Should MySpace Be Blamed For Sexual Assault?
from the what-did-MySpace-do? dept
There's just something about new technologies and the idea that people like to blame them, rather than the people using them, for crimes. For some reason, that seems to go double with the popular social networking site MySpace. Last year, we wrote about MySpace being blamed for some stupid kids who used it to spread rumors that there was going to be a shooting at school the next day. It was the kids' fault -- not MySpace. Now, there's a new story about a series of sexual assaults on underage girls -- where the meetings were facilitated by MySpace. However, the article seems to focus entirely on the MySpace aspect of this, which really is a minor point. The real culprits are the guys who did this -- and focusing on MySpace is going to put the blame in the wrong space. We've also noticed a trend here. On a few of our older stories about MySpace, we've had a number of angry parents show up, complaining about all the awful things they've found on the MySpace profiles of their kids or their kids' friends. It's easy to blame MySpace -- but if this is what the kids are doing, shouldn't the parents be talking to their kids about this, helping them understand why what they're doing is dangerous? Simply pinning the blame on MySpace doesn't help. If these parents succeed in stopping MySpace, the kids will simply move on to some other service. The real trick is to educate kids on appropriate behavior and the potential risks in dealing with other people online. Then, it won't matter what site they're on -- they'll have a good foundation to know how to act more appropriately.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
But it's true...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
but its not true
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
i never understood how a 14 year old kid having sex with a dozen other 14 year olds is legal, but if a 25 year old has sex with this same 14 year old after all that other sex, it's illegal cause "she's a minor and did not know any better"...
seems the other dozen kids should be charged with molesting the kid too?
its like if i rob a bank its illegal and i will go to jail, but if bank A robs bank B its ok cause they both are banks....????
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
When you choose to be a parent it is a serious commitment and so few do any parenting. Be responsible for your actions and those of your children. The blame is on the parent and the child who thought they knew it all. The parent is supposed to help the child. Parent is a ull time job from birth to on their own.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
Yeah. Then I wouldn't have fond a few of my long lost friends from high school who have moved around the country and lost contact with me. It's so much better to never hear from those people and wonder whether or not they're still alive, how successful they are. The world is so much worse because now I know they're making it, instead of wondering.
All your hate are belong to us.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
There are -only- two choices at hand.
1) Unplug the entire internet
2) Teach your children proper internet usage and monitor them at all times. If you don't know how, learn.
Our society hasn't gone down hill, we've stopped taking responsibility for our actions and therefor haven't taught our kids to be responsible for their own actions.
You cannot blame myspace.com when every other website that allows blogging is equally guilty.
IRC and BBS's are more dangerous than myspace, but no one dares touch on that. Myspace takes out the amount of time it takes to lurk and gather information. It' just a faster way to get what you want. If a predator wants something, they will get it. The internet makes it a lot easier because parents are failing to educate their children about proper usage.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But it's true...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
It's called PARENTING
You brought them into the world, THEY ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
Stop blaming everybody / everthing because you failed as a parent.
If you can't spend time to find out what your kids are interested in, thinking, the friends they are hanging with, the places they are going, the things they are doing: YOU FAILED AS A PARENT.
That doesn't mean you can protect them from everything. Sometimes the world does ugly things. Preparing them as best you can is their only defense.
FYI, I have two kids of my own and live by my words.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's called PARENTING
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's called PARENTING
You're right and wrong... A child is a gift... no argument there. But it is also a responsibility. Bringing a child into this world gives you the responsibility to make sure that the child is a self-sufficient and responsible member of society.
When this discussion talks about whose responsibility it is, we're talking about whose responsibility it is to monitor your children. Yours or service-providers.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's called PARENTING
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's called PARENTING
Children are people. As individuals they have their own personalty and thought processes. If by being a overly controlling parent you rise a crop of followers blindly excepting orders from you as children and then from any and all authority figures as adults. You've sucseeded only in rising sheep.
To become complete adults all children need to be given the opportunities to make their own decisions and take responsibility for themselves. Sometimes that road can be rocky, but they must be given the freedom to earn your trust.
Thats not to say parenting a very important part of a child's development but even the best parent can rise a bad seed and poor ones a wonderful person.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's called PARENTING
BUT that is a big difference from responsible, aware, and educational parenting. You don't shield your kids from the world, you let them discover. Just like you don't chain them to the leg of the dinner table while your cooking dinner, you let them roam around the house. But you tell them that the stove is hot. that it will hurt if they touch it. And when they burn their hand on the stove, That IS a good time to sit down and say "that hurt, didn't it. remember when mommy told you that the stove was hot and you shouldn't put your hand there? now you understand why, don't you?" Again with the illegal drug references. Another arguement for the outlawing of pot is that it is a gateway drug. But my parents gave me a good education about the dangers of drugs, from an early age. After 20 years of never touching a drug, for the reason that may parents had taught me that drugs can hurt you, I decided that I knew several friends who seemed to smoke pot and still be healthy, productive, and well-adjusted members of society. I decided that maybe pot wasn't like some of the hardcore drugs that can cause serious problems. So I tried it. and I started smoking a lot of it. But I never tried anything harder. So where is that arguement of pot being a gateway drug now? It wasn't for me, because I was taught that I had to be careful with drugs. I didn't become a sheep, blindly following what my parents said...In fact I decided they were wrong about pot, and started smoking it. But I stayed away from other stuff because that didn't mean I did not realize the danger. After several years of all this, some friends had stuck to pot, and some, it turned out, had gone much further. Those that went further took their life down a self-destructive path, and I saw that my parents were right. many many drugs ARE dangerous. Eventually I grew out of my partying days, and now an occasional hit at a party is all I will do, but I prefer it vastly to alcohol, and I am grateful for the parenting I recieved that allowed me to see the difference for myself between the things that I could handle and the things that could destroy me. In summary, my parents were able to teach me a more general lesson, that I could use to make my own good judgements, not based only on following my parents opinions, but on the fact that they taught me to think carefully about my own decisions. Today I most certainly think for myself, and disagree heavily in many ways with my parents, and society in general, on many different areas of life, religion, politics, the list goes on and on. But I still respect them because they gave me that power to think for myself and yet still see the line and not cross it. Its a fine line, between irresponsible, responsible, and overbearing parents. I can't argue that. Nobody said that would be an easy balancing act for a parent to do. But again, it's your own improper upbringing that causes you to say you fell off the high wire because of a breeze, and say "it's too windy, I'm not going up there, maybe we can put up a wall to block the wind, or maybe bring the wire down here?" Bull. You can't make real world parenting any easier. You can't prevent mistakes. All you can do is keep praticing your balance, and keep climbing back up if you get blown off. You didn't fall off the high wire because of the breeze. there's always a breeze. Always will be. You fell because you don't have good balance. Unless you are willing to admit that, you always be too busy trying to block a breeze that will always be there, instead of working on leg strength, practicing your balance, and, if you still can't keep your balance, then, maybe you need to go to a doctor and get your ears checked. Similarly, if you keep falling off the parental high wire, maybe it's time for a professional, like a parenting counsellor, to take a look at the situation.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's called PARENTING
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's called PARENTING
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's called PARENTING
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Seems MySpace needs to invest in some moderators..
Oh wait that assumes that the parent can figure out how to even use the computer much less lock the kid out more-so that he can't get back in. It's the parents responsibility to keep up with the children no matter what the fault lies there. There could be more legal attention directed directly at this though there is quite the moement of people who have joined this cause across the country in differant ways shapes or forms.
Maybe with this media attention it will get funding it desperatly needs rather than sending it over to Hamas though Bush will do with his oil billions whatever he likes.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Seems MySpace needs to invest in some moderato
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Seems MySpace needs to invest in some moderato
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Seems MySpace needs to invest in some mode
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Seems MySpace needs to invest in some mode
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Seems MySpace needs to invest in some mode
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Seems MySpace needs to invest in some moderato
It is also the responsibility of the parent to keep up with current technology and if they cant they do not need to even own a computer. Most people don't drive a car unless they learn how to, so why should using a computer be any different. The internet can be just as dangerous if not worse, in some cases, and it is the responsibilty of the parent to protect the child and if something happens to your child it is your fault because you failed.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Without a long speech...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Seems MySpace needs to invest in some moderato
They've already taken the fourth if you haven't noticed you handing them the first on a silver platter?
No Subject Given
by Anonymous Coward on Friday, February 3rd, 2006 @ 04:04AM
Let's let the government take away our rights to free speech and privacy because most people have little desire to monitor their own child's choice of entertainment.
Let's shut down businesses because they provide a service only adults are supposed to be using in the first place.
It's pretty easy folks, it doesn't even require knowing anything about a computer. There's easy to use software out there to block these sites and you can also visually monitor what your child does. I don't know much about cartoons these days, but I still make the effort to know what my son is watching so I can have some control over what he is being exposed to.
Your kids are probably surfing free porn and using your credit card to play online poker. You have no clue because you either don't pay attention or don't want to feel like a bad parent. Stop blaming media for your child's issues and address the real problem: your inability to say no to your child.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Seems MySpace needs to invest in some moderato
It dumbfounds me that people are willing to accept the arguement that the whole bush wiretapping thing isn't a problem because "he didn't break the law." WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!! They made this place a democracy for a REASON! maybe that reason is so that the common people can change the laws if they realize that a new law is needed, or realize that an old law is bad. So many people seem content to equate illegal to wrong and legal to right. right and wrong is not the same as legal or illegal. Take the issue of legalizing marijuana. Have you seen the anti-marjiuana ads lately? Have you noticed that their biggest consequence that they use to scare kids is the fact that you can get busted? What the hell is going on when the biggest justification for considering something "bad" is the fact that you are breaking the law. If trouble with the law is the worst consequence of an action, then what exactly makes it so wrong that it needed to be outlawed in the first place? (other than a persons religous belief, but our government is supposed to be independent of those, remember?)
As far as the arguement about the parents not being able to lock kids out because the kids are more technically advanced with computers, that, also, is crap. I'm a computer whiz. Always was, Always will be. My parents never had any way to lock me out of anything. They never even tried, because they knew they had no chance. Did I go around breaking laws and getting in trouble on the internet? No. Why? because my parents were focused on raising me with proper judgement from long before I was old enough to type or use a mouse. This is what is meant by "good parenting", not just locking them out of things, but educating them. Like the guy who gave his kid a gun. He didn't just lock it up and hide it away, he put it right in his face, and said "this is locked for a reason, it's dangerous, you must always be careful with these things."
Have you noticed our society has been caught in circular logic with this problem? The more we deny our own responsibility for our childrens upbringing, blaming it on external factors instead, the more out of whack our society gets. The more out of whack our society gets, the more external factors we look for to blame it on. It's just like every other problem a human being faces in life. Until he/she accepts that it's at least partially his/her own fault, that person gets nowhere in correcting the problem. That old cliche still rings true. Maybe it's your fault, maybe it's not. Maybe it's both. But if it's not your fault, it doesn't matter. Because the only part of the world you can really change is YOURSELF. End of story.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Seems MySpace needs to invest in some mode
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Excesses of the "Independence" Culture
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
Yep. Just like with guns. Us Americans like our guns too.
My boy is 6 and for his birthday he got a single shot .22 rifle sized just for him.
Guess how many times he has TOUCHED his gun when I'm not around?
ZERO.
He doesn't have the key for the trigger lock, he doesn't have a key for the gun room it's stored in, and MOST IMPORTANTLY he has been taught that he is under no circumstances to even try to access his gun when I'm not around.
Beyond that he knows that anytime anyone hands him a firearm, even his dad, he is to properly check to ensure that it is unloaded.
We go to the shooting range fairly often, and he has become a pretty good shot. The most amusing thing is when he corrects some 50 year old next to us when the guy violates range etiquette or safety rules.
He knows it's not a toy. He knows that it is for target shooting and killing things. He knows to take dead aim and verify his target before shooting.
The thing that you may have trouble understanding is that my son doesn't own a BB gun. I will not allow it. In my opinion they are too high of a risk. Too easy to sneak in to the back yard or woods and do something stupid. Too easy to be lulled into the fact that it is not a lethal weapon.
As a parent I have evaluated the risks associated with both and made my choices. You know, PARENTING.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
Don't get me wrong, I am not a gun control advocate. If rednecks want to accidentally shoot their children, why stop them?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
I hope for your sake that you never say that to a person face to face. That was harsh man.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
But rednecks don't like hearing that kind of educated talk. It's better to let rednecks shoot each other with their "right to bear arms" and defend themselves, mostly against each other -- after all, professional police officers wearing red coats might make them worship the British monarchy. We wouldn't want more rednecks blowing up our cities like Timothy McVeigh.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
More ad hominem attacks... You're right of course, I'm uneducated. Obviously you were able to tell that from my e-mail.
I'm a conservative too. But, sorry to disappoint you, an aetheist. So you can save your anti-Christian remarks for another day.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
The question here is, do we agree with parents and adults in general blaming MySpace for its content, when they are not the publisher of said content?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
You seem completely uneducated on the concept of Libertarianism. Please see http://lp.org for the proper definition.
Morality is subjective and therefore has no place in law. If you think about it, what would happen if we were ruled by the "morality" of the Taliban?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
I do not require a nanny state to wrap me in bubble wrap, pad the world with foam, and tether me to something so I don't blow away.
And calling me a redneck won't accomplish anything.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
You said that, not I. I said I was a conservative NOT a libertarian. Perhaps you need some more education so you can engage in a discussion using ideas grounded in history and facts rather than name calling. But then, what would I know, I am un-educated redneck.
All I said, before you attacked me, was that as a parent it is my responsibility to raise my child. Not someone else's. Mine. That's all.
I used the example of a firearm as a methphor for MySpace to explain my feelings regarding the story, and the message within it that parents would point the finger at MySpace rather than themselves.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
Post (rant) 1
You know what the real problems are
Conservatives
Liberals.
Conservatives because when it comes to the Internet they will not give the parents the tools needed to easily regulate the Internet from the home. For example the Conservatives are the ones that killed the .xxx domain because they think it'll add more porn on the Internet.
Liberals because they'd rather sit on their hands rather then do something productive. They'd rather complain then fix something.
(Note: I did not say a party, I used my words the way I did, because both parties are mixed with each type of Ideal)
Post (rant) 2
Should we sue malls because they are tools for pedophiles? Or schools for having cheerleaders in skirts? Or schools for not doing enough of a background check so they hire a pedophile? City parks? Chucky Cheese (sp)? Church?
Look there have always been tools out there that get abused. But you know what keeps the kids mostly safe at the mall, school, church, and park. A community of responsible parents. Parents should know what their kids are doing, and if their own parents don't know, the other parents in a community should let them in on it to help protect the children. As they say it takes a village to raise a child. What ever happened to that logic?
Blaming a tool for anything would be like blaming this techdrit for letting me write this inept rant. I say we sue techdrit for letting me say; FUCK !
Who's with me, they have deep pockets like myspace right?
I mean when everything is said and done, people sue big biz mostly for money, right?
Rant at you later
-Justin
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
No, it's not that at all. I do not long for a Mad Max post-apocalyptic world. I just want you to butt out of my business, that's all (not you you, the generic you). Personal responsibility is NOT the same as dissolution of government, in spite of your straw man.
If I am using a product in the intended way, and it fails thereby causing me harm, it is the manufacturer's responsibility and the harm to me should be actionable against them. If I am using a product in a way other than intended (read, "being stupid") and I am thereby harmed, it is my own fault.
To wit: if I am advised that giving out personal information on the internet might not be a good idea, but I do it anyway, the negative repercussions are my responsibility, not the responsibility of MySpace or Yahoo or anyone else. If, though, I have taken reasonable steps to protect my personal information, but AmEx or Verizon decides to submarine me and publish my information anyway, then they should suffer the pain of compensating me for anything that happens to me as a result. Or, the state requires auto makers to install seatbelts. I'm all for that, an expectation of a safe product is perfectly reasonable. Efforts have been made to tell people about the importance of using seatbelts. I'm all for that, education is a Good Thing. But you can take your "click-it-or-ticket" law and stuff it up your ass. That is "Nanny state" bullshit, and I want no part of it. I have been informed about the relative risks in both directions regarding the safety feature, how I choose to use or not use it is my own damned business, as are the consequences of that choice.
Personal responsibility is NOT a free-for-all. It is about a reasonable expectation that you know coffee is hot. So to speak.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
Someone shooting him at the range or in the woods? What about someone running my kid over while he's on his bicycle? Again, that's has a greater probability of happening than him getting shot.
By the way, did you ever hear of a "redneck's" kid getting shot? Most accidental shootings you hear about aren't by BillyBob Redneck, but by slick willies who don't take proper precautions, have no training in firearm safety and don't bother ingraining proper gun safety with their children...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
Not just in America - we need parents to start acting like parents and actually RAISING their child. Not just policing them until they are old enough to police someone else.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
How people can blame MySpace because they haven't taught their daughter to not post enticing photos, to not brag about being the school 'ho at 15 and to not talk about drinking and drugs.
Girls can't be lured into anything unless they willingly participate. You can't stop the predators from preying, but you can stop your daughter from entertaining strangers in chat.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
what most of you twentysomethings and singletons don't understand is that most parents need help; we no longer live in the day and age when parents are home to monitor their kids activity; the problem with the internet is that naive kids feel empowered to act on stupid impulses because of anonymity; and anonymity shields would-be predators. there needs to be a way to put kids in some kind of lock down. will there be hacks ? as sure as kids who sneak out in the middle of the night and get a fake ID. do parents need to be educated about how to guide their children's internet adventures - sure. someone needs to address it, seems like a good way to make money if you ask me -- there's a need and the need must be filled.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
And the point isn't to have you home to monitor your kids 24/7. The point is to instill (preferrably from a young age) a sense of right and wrong so that these kids can make informed and responsible decisions on thier own.
Will they screw up? You betcha. I did some really stupid things as a kid even though my parents were very good with the whole right/wrong thing. I slashed up a storage room door in my apartment building with a friend just to see who's knife was sharper. We tore that thing all kinds of up. Stupid thing? Yup. Did I know better? Yeah. Did I feel bad afterwards? Damn right, especially after my mom drove home the "we taught you better than that" lesson.
The important things, tho, like "don't talk to strangers who want to touch you in bad places"... yeah. That's a no-brainer. "Don't steal that box of candy from the store?" OK, sure, they may have to learn that one the hard way. But as a parent, are you going to hold the store responsible for putting th candy out there to be stolen? No. It's your responsibility to teach them, not the store's responsibility to enforce morality on your child.
And I know the argument has/is going to be made about "what if my kids to avoid strangers, but are molested because some predator found them". First and fore-most, you'd have my sympathy. Second, it's the fault of the molester. Not the fault of the owner/facilitator of the forum through which the predator found your child. The predator's parents should have done a better job raising the bastard. The bastard knows right from wrong in situations like this and chooses to do what they do.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
What if an emergency arises while you can't be contacted, a health professional has to touch her in bad places, and impale her belly button with a peritoneal syringe -- and depending on the doctor or lawyer you ask, the procedure "may" have been necessary?
