protect a student for a day.

    Educate students about online safety in a real world environment and you protect your child for a lifetime.

    Christopher Harris is the author.

    2. People Magazine had a (well-balanced, I think) article. I read it in the checkout line so don't hold me to it.

    The thing about MySpace -- if you monitor your sub-16 year old, it is as safe as houses.

    I still think the real MySpace danger for the 12 to 14 year old set (besides the fact members that young are violating the ToS) is the snark-fests the kids can get into among themselves.

    There have been a couple more "suspended/expelled for MySpace" stories that are going around, mostly school districts over reacting to one thing and another.
  • kmilyun · 3 years ago
    First off, thank you for the plug for Bifurcate in the Road.

    I see your point. When we had teenagers living with us they were allowed to use the computer. This was years ago before the sites like My Space but the concerns were still there. Both teenagers were shown/taught what not to devulge. There was little tracking software available then. One youngman whose name I will not publish (uagh umm) was caught looking at something he should not. Easy solution - end of unsupervised surfing. How was he caught? Simple, know the child, know what they are apt to do. The other teenager a few years back thought most of the chat and instant messages were "a waste of computer time". He was more interested in research for his school work. If he did browse his way somewhere he should not have we never knew about it.

    I think today, if there were a teenager in the house the computer would be in a public household location until I had an idea of the kids nature. Unsupervised surfing would depend upon the childs maturity and self esteem. Education of the hazzards of the web seems to be key. If parents do not take the time to explain or pay attention - well that is another story.