thetransplant (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} thetransplant) wrote,@ 2005-11-25 23:18:00 |
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Two in one day?!
Just wanted to paste this little note I sent to MSNBC. Of course, I used my real name.
Re: Web Story Url: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6083442/
How irresponsible are you? I'm watching your MSNBC Special Report on
online child predators on Tivo here tonight, and I had to put it on
pause to write you this email. Just who in the hell does Rita think
she is?
I came of age technologically before Sundevil. My mom knew nothing
about computers. You know those little locks they used to have? I
wired a jumper to the back of the case the first time she tried to lock
me out. Cybersitter? Netnanny? Those are toys for children. Back in
my day a kid had to have smarts to make their 286 call Cleveland.
These days your average 13 year old can sam hack an admin password on a
Windows box.
Long story short, telling parents that there is any sort of
technological solution to knowing what your kid is up to online is
meaningless. To the egocentric Abercrombe kids who are too dumb to get
dressed in the morning without the help of The Gap, Netnanny might be
the solution. To people like me, who, when I was fourteen, considered
every attempt to curtail my interface with technology as a higher
hurdle to jump, or any security measure a problem to solve, Cybersitter
is child's play.
I'm talking about 14 years ago when I got started with technology.
Kids today start earlier. They know more. They're more curious. And
they have a lot of time on their hands. It takes guidance, patience,
trust, and understanding to keep them safe, not virtual locks that can
be defeated with the simplest of tools.
Unless your parent wants to be a part time sysadmin, they better wise
up and start understanding, knowing, and trusting. Their kids will
turn into very, very smart, tech-savvy movers and shakers, or very,
very smart, tech-savvy criminals. It all depends on whether, at that
critical age, parents teach them which doors to open, or force them how
to learn to pick locks.
Either way, they learn.
--
TheTransplant
P.S. The attached is an unadulterated screen capture from your
website. Maybe one of the dangers kids face online this Holiday Season
is a $100 Visa Gift Card from Grandma and a visit to msnbc.com?
[I can't do it without a paid account, but the image I attached (I hope they accept attachments) was a hilarious lil gem of an advertisement for buying wine online immediately to the right of DANGERS KIDS FACE... Damn near laughed my ass off.]
Just wanted to paste this little note I sent to MSNBC. Of course, I used my real name.
Re: Web Story Url: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6083442/
How irresponsible are you? I'm watching your MSNBC Special Report on
online child predators on Tivo here tonight, and I had to put it on
pause to write you this email. Just who in the hell does Rita think
she is?
I came of age technologically before Sundevil. My mom knew nothing
about computers. You know those little locks they used to have? I
wired a jumper to the back of the case the first time she tried to lock
me out. Cybersitter? Netnanny? Those are toys for children. Back in
my day a kid had to have smarts to make their 286 call Cleveland.
These days your average 13 year old can sam hack an admin password on a
Windows box.
Long story short, telling parents that there is any sort of
technological solution to knowing what your kid is up to online is
meaningless. To the egocentric Abercrombe kids who are too dumb to get
dressed in the morning without the help of The Gap, Netnanny might be
the solution. To people like me, who, when I was fourteen, considered
every attempt to curtail my interface with technology as a higher
hurdle to jump, or any security measure a problem to solve, Cybersitter
is child's play.
I'm talking about 14 years ago when I got started with technology.
Kids today start earlier. They know more. They're more curious. And
they have a lot of time on their hands. It takes guidance, patience,
trust, and understanding to keep them safe, not virtual locks that can
be defeated with the simplest of tools.
Unless your parent wants to be a part time sysadmin, they better wise
up and start understanding, knowing, and trusting. Their kids will
turn into very, very smart, tech-savvy movers and shakers, or very,
very smart, tech-savvy criminals. It all depends on whether, at that
critical age, parents teach them which doors to open, or force them how
to learn to pick locks.
Either way, they learn.
--
TheTransplant
P.S. The attached is an unadulterated screen capture from your
website. Maybe one of the dangers kids face online this Holiday Season
is a $100 Visa Gift Card from Grandma and a visit to msnbc.com?
[I can't do it without a paid account, but the image I attached (I hope they accept attachments) was a hilarious lil gem of an advertisement for buying wine online immediately to the right of DANGERS KIDS FACE... Damn near laughed my ass off.]