But as a parent, are you going to hold the store responsible for putting th candy out there to be stolen? No.
What if stores offer free unlimited candy to kids, and your kid goes berserk wanting to hoard mountains of them? In a free market economy, stores have an incentive to provide services such as those to attract customers; on the other hand, it has disastrous consequences upon public health.
Not the fault of the owner/facilitator of the forum through which the predator found your child.
What if the owner/facilitator had heard rumors that the person might be a predator, but it could not be substantiated? Does the owner/facilitator still have zero responsibility? Or if the owner/facilitator doesn't do anything to stop every predator from using their forum, does the owner/facilitator still have zero responsibility?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Excesses of the
thats just wrong man.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
The person who does something, and only the person who does that particular act is responsible for his or her own actions.
NO ONE ELSE.
This is not overly independant thinking, it is the basis for keeping also sorts of nastyness from being blamed on people who don't have a clue..
People Like YOU!
The Poison Pen
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
I raised my children and help to raise my grandchildren. Not only do I agree with everyone here suggesting PARENTING as the option to blaming others, I resent others who want to tell me how to parent my own children. Not only is PARENTING our responsibility...it is our right.
It's a longwinded read but to see but one potential example of what happens when "independent thought" is subjugated by governmental interference try Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged".
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
As opposed to your view that the provider of a service should be responsible for what people are doing with their services? That's BS... If I invent a drug that cures cancer and some jackass finds out that you can use it to get high and starts selling it illegally so people can use it for that purpose, does that make the drug inherently bad? No... MySpace sucks in my opinion. I don't like the idea behind it, I don't like the interface, and I certainly don't like the content. But the fact remains that millions of people use myspace everyday. It is a service that obviously has a place in our society.
The service they provide does not claim to be moderated and they are not responsible for the content contained on it. This is how it should be. I agree with the majority on this one. Parents need to be held responsible for the actions of their children. Columbine showed us the folly of ignoring what our children are doing. Of course it also showed us that gun makers and video game producers can be sued if we ignore our children.
I have 2 young children and I know what they are doing and where they are at 99.9% of the time. I am instilling the importance of taking responsibility for your own actions in my children. If they do something wrong, they are punished for it. If my daughter hits my son, I don't sue the producer of a movie or tv show that she watched because she saw someone hit someone else on that show!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
Its like having a GUN in front of you, you picks it up and shoot a fellow.
Well you can always defend your self by saying that you didn't commit that crime it was the TOOL (GUN in this case) which did it. There for your are not resposible for that.
And may be Department of Justice can let you free.
---------------(That was sarcasm if you think I really agree with you)----------------
It is parents responsibility to watch over their kids. If they have internet access they should talk with their kids about how to use it. ONLY PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE for their kids illigle actions. If parents spend enough time with their brainless child and put some legitimate brain in them all this could be stopped.
Don't say that is the TOOL and not the individual. Its always INDIVIDUAL who did not have enough comprehention to what is good and what is bad.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
Dorpus... you seem to be implying that it should be everyone else's responsibility for what I do.
-When I wake up in the morning late for work, it's the alarmclock maker's fault that the alarm wasn't loud enough.
-When I burn myself on the coffee pot rushing out the door, it's Mr. Coffee's fault for having a hotplate.
-When I'm in too much of a rush backing out of my driveway and nick a neighbor's mailbox, it's the mailbox maker's fault for not making them more damage resistant or the car's manufacturer's fault for not making a warning system
-When I run over some girl's little doggy on my way out of the neighborhood, it's the municipality's fault for not enforcing a stricter leash-law
-When I spill condiments on my clothes from my drive-thru food, it’s the food establishment’s fault for not providing better food packaging that I can use as a plate in the car
Or, maybe... just maybe its:
-My fault for staying up too late the night before or not having the alarm clock closer to my bed
-My fault for not watching what I was doing while putting the coffee pot back on the burner
-My fault for not watching where I was backing
-My fault for not paying attention to the road
-My fault for eating food in a car on the road
It’s sure as hell not the government’s fault for any of this. And shifting the blame back to where it’s supposed to be (me); that’s not going to dissolve the government or civilization and it’s not going to plunge us into anarchy.
I know the examples I put above are nowhere near the severity and level of child molestation. But I molest a child, whose fault is it? It’s mine. That’s all.
I don’t know where we got this idea that everyone in our lives has to monitor what we do and serve as a conscience for us. Aren’t we supposed to be capable of, and responsible for, our own moral decisions? Doesn’t it strike anyone as worrisome that we seem to be giving other people control over what we shouldbe considering as right and wrong?
Maybe if the government wasn’t so damned busy answering the misplaced and unnecessary call of the irresponsible and the self-proclaimed blameless… maybe they could move on to fixing other problems that are their responsibility.
The government is what we make it and what we allow it to become. Holy sh** have we screwed something up somewhere.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
If I am using a product in the intended way, and it fails thereby causing me harm, it is the manufacturer's responsibility and the harm to me should be actionable against them. If I am using a product in a way other than intended (read, "being stupid") and I am thereby harmed, it is my own fault.
Is it so black and white, though? What if you use a swimming pool in exactly the intended way, but over time, you acquire hypersensitivity pneumonitis because of the chlorine in the water? Is it your fault for having never heard of hypersensitivity pneumonitis before? Or did the manufacturer/government have some moral responsbility to educate the public on an obscure disease? If you took aspirin in exactly the intended way, and over time it causes you to develop a severe medical problem without knowing it, is it your fault or the aspirin maker's fault?
Gabriel Tane:
Dorpus... you seem to be implying that it should be everyone else's responsibility for what I do.
-When I wake up in the morning late for work, it's the alarmclock maker's fault that the alarm wasn't loud enough.
What if a rat bites the alarm clock power cord, starts an electrical fire, and you die? Whose responsibility is it then?
When I burn myself on the coffee pot rushing out the door, it's Mr. Coffee's fault for having a hotplate.
If a poorly washed coffee pot develops a steam bubble that spontaneously explodes, sending glass fragments that damage your eye, is it your fault or the maker's fault?
