Originally posted by: Yoda Is Your Father
Your mention of deaf internet users reminded me of something a deaf friend of mine once told me. He said that technology, expecially text messaging and MSN messenger, have changed his life dramatically for the better.
However, I can totally see your point. It's a tough one. But you only talk about the burden on library staff and other library users (reduced bandwith, etc). What are you opinions on the actual reason for the proposed clamp down - danger to children from paedophiles, etc? Will this help? Is there another, less drastic, way to protect them?
I believe it can help, absolutely.Your mention of deaf internet users reminded me of something a deaf friend of mine once told me. He said that technology, expecially text messaging and MSN messenger, have changed his life dramatically for the better.
However, I can totally see your point. It's a tough one. But you only talk about the burden on library staff and other library users (reduced bandwith, etc). What are you opinions on the actual reason for the proposed clamp down - danger to children from paedophiles, etc? Will this help? Is there another, less drastic, way to protect them?
Maybe a 2-3 months ago, I had a group of 3 10-12 year old girls on the computers. They logged into the chatroom of a boy band that I had never heard of (B5, if I remember correctly) and within minutes, one of these girls had singled out (or been singled out) by someone using a name that I have to guess (based on how she reacted) was that of one of the members of the band. (I think she thought it WAS the band member.)
What she wrote progressed, almost verbatim, as follows:
Are you from ~suburb of Cleveland where I live~?
How old are you?
Do you have a girlfriend?
This morified me, I went to get my supervisor and we both tried to explain to this girl the potential trouble with what she was doing. (What made it worse for me was that SHE was asking the questions...could she had opened to door for this person anymore?)
Who knows where things could have gone if I hadn't been diligently watching what they were doing, and who knows what goes on that I don't catch because I haven't got 8 sets of eyes.
If a law like this had been in place, or if my libraries rules regarding chatting had not been changed, this would not have been an issue.
Is there a less drastic way? If there is, its not coming to me. If you leave it to individual libraries, there will invariably be some that choose to allow this kind of stuff and someone will eventually get hurt. Then the parents will complain that there needs to be something to protect their kids (DUH!? THEY could try). After that, maybe we get legislation and we are in the same place as we are now, except that someone has been hurt by the inaction.