Get Ready For The Mobile MySpace Freakout

from the what-about-the-children? dept

Tue, Jun 13th 2006 9:59am — Carlo Longino

With all the fuss about the dangers of MySpace and other social networking sites, it was inevitable that sooner or later, somebody would start talking about the added dangers of these sites on mobile devices -- and who better than a vendor selling products to "protect" kids to hype it up? It's a perfect confluence of scaremongering stories, with the obvious evilness of MySpace and the long-established link between 3G phones and pedophiles. Again, this is all rather pointless. There's nothing intrinsically unsafe about mobile phones or social networking sites when they're used responsibly. That should be the goal here -- teaching kids responsible use and behavior of these technologies, not implementing technical blocks, like filters that don't work anyway.

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39 Comments

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s1lent c, 13 Jun 2006 @ 10:40am

HAHA!
First post! :)
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Angry Rivethead, 13 Jun 2006 @ 10:42am

People are stupid.
If they fall into a pedophile's trap, they deserve it. Hopefully they won't reproduce. By the age of all of about maybe 8 months old I knew to stay away from people.
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- Zeroth404, 13 Jun 2006 @ 10:58am
  
  Re: People are stupid.
  Oh please, my earliest memories are from like 8 years old -- I can't remember anythign earlier than that. theres no way you can remember 8 months.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 13 Jun 2006 @ 11:07am
    
    Re: Re: People are stupid.
    of course he remembers, that was the special time between him and his dad.
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  - Angry Rivethead, 13 Jun 2006 @ 11:40am
    
    Re: Re: People are stupid.
    No, I really can't remember back to 8 months, I was exagerating, trying to get the point across that a dumb kid is a dumb kid and SHOULD get abused if they're stupid enought to fall for the trick.
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    - Charlie G., 13 Jun 2006 @ 11:53am
      
      Re: Re: Re: People are stupid.
      Really? Kids who are "dumb" (by your esteemed opinion) SHOULD get abused? Dumbfuck.
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    - SPR, 13 Jun 2006 @ 12:01pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: People are stupid.
      "No, I really can't remember back to 8 months, I was exagerating, trying to get the point across that a dumb kid is a dumb kid and SHOULD get abused if they're stupid enought to fall for the trick."
      
      You dumb ass. No one DESERVES to be raped, abused or killed because they made bad choices!!!
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    - SPR, 13 Jun 2006 @ 12:01pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: People are stupid.
      "No, I really can't remember back to 8 months, I was exagerating, trying to get the point across that a dumb kid is a dumb kid and SHOULD get abused if they're stupid enought to fall for the trick."
      
      You dumb ass. No one DESERVES to be raped, abused or killed because they made bad choices!!!
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    - SPR, 13 Jun 2006 @ 12:01pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: People are stupid.
      "No, I really can't remember back to 8 months, I was exagerating, trying to get the point across that a dumb kid is a dumb kid and SHOULD get abused if they're stupid enought to fall for the trick."
      
      You dumb ass. No one DESERVES to be raped, abused or killed because they made bad choices!!!
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      - Zeroth404, 13 Jun 2006 @ 12:10pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: People are stupid.
        thats entirely a matter of opinion and circumstance.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 13 Jun 2006 @ 12:47pm
    
    Re: Re: People are stupid.
    Too Many Drugs at 8 years old. huh?
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    - Zeroth404, 13 Jun 2006 @ 1:07pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: People are stupid.
      I don't recall any drugs until I was about 15 :-)
      
      Maybe I was brutally raped and still don't remember.
      
      Actually, I do have a couple scars that I'm not sure where I got....
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  - jezzi_, 29 Jul 2006 @ 1:18am
    
    Re: Re: People are stupid.
    I can remember as far back as 2yrs old...i remember what color our house was, what it looked like inside, the pets that we had, etc.... just because u cant remember any further back than 8yrs old doesnt mean that nobody else can. i agree tho, 8mos sounds pretty ridiculous. but if u cant recall things b4 8yrs of age, i would tend 2 guess that u r repressing old memories of some sort that u dont WANT 2 remember.
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- Adam, 13 Jun 2006 @ 12:34pm
  
  Re: People are stupid.
  No matter how stupid they are, children do not deserve to be abused. Kind of like how you don't deserve to be shot, despite the stupidity of your statements.
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Zeroth404, 13 Jun 2006 @ 10:56am