When I spill condiments on my clothes from my drive-thru food, it’s the food establishment’s fault for not providing better food packaging that I can use as a plate in the car
If all food package makers use very tough packaging that only strong adults can open, does it not become an accessibility issue? If even strong men have to use a tool to open a jar, and then that jar explodes and says food flying all over the kitchen, does not the manufacturer bear a responbility to make more accessible products?
Aren’t we supposed to be capable of, and responsible for, our own moral decisions?
An individual has a limited capability to control his/her life, when manufacturers monopolize production, and individuals cannot be expected to understand every obscure health hazard that does exist.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
What if a rat bites the alarm clock power cord, starts an electrical fire, and you die? Whose responsibility is it then?
No one's responsibility. Perhaps mine for not maintaining a pest control program for my house? That far into a hypothetical requires a bit more info to quantify the situation. It’s not the alarm clock manufacturer’s fault that the rat got into my house. As far as the cord catching fire when bit… there’s risk involved with anything that uses electricity.
If a poorly washed coffee pot develops a steam bubble that spontaneously explodes, sending glass fragments that damage your eye, is it your fault or the maker's fault?
That one would be my fault... "poorly washed".
Upkeep of items that I purchase is my responsibility. That's why insurance excludes losses for damage caused by lack of maintenance/upkeep.
The condiments illustration was more along the lines of 'biting into a burger and squirting mustard on myself'. Sorry that I wasn't more clear on that. That one was my bad.
...does not the manufacturer bear a reasonability to make more accessible products?
No. Such a responsibility does not reside anywhere. The only requirement on a manufacturer's part is to make a safe product. Such that the item is used "as intended by a reasonable and prudent person". In the ‘rat biting the power cord’ analogy above, a “reasonable & prudent person” would keep his/her house clean of vermin and would make sure they could not create a fire hazard. "Reasonable" and "prudent" are the bywords here. Sure, they're fuzzy as hell, but those are the terms used in legal enforcement of negligence.
As consumers, it is our responsibility to educate ourselves on what we are consuming. In your example about hypersensitivity pneumonitis, it is our responsibility to make a "reasonable effort" (there's that word again) to educate ourselves on what we're getting into. True, H.P. (sorry, long word) seems to be a rare thing (I’ve never heard of it), but it's not a pool manufacturer's responsibility to make sure we're aware of a possible risk like that.
Unfortunately, by allowing lawsuits like this to stand, we force that responsibility on manufacturers. Hence the Ergonomic Warnings on keyboards, monitors, and desks that we see now a days. It shouldn't be a keyboard manufacturer's responsibility to warn us about the risks involved in using their product... I could drop a keyboard on my foot (hey, it’s a risk), but it’s my fault if I do so. But fear of a lawsuit against them has caused them to accept the responsibility anyway.
Perhaps it would be best if we step back and boil it down here. What we’re talking about here is ‘who’s responsible’. Ok. That would be the party that would be guilty of negligence. Negligence is simple to illustrate, but difficult to prove. Here are the requirements for it:
1)There must be a “reasonable and prudent” duty to act or perform (or not act or perform, depending on the situation)
2)There must be a breach of that duty (proof that the party failed to act when it should, or vise versa)
3)There must be actual damage caused (easy to show, but usually hard to quantify)
4)There must be an unbroken chain of events linking the original failure-to-act to the damage caused. (usually referred to as “proximate cause”)
In any one of your illustrations, apply the situation to these 4 criteria and see if it fits. If it does, then the party would be considered responsible.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
What if it was washed as well as the dishwasher washes it, and the coffee pot explodes? Or conversely, if the coffee pot was extremely well washed, causing the water to superheat and explode violently? Should manufacturers design better coffee pots that are more resistant to explosion? Or should the public passively accept "free market forces", and allow lazy coffee pot makers to keep making dangerous products?
[i]No. Such a responsibility does not reside anywhere. The only requirement on a manufacturer's part is to make a safe product. Such that the item is used "as intended by a reasonable and prudent person". [/i]
What if your grandmother cannot open food packaging because it is too tough? Should you or she passively accept the fate that she cannot eat food on her own? Or do manufacturers have a responsibility to build more accessible products?
[i]As consumers, it is our responsibility to educate ourselves on what we are consuming. In your example about hypersensitivity pneumonitis, it is our responsibility to make a "reasonable effort" (there's that word again) to educate ourselves on what we're getting into. True, H.P. (sorry, long word) seems to be a rare thing (I’ve never heard of it), but it's not a pool manufacturer's responsibility to make sure we're aware of a possible risk like that. [/i]
What if a consumer makes a "reasonable" effort, but doesn't find out about a particular danger, but the danger is still common? The prevalence of HP, caused by various products ranging from swimming pools, cleaning chemicals, to other household products, is very high; most physicians do not properly diagnose the condition. Should there be medical research, public education, and greater safety standards enforced, or should consumers passively accept living in a world where they have recurrent asthma or lung infections, having no idea why it keeps happening, and taking lots of useless antibiotics that harm them, by physicians who can't figure it out or care?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
Is it the manuf.'s fault that I use a dishwasher instead of washing by hand and verifying that things are clean?
Or conversely, if the coffee pot was extremely well washed, causing the water to superheat and explode violently? If it was a design flaw that lead to the explosion, absolutly. But if it were a freak accident that could have happened to any glassware... protection from that would fall outside of the "reasonable and prudent" dutys of the manuf. They can't forsee everything.
Or do manufacturers have a responsibility to build more accessible products?
Again, no they don't. If Can Company A makes something that my grandmother can't open, it's time to buy from Company B. But it's not their responsibility to provide for my convenience. You're making it sound like starvation would be the result of a difficult jar. There's other food out there. Not to sound like a smartass, but bread is pretty easy to open.
With the HP thing, yes. You're hitting on something that could be a manuf.'s resposibility. Except for one small detail. A pool is a luxury item. It's my risk to have one. There's noone telling me to get one and it's not required for my livelyhood.
For the household cleaners, yes, that's the manuf's responsibility to make sure the consumer understands that the intended use of the product could be dangerous if not used with certain precautions that would be unknown to a reasonable and prudent person.
For the doctors; that's a negligence issue and they are responsible for intentional misdeeds, or intentional laziness.
Alas, this will be last post on this for the day. I have enjoyed the debate immensly, but it's friday night. Party time. If you want to contiune this outside of the list, send to my name (with no spaces) at yahoo-dot-come.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[...] Should manufacturers design better coffee pots that are more resistant to explosion? Or should the public passively accept "free market forces", and allow lazy coffee pot makers to keep making dangerous products? [ed: additionally, some things aboug grandma opening her tunafish and chronic illness caused by drinking the pool water]
I am driven to wonder what your criteria for "dangerous" is. I have owned several coffee makers, and have operated dozens more. While perhaps not statistically significant held against the thousands (perhaps millions) in use, I have yet to encounter a spontaneously exploding carafe.
