Forums > Social Chat > Who ultimately should control what children see on the internet?

Login/Join to Participate

SickpuPpyNinja Rockstar!
1,100 posts
Location: Denver, Co. U.S.A.


Posted:
Definitely Parents.

Who elses responsibility should it be? How can you trust the values that you want taught to your child to be taught by any one but you? And why should I be denied my acess to online smut (as a 21 year old, undeniably an adult in every free country in the world) because of neglagent parenting?

I think that there should be software available to the parents to block out sites that they think are inappropriate for their child, but it should be the responsability of the parent to install it and enforce their household rules.

Jesus helps me trick people.


DomBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,009 posts
Location: Bristol, UK


Posted:
I think the answer might be 'some of the above'. Ultimately it is up to the parents to make sure their child has the knowledge and sense of self control and responsibility to cope with the wide range of subjects covered not just on the internet, but everything contained within the world. However you can't control kids and even well balanced kids will search out the freaky and dodgy stuff out of interest. If my kid didn't I'd think something was wrong with them! So if I had a kid some level of blocking software would be on their machine. I'd only let them use monitored chatrooms.

Legally the law doesn't interfere too much. A lot is legal, and the ISPs and law do step in where they can to shut down illegal content sites. Tracking all users, emails and chat rooms is too far.

Other internet users, like ourselves, also have a responsibility not to influence younger minds. The way you see the word and other people's actions at even 16 is completely different then a few years down the line at 20.

So there's no one single source of censorship, but a shared responsibity to ensure that we don't screw up them youngsters. After all, they'll be the ones looking after us when we're old

CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
Depends on the country and the laws therein.

Who-ever is responsible for the child, ensuring they don't run onto the road, or steal from candy stores etc is the one who is ultimately responsible.

However, there needs to be a reasonable way to enforce it as well. Obviously, parents don't have control over what their children do in other people's houses, what TV they watch, where they surf on the net and so on.

As to actually getting a child to stop doing something they want, that's a whole other can o' worms.

HoP Posting Guidelines
* Is it the Truth?
* Is it Fair to all concerned?
* Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
* Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?


dromepixieveteran
1,463 posts
Location: Florida


Posted:
The parent/gaurdian should be responsible.

I fully agree with sickpuppy. The parent is responsible for what is 'shown' to their child. They are also to detemine what is too much for them to see and why. I kind of agree with the slight cencoring programs but parents can't stop say hacker children... I know about four hackers who all started when they were ten... They are now about 16 and not too fucked up but they have seen all this net has to offer.

To be honest I dont think 16 is that young and I think if you were raised with a few decent principles you will be able to freely roam the net by that age or even a lot younger.

In the end the individual will be solely responsible for what they do with the information given to them. If we keep protecting these children they might grow up sheltered and then when they see 'what they missed' they will say WOW! so this does exist and think its cool.

Get me?

If we take the choice away from the individual it is like taking your most precious human right away.

eg: in my family drugs are bad m'kay... that just means that my parents (to protect them from thinking that I'm a freak or that they made a mistake) will never know the extent of my business because we dont have an open environment. They always said NO not even maybe...

Just as long as the child understands he is being censored and that he/she will be able to see it in future I think its cool. Otherwise I think you should trust the child and maybe check the history after they get off the computer...

I do make sence in my own mind but didnt have enough time to make this very coherent, sorry...

Much love to all, drome

JUGGLEwithyourmind!


BEZERKERenthusiast
237 posts

Posted:
Interesting question...

I was talking to a lady at work who is very paranoid about her daughter taking drugs as she is reaching 13 years of age - I said to her that if her daughter wants to do she will, and there won't really be much she can do about it. However I said that she should have faith that the morals and ethics she feels strongly about will (maybe only in part) will be taken on and if she does come up to the decision she will make the right choice for her.

I kind of feel the same about the net. If they want to look at certain materials deemed unfit for their viewing then they will find a way to see it. Just like as a prepubescent (sp?) boy I got to see porno videos at a friend's house. Whilst there are predators out there, I think if parents have a good line of communication with their kids and help them approach life thoughtfully that's about the best that can be done.

I suppose the alternative is installing Net Nanny and other programmes. I still think that'll just push them in to finding access elsewhere and I'd rather them feel free to at least cover SOME things with me.