I've got an idea -- "Who cares?!"
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anonymous coward, 13 Jun 2006 @ 10:57am

Well, personally, I love my 3g cell phone plan from NAMBLA! I have unlimited kiddie minutes...
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David, 13 Jun 2006 @ 11:30am

No matter what teaching you do, they'll do their o
We are a christian family. We have brought our children up in the protestant church, go to church. Sent our daughter to christian school. I work in the computer field as a technician. I and my wife have told her about the safety issues and concerns that not only us but many people in the industry say about the problems with these types of sites. She still would go on them when we are not around. I blocked the sites from my firewall at home but she would just go on them at a friends house. It does not matter what you do, they will find a way around the blocks. These sites, along with other adult sites, need to be held accountable to someone. The internet is a free-for-all with no restrictions. A child under 18 is not allowed to go to a convienience store to get an adult magazine, but they can go to any web site they want for free porn. Who monitors the magazines and television? Have them monitor the internet sites.
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- Angry Rivethead, 13 Jun 2006 @ 11:44am
  
  Re: No matter what teaching you do, they'll do the
  This is about pedophiles, not porn.
  
  Porn hasn't hurt anyone...
  
  Unless you've brainwashed them into thinking that sex is wrong and dirty and they should be filled with shame everytime they crack wood. In my travels I've run across many sorry specimens people like you have damaged.
  
  But on the up side it looks like your children have surpassed your intelligence if they can already seen that the fairytales you've pushed on them are a crock.
  
  I hope they're gay just so you cry yourself to sleep.
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- Zeroth404, 13 Jun 2006 @ 11:58am
  
  Re: No matter what teaching you do, they'll do the
  Here, David. I wrote a Poem for you:
  
  http://toolnavy.com/showthread.php?t=51660
  
  I hope you like it. It came from my Heart.
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  - charlie potatoes, 13 Jun 2006 @ 12:16pm
    
    Re: Re: No matter what teaching you do, they'll do
    tripping has TWO T's dumb ass. unless you are actually referring to Tripe, the rather tasty lining of the cow's stomach...mmmm...such is the stuff of menudo, which is also a boy band...mmmm.. so...FUCK YOU TOWEL HEAD
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    - Zeroth404, 13 Jun 2006 @ 12:22pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: No matter what teaching you do, they'l
      ttriping has as many P's in it ass I waant you pieecee of shit
      
      :-p
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      - charlie potatoes, 13 Jun 2006 @ 12:41pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: No matter what teaching you do, th
        maybe that's how they spell in the desert where you're from...FUCK YOU TOWEL HEAD
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        Zeroth404, 13 Jun 2006 @ 12:55pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: No matter what teaching you do
        I'm really not sure wher your hostility is coming from.
        
        I'm also not sure why you think I live in the desert.
        
        I'm also not sure why you keep calling me a towel head.
        
        are you lost?
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- Zeroth404, 13 Jun 2006 @ 12:24pm
  
  Re: No matter what teaching you do, they'll do the
  I'm not sure what happened, but if you're a threaded viewer this post was meant for you:
  
  http://techdirt.com/article.php?sid=20060613/0956245&threaded=true#c146
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- Tyson, 13 Jun 2006 @ 1:40pm
  
  Re: No matter what teaching you do, they'll do the
  These sites, along with other adult sites, need to be held accountable to someone.
  Sorry but I just do not agree with this. The someone that needs to be held accountable is the parents. I know this is a huge debate, but at some point in time people have to own up to their own actions and responsibilities in the world. It should be the parent's responsibility to teach their children "Internet Safety", if you will. It is not something that seems would be that hard to do (I am personally not a parent, but I drawing from what my parent taught me); a few ground rules about not sharing personal information such as last name, phone number, address, etc and not meeting random people from the Internet in real life without doing it safely (Large group of friends, or adults present...)
  Blocking access to these sites will do more harm than good. By telling someone they cannot have something makes them want it even worse, especially with kids. In MY opinion trying to censor children from everything can be just as harmful as letting them loose with no control. Sorry to say, but I think it makes them naive about some things in life.
  But then that is just my opinion
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- jerry kuane, 13 Jun 2006 @ 2:03pm
  