That is not to say that such does not happen, but I'm comfortable that the rate of exploding coffee makers is reasonably safe. After all is said and done, reasonably safe is the best we can ever hope for. No manufacturing process is perfect, there will always be a failure rate. Your villified "free market forces" drive towards a product that is as safe as possible for what consumers are willing to pay. Whether you believe it or not, this is a Good Thing.
Mr. Coffee could make a coffee maker that would never burn to the touch, with enough sensors to shut off to avoid fires, with a bullet-proof carafe that would never, ever break - but nobody is willing to pay $5000 for a coffee maker on their kitchen counter. I personally flinch at anything above $50. This is not the point.
My carafe breaks. I can sweep it up and buy a new one. If it's a manufacturer's defect, maybe they'll send me one for free. If it's a widespread defect, maybe they'll recall the model and I'll get a whole new coffee maker (and maybe damages, if there are any). If I cut myself sweeping up the pieces, I feel qualified to operate a band-aid.
Grandma can buy a can opener. If Grandma is so enfebled that she can no longer operate a can opener, she can move into an assisted care facility. Or move in with relatives. Any number of recourses, frankly, that are far more reasonable than assuming that Starkist is under some mystical obligation to redesign the tin can.
Your swimmer who contracted HP is unfortunate. This does not make chlorination evil, though, as it staves off the much more prevelant and serious symptomology that is brought on by cholera. Sometimes the best choice is the lesser of two evils.
This, then, is the point - you cannot solve all problems for all possible situations, be it coffee makers or tuna cans or pool water. You have to make due with the solution that gives the best result the majority of the time. This in the spirit of the Law of Diminishing Returns.
Here's the thing, though - this is alright. Nothing wrong at all here. It is a simple reality that doesn't need to be fixed. This is not the same thing as saying that we should just accept it all as unchangable. Uh-uh. There's nothing stopping you from seeking a better alternative to chlorination. You come up with something that controls cholera without causing HP, good on ya! The world just became better for it. But don't think we're going to cut our nose to spite our face by not using chlorine in the meantime.
With the proper information in the proper context, there is such a thing as acceptable risk. Say I suffer from Condition Y. Product X seems to do a bang-up job of controlling my Condition Y. But, NO! There's a news report saying that Product X TRIPLES my odds of Medical Calamity Z! Ye Gods, Sue the Company! Yank it from the market! Woe and Wail, how could the FDA let this tripe pass?
But wait. All other things being equal, the normal level of occurrance in the wild for Medical Calamity Z is 1 in 10,000. So "tripling my odds" now means that I'd be at a risk of 3 in 10,000. Y'Know, I'm pretty alright with those odds. I mean, I put myself to at least that risk every time I drive my car somewhere, so if Product X can help me and 9996 other people live with Condition Y, I see no reason to go off half-cocked removing it from the market under some foolish notion that zero risk is attainable. But that's just me.
You're trying to Nerf-coat the world. This is naive. In fact, I'll go so far as to say it's harmful. I don't want to see anybody get hurt, don't get me wrong. Still, information without context is useless. Worse than useless, it gives a false sense of understanding that lulls one into complacency. I can tell my two-year-old "HOT!" all day every day, but there's no context for that information until she finally manages to touch the oven door when I'm looking the other way. Yes, it hurts her. Yes, it breaks my heart to see her in pain. But now she has context. Now, when I say "HOT!", she has incentive to jump away from whatever it is. This negative association with pain is hard-wired into our sense of self-preservation. It fosters awareness. It fosters vigilance.
Rounded corners and extra padding are nice, and properly applied are a good thing, but the effort to prevent every last cut, bruise, and skinned knee, in the end, does a disservice to us all.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Excesses of the
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
I think the issue here is that as long as these communities exist, the users must show an inch of toleration and even more maturity. In the case of youngsters and teens, Parents need to exercise a little control.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
paper
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Good article
- S
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
Let's shut down businesses because they provide a service only adults are supposed to be using in the first place.
It's pretty easy folks, it doesn't even require knowing anything about a computer. There's easy to use software out there to block these sites and you can also visually monitor what your child does. I don't know much about cartoons these days, but I still make the effort to know what my son is watching so I can have some control over what he is being exposed to.
Your kids are probably surfing free porn and using your credit card to play online poker. You have no clue because you either don't pay attention or don't want to feel like a bad parent. Stop blaming media for your child's issues and address the real problem: your inability to say no to your child.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
Before you get your panties in a wad (or knickers in a twist, for you Brits), I'm being facetious...mostly :P
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
MySpace
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
my space
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Myspace created child molestation
But the best thing we have done to protect them from "sexual predators" is talk to them about it.
Because, come on; if girls don't know that boys/men are being nice to them because they want to have sex with them, ("i thought he was going to give me a back rub": true quote from the daughter of a church-go'er after she found out she was pregnant) then they are SORELY unprepared for Life in general.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
#1: Whatever happened to teaching the kids to, "Never speak to strangers", as this really seems to have gone out the window.
#2: If you don't know how to use a computer, don't know how to keep it safe, and are unwilling to learn, then don't own one. Would you own a gun with the same reguard, or would you learn to shoot it, and lock it up? I know they are a triffle different in mechanics, but they can both lead to terrible concequences.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
civility
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
School bus stops!!
Do you have ANY IDEA how many pedophiles hang out around school bus stops??? And so-called responsible parents REQUIRE their innocent children to go there, day after day!! Like sending lambs to the slaughter!!
I'm telling you, the sky is falling!! Outlaw school bus stops before it's too late!!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: School bus stops!!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
What about the power companies? Without power - they couldn't get to the website either - so the power companies facilitated it.
The coal mining companies... supply coal to the power plants, without them supplying coal the power companies wouldn't be able to supply power to the computers.
Oh, don't forget microsoft - without MS, the idiots couldn't get on to the web anyway..
Oh yeah and the Government - afterall, they regulate the telcos, power companies, coal mining companies, etc.. so they are responsibile for not regulating the telcos who give service to the ISPs and in turn Myspace.
