Blogging

[Lona]

TBH, there can be bullying in all walks of life - in the school playground, in the work place, and yes, on social networks.  In my opinion, it would be very difficult to moderate such a large medium as Facebook or Twitter.  In the case of teenagers or adolescents, it's up to the individuals concerned to report any incidences to their parents, and / or for the parents to monitor what's going on.  Anyone getting bullied can simply 'defriend', on Facebook, if I understand it correctly, but not sure about Twitter.

Defriending works fine, Simon, but sometimes it's too late when your daughter has been slandered all over facebook.  I know bullying has gone on for years in playgrounds but to me is has escalated out of control and mostly down to social networking.

I can tell you of a case where one teenager opened an account in another teenagers name then posted porn and other filthy items using the bogus account using the innocent person's name.  There are other problems of addiction. Some teenagers can't even go anywhere without checking into facebook every day and if they can't manage it they get withdrawal symptoms.  The idea of Facebook was good but it has definitely turned into a Monster.

I had a sixteen year old visit me the other week with her Mum and the first thing she asked was to use my pc. She sat on Facebook and Skype all day and there was no attempt to make verbal conversation with any of my other guests. During dinner she consulted her iphone constantly. Our younger generation have turned into robots.  It reminds me of the movie "Total Recall"

[David]

Some good points there Alf ,love the last one 

[pctech]

I don't think under 18s should have access to the Internet via any device, simples. 

The 'net really isn't the place for kids.

[Simon]

I don't think under 18s should have access to the Internet via any device, simples. 

The 'net really isn't the place for kids.

God help us!  How do you expect them to learn about computing and the internet at school, then?  It's as essential a knowledge as reading and writing typing, these days! 

[Niall]

The whole mods n rockers thing baffled me when I was a kid. Bearing in mind I was born in 73, it was still around in a lesser extent. I was a 'mod' for a bit but then I switched to 'rocker' because I liked the music more

There is always pressure when you're a kid, the key factor is parenting to teach you what's important in life. My dad always taught me to ignore bullies and the peer pressure sort, never let a man hit a woman and never start a fight but always finish one. I was bullied twice in school, but it was so pathetic I let them do their worst. After a while it got annoying so I battered the pair of them when they made the mistake of punching me.

Ironically, people have told me I look violent due to my lack of hair and the fact I'm stocky. It's ironic because pretty much everyone I know have had more fights or trouble, or caused trouble than me in the last few years than I have in the last 20. 1995 was the last time I had to defend myself. It's quite annoying knowing that people judge you by how you look so don't even bother getting to know you.

Pretty basic, but it's got the foundations of a nicer person (he says bragging )

[Simon]

I haven't ever been in a 'proper' fight.  Sure, one or two scraps at school, as I'm sure we all did, but since then, I just avoid those types of potential situation, and I don't tend to hang around with people that are likely to get involved in trouble either.  I guess I'm lucky to live in a smallish rural town that's relatively quiet on that front.  We have no nightclubs, and although we used to have 'town' pubs where the odd scuffle broke out on a Friday night in the queue for the kebab van, most of those are now gone, and we just have foody type pubs and wine bars left, where you don't tend to have to duck the flying bar stools, and beer is served in a vase.

[pctech]

God help us!  How do you expect them to learn about computing and the internet at school, then?  It's as essential a knowledge as reading and writing typing, these days! 

Internal networks Simon.

[Simon]

But that doesn't educate them to look after themselves on the open network.  How could it be enforced, anyway? 

[David]

I still find blogging an experience and recieved one comment asking if I would consent to an interview !!! scary  the spam issue is the only thing which bothers me but am I too reliant upon Webroot which is supposed to cover spamming

I am still wondering why and how my little ramblings seem to be getting the traffice though ,I have 88 comments to moderate despite clearing most of them 

God help us!  How do you expect them to learn about computing and the internet at school, then?  It's as essential a knowledge as reading and writing typing, these days! 

Both my children do thier homework on pc and with My Maths they have to but do use google for French lessons ect 

Internal networks Simon.

Must learn how to do this I have 4 pcs in my home and none on network hmmm

[Simon]

The point is, under 18s will find ways around any restrictions put upon them regarding the Internet.  They only have to find a wifi connection, and they're online with their phones, as one example.  In my opinion, it's better to allow them unrestricted access, but educate them as to what is and isn't acceptable for them to use the web for. I know that's idealistic, but I feel the opposite view is unrealistic.

[David]

But that doesn't educate them to look after themselves on the open network.  How could it be enforced, anyway? 

I just use the analogy that the web is the same as the outside world,you would not share secrets with strangers nor personal information so when in doubt ask me which they do so maybe I'm lucky or they are smarter than me I like to think they are honest

Matty spends his free time looking at anything to do with Chelsea and football boots where as Joanne gets bored with the net and prefers her guitar and her music the only thing I so is monitor them randomly but its all down to educating them and making them aware of things and that thing called trust......

[David]

The point is, under 18s will find ways around any restrictions put upon them regarding the Internet.  They only have to find a wifi connection, and they're online with their phones, as one example.  In my opinion, it's better to allow them unrestricted access, but educate them as to what is and isn't acceptable for them to use the web for. I know that's idealist, but I feel the opposite view is unrealistic.

This is exactly how I did it I think the allure is made greater if there is some form restrictions and where FB is concerned I let them spend hours on there and it sort of just bored them silly which I think in my case was a good thing they just cant be bothered with it any longer

[Steve]

The key is parental supervision, the internet whether we like it or not is part of our lives, they need like with any other facet of life ie riding a bike to be educated, guided and limited in their exposure. As experience is gained the 'reigns' are relaxed. It's very easy being a parent to let them disappear to their rooms and surf the net etc, this however is not parenting, it is dare I say a form of neglect.

[David]

Totally agree with that statement Steve .I would suspect some parents see the web as a baby sitter and something to keep them quiet but as you say its down to us as parents to supervise what is going on and (in my case) all we had was some toys and a TV with 3 or even 2 channels but the web for good or otherwise is the future and like everything it is the way something is used rather than the use of it

If that makes sense 

[Niall]

The point is, under 18s will find ways around any restrictions put upon them regarding the Internet.  They only have to find a wifi connection, and they're online with their phones, as one example.  In my opinion, it's better to allow them unrestricted access, but educate them as to what is and isn't acceptable for them to use the web for. I know that's idealistic, but I feel the opposite view is unrealistic.

This is true. I remember many many years ago when I wasn't even interested in irc, I was in a night class and they had very severe restrictions on things you could access. I made it my mission to figure out how to tunnel out of the network. That was quite fun, and I wrote a program on how to calculate how much carpet you needed to fit a room

[Simon]

Some people will try anything to get laid. 

[Niall]

 

[Simon]

Carpet?  Laid?  I'm wasted here...

[pctech]

Yeah I got it.

[Niall]

It was hard not to get. It was a screaming at the bad joke smiley Now please go answer my FTTC thread. I'll have to check on my phone at 7:30 for the answer as I won't have an internet connection when I wake up

[Simon]

[David]

Get a grip Simon

[Glenn]

No need to pile on the pressure David.

[Simon]

[mervl]

I don't think under 18s should have access to the Internet via any device, simples. ...
The 'net really isn't the place for kids.

Only problem is that childishness doesn't end at 18 years old . . .