Get off the computer, it’s 2AM
Parents live in a bubble, especially when it comes to the internet. I always have to remind my parents that there are more than just Americans on the internet and that because we have webcams and microphones pre-installed into machines these days, the internet is a lot safer than what people make it out to be.
And you know, I do actually recommend that you do get a webcam and microphone for your teenager, especially since the more teens talk on Facebook and AIM, the more they become anti-social in real life. It’ll help you keep track of who they’re talking to, let them use their real words instead of txt speak, and allow them to actually know who they’re talking to. Teach them proper usage (and tell them to keep their clothes on, mind you), and there shouldn’t be any issues.
If anyone actually springs this to life, I’d love to get involved. I want a website that is just for teenagers that allows them to be pre-screened beforehand. Like, it’d be a website where they can meet different teenagers and chat to them. It’d be different Stickam and all those other websites because it’d just be for the 13-18 age range and would require school IDs and birth certificates to join. All of that would be private, but it’ll ensure that no one that is actually 25 but looks 14 joins. It’d have one-to-one or group chatting and the administrators would be able to silently check the streams to see if there was any abuse.
Facebook and MySpace are great for meeting new people, but their systems are so flawed in privacy and protection. We all want to be able to talk to each other, but we need to help keep the wrong crowd out.