Oh - the steel industry - gotta blame them too - it was afterall copper lines the data traveled over. Oh and the plastics companies that make insulation for the wires.
Oh, don't forget all the various manufacturers of computer hardware - without said computer hardware, then Myspace couldn't operate to serve up pages..
hmm - seems like we can put the blame anywhere using the right logic - too bad people are too damn stupid to blame who's really at fault -- the idiots putting up the web pages.
lol
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
they have some precautions... besides you have to be legal age to join.... if you are younger then you violate some of their contracts and then it is the user's fault again.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
WOW
I have to agree though, it is 100% the parents responsiblity to educate their kids about the dangers in the world. If you are going to let your child surf the Internet, monitor them! There are things like browser history and URL filtering for a reason. If you find something that they have viewed that they shouldnt have, sit down and talk with them to explain to them what they looked at and why they shouldnt have viewed it.
Education is by far the most effective tool against these kind of things. Back to the basics of do not talk to strangers, do not give out personal informaton on the Internet, and for goodness sakes talk to your kids about sex! I think that these would be a really good starting place.
Just for the record, NO, I do not have any kids, so no, I do not know what it is like to raise them. However, I do think that my parent did do a good job a raising me, and I think that I can follow by example.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
They deserve it;
I knew to stay away from strangers and how to run and hide since I was six years old, I learned about sex when I was 8, and I figured I wanted some by the time I was 11.
I have not ever been assaulted or have I assaulted anyone.
Kids are not stupid folks, they just need rules and guidelines on how to behave, on the internet, and everywhere else.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
MySpace
But then again, with technology expanding at lightning speeds, its much easier to put the blame elswhere rather than accepting responsibility.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: MySpace
What cracks me up about myspace is, all the people who would normally be hanging out on AOL, end up going there. What a steaming pile that place is.
It also has to be one of the most poorly designed and spam ridden websites of all time.
Congrats to whoever owns myspace, you create a real moron-magnet.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: MySpace
It also has to be one of the most poorly designed and spam ridden websites of all time.
Congrats to whoever owns myspace, you create a real moron-magnet."
Best comment in the whole thread so far, honestly, what a crappy website. Not to mention, who has time to update a profile of themselves...and why? Give your kid a hobby.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: MySpace
Rupert Murdoch (FOX Broadcasting) owns MySpace... Pretty telling, eh?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: MySpace
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
To those who live in their bubble wrapped world...shit happens, and shit happens to your children! They may die, they may get in a car wreck 10 minutes from now and be thrown 100 yards from their car still holding onto the stearing wheel while their car(that brand new BMW you got for them for their 16th birthday) goes up in flames. Shit happens, but you can use some common sense and think back to when you were 16 and what you would have done on your 16th birthday with the brand new Corvette with 500 HP your parents got you and the dime bag a friend brought over with a 12 pack of beers on a long lonely highway. I didn't get a car until I was 18 years old, not because my parents didn't have the money, or because they didn't approve of my grades. Before being handed the keys to the ol'clunker I had to tell my Dad the names of 3 people in my class who died in a car wreck during highschool. I could have easily told him 10 names. Out of those 10, there were several thousand who survived. To the parents of those 10 children I say this, "Should've said no like my parents did, and they would be here today with me". I'm almost certain I would have died if I had been in a car back then because at that age I was an irresponsible little shithead, and my parents knew it.
I bet at your child's funeral you will probably think, "maybe i should've gotten him the mercedez instead of the beamer".
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
old subject
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Myspace
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
handguns were once new technology
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: handguns were once new technology
I don't mind my kids chatting online w/ people they know from the neighborhood or from school, but meeting online, even anonymously as a teenager has too many risks with in my estimation little to no redeeming value to the teenager. Those sites should restrict usage to 18 or 21 year olds and up.
Someone please help me understand what I'm missing.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: handguns were once new technology
The value of online socialisation is much the same as it is offline. Human interaction, common interests, furthering of knowledge and skill - that sort of thing. So why risk it?
Because you're dealing with a larger pool of people. Limiting yourself to your school or community can sometimes be just that - limiting. Online clubs offer the chance to talk to people from other areas, countries, social backgrounds and the like. You get to meet people that you probably wouldn't otherwise.
More people also means a higher likelyhood of finding others with similar interests, especially in cases of niche interests.
The vast majority of high schoolers are interested in who's dating who, what who is doing after the game, why this who thinks that who did whatever stupid thing that's going to cause a fight this afternoon. Whatever. If your freshman's interests lie outside of this stuff, the community avilable to him at school gets pretty small pretty quick. Online, though, you can find your clubs about astronomy, or stamp collecting, or role playing, or wherever the interests lie.
Or maybe he's socially awkward and it's easier to meet people online. (text is insulating against this in a way)
The truth, though, is that without knowing your son, I'm grasping at straws. I can't know his reasons for going online, I can only suggest possibilities.
The answer to your real question though, what you're missing, is that you're not missing anything. You want to know why he wants to socialise online. You're letting the computer cloud the issue. Just drop the word "online". The question is simply: "Why does he want to socialise?" The answer is that we all do, and we find the company we're comfortable with.
The other part of your comment is that you don't feel comfortable with the risk. The risks are these: carpal tunnel, maybe some eye strain. That's all the risk the computer brings to the table. All risk beyond that comes from people doing the things that people do - computer or no. You run more risk crossing the road. I believe this concept has been touched on better by others in these comments.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: handguns were once new technology
Bottom line is if I've done a good job of parenting then with an appropriate amount of supervision then I shouldn't have much to worry about.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
parents taking responsibility for their children
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
Just recently I have seen to where you have to be a member in order to see certain members profiles, etc. This wont curb the troubles that have been created by MySpace. They created a haven that the members used, and thought was safe. They created the problem because they turned a blind eye. It is one thing to say follow these security guidelines, and another to ask a member to post their location, etc.
But don't blame this all on MySpace either... There are plenty of other places online for people to post their info, and be involved with the people that visit their pages. Their personal information is on front page for all to see. I have seen quite a few use real names, and so on. So it's not just MySpace that is being the bad guy here. They only are getting all the bad rap because the place is more popular than the others online.
