Open Topic: NPR Online Predator Myth

[niz2109]

The last NPR Pod-cast we had to listen to talked about the online predator myth. The interviewee was saying that a new study showed that the notion of online predators is exaggerated. They claimed that what parents should really be worrying about is the fact that their children are knowingly getting themselves involved with an older man or woman

Comments

[abh_sweetheart]

I really like how you brought up the point that the internet did not create the predators, but created a place for them to thrive. I have read a lot lately about parents being angry at sites like Myspace and Facebook for allowing such 'online relationships' to go on. But the truth of the matter is there is really no way to regulate who joins. For instance my friends and I would always go into chatrooms and join sites like DeadJournal and BMEZine when we were around 13 but technically had to be older to get a membership. What the parents don't realize is that kids lie. I can't tell you how many times I have pretended to be someone else just to josh people around with friends to get a laugh out of it. You are completely right in saying that the 'best way to handle this situation would be for the parents to talk with their children and emphasize the point that it is dangerous to become involved with someone older over the Internet who is talking to them about sex and inappropriate topics.' Parents really need to realize that they have to at some point relinquish control and prepare their kids with the knowledge to go through life successfully. They need to stop blaming such things as internet groups and sites for their mistakes in parenting.
P.S. I like this topic...if you can't already tell. haha.