  Re: No matter what teaching you do, they'll do the
  hold the sites accountable?? because your daughter rejects your views and morals it isnt the fault of the parents but of the site?? well i guess its easier to blame the site than your failure to be good parents and EDUCATING your daughter about the dangers that may be present.....all in all these sites are a heck of a lot safer than our city streets ......it just gets me mad when idiots Blame a site because their children wont obey them...in any event perhaps she wont grow up to be some uptight anal sys admin
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  - jezzi_, 29 Jul 2006 @ 1:41am
    
    Re: Re: No matter what teaching you do, they'll do
    I agree dude...u CANT hold the internet sites responsible...the fault is soley the parents! Im 34yrs old, went 2 a christian school from preschool thru 7th grade....i've also been going 2 pornographic websites 4 as long as i can remember. Im sure i could come up with more things that u wouldnt really wanna know about me, but i wont bother. My point is, no matter what, kids r gonna do whatever the fuck they wanna do rather the parent likes it or not! I have learned that MOST churches r full of hypocritical people...so Y bother??? U CAN worship whatever god u choose, from home and not even bother with all the hypicrites! Once i was old enough 2 realize that therf were other religous choices out there, other than the ONE that everybody told me that i HAD 2 believe...I fouod another type of religion....
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Jun 2006 @ 11:32am

Ouch, ice burn. Maybe people should keep a better watch on their idiot children.
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- Zeroth404, 13 Jun 2006 @ 11:47am
  
  Re:
  "We are a christian family. We have brought our children up in the protestant church, go to church. Sent our daughter to christian school."
  
  Thats irrelevant.
  
  "I work in the computer field as a technician. I and my wife have told her about the safety issues and concerns that not only us but many people in the industry say about the problems with these types of sites. She still would go on them when we are not around. I blocked the sites from my firewall at home but she would just go on them at a friends house. It does not matter what you do, they will find a way around the blocks."
  
  "These sites, along with other adult sites, need to be held accountable to someone. The internet is a free-for-all with no restrictions."
  
  There should be NO restrictinos. The internet is a place of freedom and choice. I don't care what your beliefes are, THE INTERNET IS NOT A PLAYGROUND.
  
  "A child under 18 is not allowed to go to a convienience store to get an adult magazine, but they can go to any web site they want for free porn. Who monitors the magazines and television?"
  
  You. you're the parent. I'm not going to dictate how to raise your children, but a healthy teenage mind will experiment with sex and pornography. When did sex become a bad thing?
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SeriouslyNow, 13 Jun 2006 @ 12:19pm

Hmmm
I see that the stupidity really isn't only on myspace.
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- Zeroth404, 13 Jun 2006 @ 12:31pm
  
  Re: Hmmm
  Look for it on the road.
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Concerned Parent, 13 Jun 2006 @ 1:18pm

This doesnt make sense
I think all of this is stupid. I dont hold anyone else responsible for my kids actions. I teach my kids the best I can and accept the reality that the world has ALOT of dangers in it. I pray that I have taught them well enough to deal with the real world out there. People need to stop pushing thier responsiblity onto everyone else and yelling that it is everyone elses fault. If you can't teach your kids how to deal with these things. Then the fault is purely yours.
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NGUVU, 13 Jun 2006 @ 1:20pm

Towel Head?
Zeroth's points were right on...fuckups.

The christian guy is lame, his stupidity is the reason the US is in Iraq and we have an ex cokehead for a president (which isn't that bad, unless that ex cokehead is a two timing, dumb as a box of rocks, hilljack from Texas)

And Rivethead, wow...you must have had some rivets shot into your head - so now I understand where you are coming from.

Finally, Charlie Potatoes - I have a towel for you...it's the crustated one in the corner of my closet...I would like to poke your eye out with it!
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NGUVU, 13 Jun 2006 @ 2:18pm

Re: No matter what teaching you do, they'll do the
Good call Jerry and Tyson...very good.
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Ben McNelly, 13 Jun 2006 @ 2:48pm

wow...
Up to this point people seem to be getting riled up about this. (or somthing?)

The way I see it is, yes, it is sad that we have a time in history where morality is is such a hard thing to come by. I dont think people are really that much less moral, just we are all more exposed to the unmoral things we do. Pornoraphy is no longer a closset adiction, and i wonder how many peoples kids are exposed to it, because of the adware pop-ups that got on the computer when thier parent was looking up porn.

