Do You Think The Internet is A Dangerous Place for kids?

[mikkichan]

Well, I was just wondering if anybody think the internet is a dangerous place for kids. Cuz I'm currently reading a book name "Katie.com" it's a real story about a girl who go online and chat with some men then she got rape by that men. Sound pretty scary huh? In the back of the book, one of the review say that "It's a must read for parents who have children using the computer". I think they kindda exaggerated a bit cuz personally I don't think the iternet is dangerous if you know where you should go and should not. To me the internet is like a place to learn, have fun and experience. And I don't think parent should yell at their children for spending too much time online. So what do you guys think?

[windborn]

Hmm, this should belong in adult discussion :/ Anyway, yes, I do believe the Internet is a dangerous place for kids, girls especially, without adult supervision. Especially in chatrooms. I'm a regular at irc, and I can tell you that in some channels I'm in, there're constantly people advertising themselves to get a girl or something.

It is of course, also a place for learning, as you've mentioned. I agree that parents shouldn't yell at their children for spending too much time online IF they're doing something constructive, like learning programming or something. However, if they spend all their time watching porn and hentai...nothing really wrong with porn and hentai, but I don't think 10-year-olds should watch them.

I don't think the book is an exaggeration, just that it focuses too much on the bad side of the Internet.

[Shintenrouken]

It is a dangerous place unless you know what you can do and what you cannot do. You can't surf the web without knowing what you are doing. It's just like chemistry, you can't go about doing it not knowing what the outcome of it is, or else you've just messed up big time.
People just need to be more aware about what happens on the internet, childeren should be more helpfully informed about what they are allowed to do, so that when they come to a situation mentioned above, they know not to accept any invitation given to them over the internet like that.

There are very few ways of limiting the amount of this on the internet, but the main thing for having kids know how to surf safely.

In my opinion, this should be taught in school, now that computer and worldwide communication are now so widely used.

[DbzDP]

Parents need to get Hardware Firewalls not those shitty "Net Nanny" program those programs can be closed easly.

I used to go on this Anime Channel back in the day, the website also used JavaIRC, and this person I do not know.
Person: ASL?
Me: Go away
Person: Give me your ASL or I ban you.
Me: You ain't a IRCop, and I am reporting you.
Person: No point, you can't do shit.
Me: I swore at this person and said ban me then.
Person: I am been kind today.
Me: (Blocked this person) went to the main channel and said how thie person was preteing to do a IRCop.

Think is I know there are kids out there that would of giving there ASL or even more because they didnt wanna get banned.

The internet is a dangerous place for kids if they do not know what the **** they are doing. If they go around givning there REAL NAME, and their REAL HOME ADDRESS, they are just asking for trouble. Parents should tell there kids not to give there real name or home address to anyone.
Give a name like Racheal Smith. Which should be very common. DO NOT GIVE your HOME ADDRESS.

Also I once read how a PEDOPHILE tracked a girl, from her telling him her school logo and uniform. So do not give any information like that either.

If you are going to give some information give.

ASL = Your AGE, SEX, and COUNTRY you are in, never city or home address.
Name: Give your first name, or some fake one.
Address: Never ever give it. If they keep asking call your parents.


EDIT: I know I wrote a lot, but my parents are crap with PCs, they do not know how to use it. I had to teach myself all this. Thanks to Google.com of course

[Mortred619]

Well only specific sites but not all sites so i suppose 60 good 40 bad loh

[Stoned_Man]

Huh is the internet a safe place? What do you think.....Look at the news....Read abt anything realted to girls and the Internet lately?....Basically the Internet is a dangerous place if there is no supervision......Its like giving a child a knife to do wahtever they want with....If not used correctly the child may hurt themselves or others.....But if used correctly can be used for a number of good applications

[darren42]

the internet can become a dangerous place for those unprepare for the problems that come associated with the net. as long as you noe what you are doing you should be fine, but if you really have no idea how ugly the net can be under the veil of it being a good way to connect the world, then i sugest that you immediately learn from someone that does

[BHell]

It's dangerous only if parents don't take care of their kids properly, or they now s### about internet and don't tell their kids about the dangers of it. The rule is the same on the net, don't talk to strangers, though here you can talk to them, but not to tell them any sensitive info.

The internet is starting to be a part of our everyday life and it's not good to live without it, because it's really useful. But as everything in life it can also be dangerous, especially for kids, but if take care of their kids and talk with them, it should be less dangerous than walking through the streets. Censorship is bulls###, just take a good care of your kids and spend time with them!

[Natsume]

The internet is a double edged sword, if you use it proprly then you wont have trouble.....but if you were using it as a tool to get porngraphics or things that could piss off your family or beliefs then you'll get it.....

But why would a 10 year old kid would use it for hentai and such things when he or she hasnt reached puberty yet....if they want it that fast ; they should work at a whore house and don't bother us with there exitment to have sex.

[Zombie]

It really depends on the child, I think. Some kids are less careful or more gullible than others.

I once had a neighbor who tried to leave to meet her internet boyfriend three states away. 0_o She was fifteen at the time, and her parents stopped her so it was okay, but still - how does a person become so irrational? This person, though I didn't know her that well, seemed like a well-adjusted, smart, sensible person with friends and good grades.

As for myself, my only problems with the internet were when I accidentally downloaded spyware and adware and viruses... I was twelve at the time, so I was naive enough to click on popups and stuff.