Anyway, I think both parent and child should be responsible for what gets viewed. I guess as an aside question could be at what age do you deem a child responsible/old enough to be on the net surfing alone for extended periods of time?

lightbugmember
321 posts
Location: arizona


Posted:
parents and guardians definately hold the highest responsiblity, and when they hear or see somthin they shouldnt the fingers should point to them. however just on princapal we should all be carful and watch what we do and say around our young impressionables.


Non-Https Image Link


[ 21 August 2002, 01:56: Message edited by: lightbug ]

drugs.. rock and roll. bad ass.. vegas hoes.. late night. booty calls.. shiny disco balls!!


shizN0Tmember
184 posts
Location: Stroudsburg, PA, USA


Posted:
I feel that is on the parents in the end (being parent myself). but to do this, the help of ISPs, websites having confirmation, software filters are needed. You cant monitor everything some one
does on a computer w/ out 3rd party programs...

Keep the government out of my PC.

**ADDS**
I dont feel the issue is so much if the kids are looking for it... its the popups and the banner adds. if you want something, you can find it. The force feeding of porn is the biggest problem in my eyes. I have a hard time getting through a day with out a pair of tits flashing arcoss my screen (im on the internet ~8 hours a day), and I am doing work, not looking for porn.

[ 21 August 2002, 03:03: Message edited by: shizN0T ]

I smell something burning.


Pele'sWhippingBoymember
442 posts
Location: Rochester, NY, USA


Posted:
I think the Government. Parents have no right to decide what their own children should see and do. Let childless old people decide as they have more wisdom.

*cough* bull *cough*
Sorry, I think it should be left to the parent. I remember instructing a family about it. They asked about a censor program and I said they don't work. Imagine your kid has to do a paper on "cancer" for school (very popular topic in health.) However, if the program blocks "breast" then few cancer articles will be allowed to be viewed as breast cancer is one of the most common forms.
I said the best censor is a parent over the shoulder. As it should be.

FYI: I am not Pele. If you wish to reply to me and use a short version of my name, use: PWB.

English? Who needs that? I'm never going to England. - Homer Jay Simpson


lightbugmember
321 posts
Location: arizona


Posted:
quote:
The force feeding of porn is the biggest problem in my eyes. I have a hard time getting through a day with out a pair of tits flashing arcoss my screen
god bless um.

no jus playin.. anytime money is envolved people push as far as they can but it gets ridiculous sometimes.. theres actually sights that will install a DUN imulator on your pc that will hang up your connection and dial you into a server in africa or someshit rackin up a monster phone bill.. its amazing that they dont all get the hell sued out of them.

drugs.. rock and roll. bad ass.. vegas hoes.. late night. booty calls.. shiny disco balls!!


Twirl'N'BurnBooojakasha
121 posts
Location: Brisbane QLD Australia


Posted:
Posted by Malcom.
quote:
I heard that in China that all viewing on the internet is done under police supervision (confirm?)
I had a lecturer in one of my international business subjects at uni waffle on about this for a bit.

As I understand it the law requires that any internet caffe or place like such take down the names and addresses of everyone using the facilites along with a detailed log file of all of their activites while online eg www.addresses emails, chat rooms etc etc. Failure to keep records results in your caffee being shut down (not to sure about that bit though).

Im also not sure about the laws that apply to ISP's for home use, I would assume that the law is similar. However given chinas current economic state and wealth distribution I would say that the internet caffe is the big one being looked at - perosnal PC's and internet conncetions dont come cheap.

Simply an excuse to play with fire.


PeleBRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA


Posted:
Primarily, I say the parent. And if you teach a child well, it carries over where ever they go. My sister is really strict with what my niece can watch on tv. When she is at someone else's house she will actually say she can not watch something and turn away from the tv.
I think too that since internet has made it's ways into schools that they should be very weary of where the children surf.
I also think too many count on the cintrolling software for this. That I think is wrong. There are ways around that stuff and kids are becoming computer savvy enough to figure it out. I think a more hands on approach not only is more reliable but also gives an involvement with the child that is good. I know that when my son is online I know where he goes and he is only allowed certain places, and he is good about sticking with that.
Anyway, my .02.

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK



Similar Topics

Using the keywords [ultimately control children see internet] we found the following existing topics.

  1. Forums > Who ultimately should control what children see on the internet? [11 replies]

      Show more..

HOP Newsletter

Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more...