Parents try to raise thier kids, to do bad things, but it happens. Happens allot in "Christian Families" because:

A. Parents are computer illiterate, and also fail in making good parenting decisions that explain WHY they are not allowed to do sertain things.

B. They may realise that the internet can be used for good or evil just like the TV or magazenes, but they dont trust thier kids.. and that causes rebelion.

C. The kids know daddy is doing the church secritary... (or maybe a less harfull, but equaly hypocritical act, like watching movies they shouldent..)

D. And last but not least, because we all fail and we all make bad decisions. Parents and children...

YES, techonology IS scarry sometimes. But the best way to combat it is to get involved with what your kids are doing online, not make them go elsewhere or sneak around you.

Thats like telling your kid they cant watch tv, because they might see a sex scene. Yes, we might have better kids without tv, but we would have very unprepared for real life kids, who are more likely to fall suspect when they are finaly on thier own.

When I was a kid, I knew enough to glance away quickly, and flip the channle when I came across somthing bad. Same thing on the internet.

You would think "Christians" would understand that this country was founded on freedom of speech and information, and we might as well live in China if we are going to mandate everything..

I can say enough on the fact that: the generation of people that let things slide like abortion, taking God out of schools and many more travisites, are the ones who complain the loudest now... Shut Up. Your the ones who brought us this nice liberated sexual movement and now you want all the gay people to go back to thier clossets, and teens to stop having illicit sex, and pervs to stop stalking thier kids. - Stop crying over spilled milk, and start living like true christians. (Causion, this may require getting your head out of a tight crack...)

- Ben
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- Zeroth404, 14 Jun 2006 @ 5:57am
  
  Re: wow...
  It's sad that morality is so much more important than freedom.
  
  Pornography is not an addiction. Heroin is an addiction. Calling porn an addiction is pejorative and silly.
  
  when did sex become a bad thing? I can't wait to see YOUR kids grow up without learning about sex, and then see them go berzerk and turn into perverts and rapists.
  
  If you can't properly parent a child, then you shouldn't be a parent.
  
  There is no such thing as evil. The universe is hostile, life feeds on life, etc. get over it. Its not evil. Its nature.
  
  This country was founded on freedom, but it was also founded on high treason.
  
  I usually don't complain about peoples spelling and punctuation, but damnit man, you need to take a writing class because your every other word is bogus.
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Ben McNelly, 13 Jun 2006 @ 2:50pm

lol
try to raise thier kids, to NOT do bad things...

you know what I mean ;-)
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SailorAlphaCentauri, 14 Jun 2006 @ 10:23am

About the whole MySpace is bad thing
I've noticed that when Dateline put out those shows where they were trying to capture pedophiles on the Internet (especially in their last several episodes), they always mentioned MySpace as a place where predators hang out. But what they failed to say is that almost all of the people captured on Dateline were caught on services other than MySpace. With the sixth grade teacher, he was on a Yahoo chat service...but because MySpace is the villan du jour, Dateline never brought that up.

The point is that the time has come for all the fearmongering to end. We aren't doing anybody's children any favors by scaring the crap out of their parents into believing that everyone on the Internet is out to get their son/daughter and so they must be kept sheltered so that he/she is either a) completely unprepared for the real world or b) rebels against his/her parent's wishes and are exposed to actual dangers. We need to educate sensibility, not propagate fear.
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MikeX, 26 Jun 2006 @ 2:20am

To Mr. Christian..
Well since everyone got to your post first, and have sufficiently batted you down about being another ignorant parent. I'll just add my $0.02 about this line you wrote:

"These sites, along with other adult sites, need to be held accountable to someone. The internet is a free-for-all with no restrictions. A child under 18 is not allowed to go to a convienience store to get an adult magazine, but they can go to any web site they want for free porn."

Myspace has porn? You sure know how to stay on topic. This is a debate about myspace, not internet porn. Myspace isn't an adult site, its aimed towards teens, and has sufficient security in place for protecting them. It is the victum's fault in these cases unfortunately because they lied about their age, or the parents fault for not being REALISTIC about family values. And by realistic I mean exactly the opposite of what you are putting your daughter through. Take the restrictions off her mind and body and let her be who she wants to be and she will take your advice about sex and relationships. You wont get anywhere by forcing her to conform, at least you understand that much.

-MikeX
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