Quote From: scenceableI know everyone in this thread (and board) are parents or older people. so, I figure, I'd give you all a different point of view.
I'm 16. I go on the 'net A LOT. Reading through some of your posts and points of view, it seems so far off from the reality of the internet.
Now, I do have a few different internet blogs, and use many chat sites. Most sites like this have capabilities to restrict who views and contacts you. I personally am extremely protective of who I talk to online, and what personal information is available. This does not mean, however, that I am going to go to extremes like never posting a photo of myself, or never talking to someone I haven't met online.
I guess I can understand parent's concern for their children, but in all honesty, it really matters how the specific user acts and dictates themselves online. If your kid goes and posts publicly on myspace or whatever and gives out personal information, then they're setting themselves up for possible internet stalking. I don't think making your kid go to a library or watching them online is the solution at all. That's just extremely strict and pointless; and will make your child resist you and loose respect for you.
If you want your kids to listen and be smart online (i.e. stay off public chat rooms and don't talk to people they don't know) then maybe you should talk to them like people instead of imposing a whole ton of rules, and gain their respect. Ask them about what they're doing, make them comfortable in talking to you. Then if they ever have a problem about something happening online (like getting weird emails or whatever) then they're more likely to come ask you for help then try to do it on their own.
The reason people seek companionship online is because of a lack of support offline. The solution isn't banning the internet; the internet is beneficial for children to a degree. You have to talk to your children about how to be on the internet, be informed, and be supportive. Kids want to be talked to like people, not talked down to.
One thing I agree with for sure is keeping the computer in the living room. But thats the same for any electronic appliance, TV, video games, etc. should always stay out of bedrooms. That's just my opinion, it allows too much freedom.
anyhow, I hope that did give some insight, I'm just posting my opinions. :)
Thank God for someone speaking sense. I only hope that the rest of the 30+ around here can get over themselves long enough to realize that they simply don't know everything there is to know about everything, and that technology is always going to be the domain of genX.
I do have to say, however, that even you seem to have gone a little bit too far into the apparent dangers of the internet. I won't rerun my rant about the so-called prevalence of internet predators, I am sure anyone can find it pretty quickly. I will say, however, that this continually recurring idea that children need "less freedom" is deeply troubling to me. It was bad enough when I was facing off with Stalinistic parents on it, but now to find that there are actually genX supporters of that concept is truly frightening to me. It isn't that you are saying that it is necessary for their safety; your assertion is that there is truly such a thing as excess freedom. If you read the writings of Stalin or Mousselini you will find concepts which stand in stunning line with the things one finds on this board. The concept that people were not meant to have but a certain level of freedom, that they cannot handle anything more. I suppose the difference may lie in the fact that children are not seen as people, at least not entirely. Stalin treated <i>everyone</i> as children, saying that they needed parent-esque supervision at all times in their lives. You simply choose to take his definition of a child and apply it to your own children, be they literal or rhetorical.
I do, however, have some respect for you. You have done a great deal better job summing up your logic than most others here, and there actually seems to <b>be</b> some logic there. Think over what I've said, won't you?
