Does the good of the Internet out-weigh the bad?

[leedan]

The internet may be the only thing that brings the world together. Communication between people of the world should be encouraged. What a better way to build understanding and thwart misconceptions. This should be made available, not for adults living in the past and set in their ways, but for children who are taught to dream, imagine and create. I believe the internet will prove to be one of the best tools ever devised. It has only just begun.

[ThinkAnarchy]

Yes children do stupid things with their webcams, but that is not the internets fault. Parents need to educate themselves, and install nanny systems on their computers if they would like to make sure their children aren't doing inappropriate things on the internet. Why should adults be punished because parents can't properly look after their children?

Also, I believe the webcam sites you speak of have age verification as well as moderators. Im sure there are young people doing inappropriate things, but that is the parents who should be better monotering their children, not the sites.

[Tank]

Yes children do stupid things with their webcams, but that is not the internets fault. Parents need to educate themselves, and install nanny systems on their computers if they would like to make sure their children aren't doing inappropriate things on the internet. Why should adults be punished because parents can't properly look after their children?

Also, I believe the webcam sites you speak of have age verification as well as moderators. Im sure there are young people doing inappropriate things, but that is the parents who should be better monotering their children, not the sites.

Unfortunately the sites I am discussing have neither age verification nor any evidence of moderation, intended or otherwise. If the sites concerned did make a reasonable attempt to ensure that only adults accessed their services then I would not have an issue with them, however in these cases no such attempt is made.

The 'it's the parents responsibility' is true, but only up to a point. That point comes when an adult is aware of children being abused and does nothing about it because it's not their kid. To my mind an adult that stands by while abuse happens really does have to take a serious look at their own moral compass.

[ThinkAnarchy]

Yes children do stupid things with their webcams, but that is not the internets fault. Parents need to educate themselves, and install nanny systems on their computers if they would like to make sure their children aren't doing inappropriate things on the internet. Why should adults be punished because parents can't properly look after their children?

Also, I believe the webcam sites you speak of have age verification as well as moderators. Im sure there are young people doing inappropriate things, but that is the parents who should be better monotering their children, not the sites.

Unfortunately the sites I am discussing have neither age verification nor any evidence of moderation, intended or otherwise. If the sites concerned did make a reasonable attempt to ensure that only adults accessed their services then I would not have an issue with them, however in these cases no such attempt is made.

The 'it's the parents responsibility' is true, but only up to a point. That point comes when an adult is aware of children being abused and does nothing about it because it's not their kid. To my mind an adult that stands by while abuse happens really does have to take a serious look at their own moral compass.

Did you mention previously what sites your referring to? I understand if you don't want to for obvious reasons. I never understood the dateline episodes that advertise how to get the things they are demonizing. For example, when they show you how to make a bomb and put a "censor" label on the Bleach.

[Tank]

Yes children do stupid things with their webcams, but that is not the internets fault. Parents need to educate themselves, and install nanny systems on their computers if they would like to make sure their children aren't doing inappropriate things on the internet. Why should adults be punished because parents can't properly look after their children?

Also, I believe the webcam sites you speak of have age verification as well as moderators. Im sure there are young people doing inappropriate things, but that is the parents who should be better monotering their children, not the sites.

Unfortunately the sites I am discussing have neither age verification nor any evidence of moderation, intended or otherwise. If the sites concerned did make a reasonable attempt to ensure that only adults accessed their services then I would not have an issue with them, however in these cases no such attempt is made.

The 'it's the parents responsibility' is true, but only up to a point. That point comes when an adult is aware of children being abused and does nothing about it because it's not their kid. To my mind an adult that stands by while abuse happens really does have to take a serious look at their own moral compass.

Did you mention previously what sites your referring to? I understand if you don't want to for obvious reasons. I never understood the dateline episodes that advertise how to get the things they are demonizing. For example, when they show you how to make a bomb and put a "censor" label on the Bleach.

No, I have not mentioned the sites names as I do not think they should be promoted and we do have kids as members here.

[ThinkAnarchy]

Yes children do stupid things with their webcams, but that is not the internets fault. Parents need to educate themselves, and install nanny systems on their computers if they would like to make sure their children aren't doing inappropriate things on the internet. Why should adults be punished because parents can't properly look after their children?

Also, I believe the webcam sites you speak of have age verification as well as moderators. Im sure there are young people doing inappropriate things, but that is the parents who should be better monotering their children, not the sites.

Unfortunately the sites I am discussing have neither age verification nor any evidence of moderation, intended or otherwise. If the sites concerned did make a reasonable attempt to ensure that only adults accessed their services then I would not have an issue with them, however in these cases no such attempt is made.

The 'it's the parents responsibility' is true, but only up to a point. That point comes when an adult is aware of children being abused and does nothing about it because it's not their kid. To my mind an adult that stands by while abuse happens really does have to take a serious look at their own moral compass.

Did you mention previously what sites your referring to? I understand if you don't want to for obvious reasons. I never understood the dateline episodes that advertise how to get the things they are demonizing. For example, when they show you how to make a bomb and put a "censor" label on the Bleach.

No, I have not mentioned the sites names as I do not think they should be promoted and we do have kids as members here.

I assumed you hadn't, and that's what I was getting at. Well out of respect for you (the thread creator) and Whitney, I will refrain from using names, in case they are one of the culprits.

Actually, I don't even think it is necessary... I have just registered for Skype in order to talk to my grandma, but I imagine that could be abused in the way you are talking about. If they asked for age, it was just the simply select your b-day and your in. I imagine that could be used in negative ways, though I imagine it would be less likely than what your talking about.

I think if the sites were blatantly allowing that kind of behavior for profit, it's wrong, but I still maintain the parents are mostly to blame. As for other adults not condoning the behavior. I know most sites have a report button. I'm sure there are people clicking it, and yes, it may simply be the sites not doing anything about it.

Ultimately, though I think the first line of defense are the parents.

[Crow]

I don't think it's possible to truly monitor the internet from any angle. You may stop people accessing certain sites but its easy to sidestep these measures if you really want to.

In terms of age verification the current online systems are easy to bypass. It may be possible to implement a Japanese style cigarette machine facial recognition software using webcams for certain sites, but there are problems with recognition software as you can use pictures to bypass this, if people who want to access something will always find ways to access the content.

When an institution starts to decide what is and isn't acceptable on the internet you have to be extremely careful of who is in charge and why there motivated, as I certainly do not want a digital version of book burning.