Of course the parents are to blame also. So this whole blame fiasco should be shared by all involved. Perhaps places like MySpace need to include the security page into a new members sign up sheet. In other words every place they ask for information, they have a area for the person to read that pertains to that info, and a place for them to check mark stating they understand the security measures, and the ramifications of posting their personal information. How many people do you know that actually go to a website and say "Oh I want to sign up but first I must read the security policy!" MySpace safety tips are excellent. You can see them here: http://www.myspace.com/misc/safetytips.html I just don't think they are in the face of the readers, or new sign up members. I also feel that because security is so much more important online than it has been in the past that it would be a good idea if places like MySpace emailed the security rules, and guidelines to all its members periodically.
Plus one more point I want to make is, security online was nothing more than a passing thing for years. People didn't have to worry about who was looking at what, or what you was maybe downloading was a infected file. Or even the information asked of you could put you in danger. It was unheard of. The Internet was not that open to your information. There are plenty people still that don't have a clue. To think that the Internet will become a secure place overnight is ludicrous.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
blaming MySpace for irresponsible user behavior
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
Look, if some girl meets some guy that's 15 years older than her off myspace and gets raped, it's partly her fault. She clearly did not think of the consequences of her stupid actions. It's the fault of the guy too for preying on younger girls.
Or, maybe some of these 'assaults' are actually consentual but since the girl is under 18, all she has to do is claim rape and the guy is immediately a 'sexual predator.'
Fact is, teenagers are doing stupid stuff online and it's their own damn fault for getting involved in it. Can't throw yourself in a lions den and then whine when you get bit. Idiots.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
PARENTS PARENTS PARENTS
Now where MySpace is wrong, is the amount of crap they dump on the computer, and the information they are selling.
Children need to be tought what we were all taught, wanna see or speak to a friend walk your arse over to their house and get some exercise.
The Children of today are lazy, disrespectful and learning everything the computer shows them. Who is at fault. It is the parents period. Is it all the children, no it is not. But it is surely more then what we should want.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Thank you!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for showing some common sense regarding these predators and MySpace. I completely agree that you should focus the blame and punishment on the person committing the crime, not the medium in which they committed it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
YEAH
Not myspace.
psh
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
myspace
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
no!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I agree
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
look
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I THINK THAT THEY should not be responsible about
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
dis article
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
no!!!!!!!!!!!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Myspace?
Closing down MySpace wouldn't fix the problem. Best solution is to avoid letting them use their computers outside their bedrooms. Provide online access somewhere in the household where parent control can be executed.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
myspace? -read this one
Closing down MySpace wouldn't fix the problem. Best solution is to avoid letting them use their computers INSIDE their bedrooms. Provide online access somewhere in the household where parent control can be executed.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
it's juzz dangerous
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: it's juzz dangerous
The fact is that no one has ever been injured or molested over the internet. For that to happen the victim would need to be wearing some type of force-feedback suit and honestly those are pretty easy to remove.
Myspace users don't hav to meet anyone in person. Most don't . Even if they do it isn't the end of the world. The dangers of meeting people in person for the first time can easily be mitigated by not being a dumbass. Meet in a group in a public place. If that 15-year-old boy looks more like 51 in person then don't go to his hotel room. . It is as simple as that.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
UR fault
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
well its your fault
dummy.......
haha..u suck
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
What I think...
BTW to the guy with the six year old with a gun, I honestly applaud you. Thats great that you take the time to spend TEACHING your child things about life. And I feel it is okay to own guns, cuz guess what people, if we didnt have guns, we would have died out awhile ago....that what we used to hunt food...its a matter of respecting the situation and respecting other who shoot. If u dont like it, dont own a gun, but you have no right to tell others they are rednecks for owning a gun. Thats their choice to make, not yours, plus the ones with the guns are the ones over seas saving your ASS! God Bless our troops!!!!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: What I think...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
What I think...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
AY DATS REAL KID
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: AY DATS REAL KID
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
my space
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
NO!!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
it's more than what is said here
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Obviously!!
The site is there for everyone to use, however
-You CHOOSE to become a member.
-You CHOOSE to meet someone off MYSPACE!
Parents and Myspace are not responsible if someone gets raped because the person is stupid enough to meet someone they met over myspace..
I dont understand how suing Myspace will bring justice to anything..
face it.. ur child is making STUPID decisions and only
they are to blame!!
and everyone who thinks myspace is to blame is very stupid!..
here's a solution to help you stupid people.. GO TO SCHOOL.. AND MEET ACTUAL PEOPLE.. DONT DEPEND ON MEETING PEOPLE ONLINE YOU LOSERS!!.. Peace!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
MYSPACE!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Myspace is not the problem
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
wow people are stupid sometimes
NO, i don't believe myspace is the problem.. the problem is much bigger than many seem to realize. To be honest, it's much more a phase that must be lived by some for anyone to realize the wrongs in life. You can say it is the fault of parents, which in many cases it is, but is that the only truth? I don't think so. I can't say exactly where I'm going because the problem really has gone over all of our heads. The world is undoubtedly filled with good people and bad people alike. How can anyone fix that? I don't know. If there is a miraculous solution, then someone feel free to let it out. But, it makes no sense to sit at your computers and type out harsh, bullshit insults to people that you'll never see, especially when most of you wouldn't even have the guts to say these things if you ever did come face to face. I don't have the answers, but I try my best to help the world. All some of you are doing is adding more problems, so why are you even here?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
dont blame myspace
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
myspace
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
myspace... its the owners fault
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
what is to sexy for anyone ?
Sometimes.
When we're little.
And then we move on to beening teenagers.
And all of sudden we're grown up.
What do we learn?
From schools.
From work.
From Mom and Dad.
From Big sister or big Brother.
Tv teaches us sometimes good things.
And sometimes bad things.
Movies:
Sometimes good.
Sometimes bad.
Music:
Sometimes good.
Sometimes bad.
And the computer:
Sometimes good.
Sometimes bad.
The only place you don't want to be sexy with.
Is a stranger.
They lie.
They hurt you.
They want things from you.
Then they tell really scary.
Stuff.
They think it is a game.
You're a part of it.
The bad person.
Is the master of the game.
Them the bad people.
make your life a living hell.
And you think.
Iam no good.
I have no friends.
No boyfriend or girlfriend.
I want to end it all.
Because ,
The bad person.
puts my life on the line.
Just, like everyone.
Around you.
Please,
Tell them.
That crime.
Happens.
But, not many.
People end up.
Happy about it
Sincerley,Yours
Beware of strangers
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
MYSPACE SHOULD BE ALLOWED=)
SHIT SHOULD JUST NOT BE ALLOWED!IT'S NOT MYSPACE FUALT
IT'S THE PEOPLE'S FUALT!!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]