So, apparently some sickos have been trying to lure kiddies into a Bad Place using Myspace. So what’s the immediate reaction of our public servants? Do they give the matter a careful investigation? Do they promise to create commonsense barriers to prevent this from happening again? Do they tell parents that THEY should take a hand in teaching kids to be wary of their electronic “neighbors”?
Of COURSE they do. Why, were you expecting something like this piece of garbage? Now I know this might not become a reality. I just wanted to bring it up as an example of the kind of reactionary lawmaking that gets my blood going. Don’t they have at least the brains to examine the incident instead of using this kind of broadbush legislating? I guess not.
Stupid brainless taint-licking starfish sniffers! Get your damn noses out of the trough, you greedy sons of a leperous hog!!
Any insult to lepers, taint-lickers, or pigs was not intentional.
Hello, Love Rhombus Did you know a rhombus used to be called, in some places (my classroom, at least), a lozenge? It’s absolutely guaranteed to be true: http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Rhombus.html. Which only goes to show that a little sucking goes a long way. Anyhow:
Rather than deal with these things stupid piece by stupid piece, we really ought to channel the intellect and energy of the SDMB toward a one-size-fits-all, absolutely devastating, instantly available rejoinder to anyone who proffers any argument on any topic based on the vulnerability of unsupervised or poorly-supervised children, for the relief and support of those whose expertise, responsibility and good nature are not to blame for the idiocy of headline-chasing congressmen. And there should be a prize. I’m willing to kick in a few bucks, as long as I get to be one of no more than nine judges, and I get to enter (disqualified for prizes, of course).
Ah yes, another trip down the Helen Lovejoy Expressway. Where the 'net is concerned, there is no reaction too large for Congress to suggest it, or freedom too small for them to propose limiting it.
The linked story says the bill would forbid libraries from providing access to MySpace. Interesting to me – I just started work as a reference librarian in a public branch library. The most popular thing we offer is a set of Internet-linked computers, and quite recently and suddenly, patrons found our filtering software (which we use to prevent users from going to porn sites, etc.) was blocking them from accessing MySpace. Not a policy decision of the library system, AFAIK; I guess whoever runs the software made that decision (or else the software itself made the decision, automatically, when it detected some objectionable content on MySpace). However, we have been provided with a password we can use to override the block for a patron who wants to access MySpace. That only works on the adult side of the floor. On the computers in the children’s section, the blocks cannot be overriden.
It’s ironic that the glut of information sources in the modern world has led legislators to become more reactionary in their actions. It’s almost like they feel they have to react as strongly as humanly possible in order to be heard over the cultural background noise.
Not necessarily, but you have to admit, “Love Lozenge” is delightfully filthy.
As far as dumbass congressmen go – it doesn’t have a chinaman’s hope in Google of passing. But that kind of politicial reactionism typifies the response of the weak who are tring to appear effective: Smother the symptoms and hope the disease goes away on its own.
God forbid they should concentrate on a solution instead of misdirection.
But, does any “solution” to online solicitation of minors really suggest itself? Pedophiles and ephebophiles do seem to pop up in every generation, and who knows why?
Perhaps the real mistake is regarding that as a much more widespread problem than it actually is.
Defined as someone attracted to a person as much as three years under the age of consent. Or something.
BTW, I wonder how many of the little darlings in the kiddy wing of the library you work at don’t know how to get around most filters. The political wingnuttery of the average filter designer is matched only by his inability to outwit a middle schooler.
Good Lord, I’ve been a programmer for 28 years, and I wouldn’t have a clue how to do that! Of course, I’ve never been anywhere where there was a filter so I’ve never tried.
MySpace should be banned on principle, simply for causing the creation of the largest collection of truly godawful websites since GeoCities. Overnight! And with sound! Argh.
Are predators and pedophiles really such a huge problem? I understand that the internet may give these sickos increased access to children but really, how bad is it? How many of them are out there? It’s not like MySpace and the internet are turning people into predators.
I realize that there is a need for reasonable caution but I think the level of danger to children is greatly exagerated.
Of course this legislation will fix everything. :rolleyes:
