Second Life could sexually exploit children via Internet, Rep. ...

The average parent probably doesn't know what Iraq is costing either. Could that be slightly more important?

Ron wrote:

The average parent probably doesn't know what Iraq is costing either. Could that be slightly more important?

Obviously you're not a parent. Those kids are the ones that will determine if when you're of retirement age, you'll still have medicaid or social security. If they get exploited the government will be busy trying to help them,not you.

Oh dear. Are parents really as clueless as this article suggests? Did they miss the entirety of 2007? There was media blitz throughout the year. As a matter of fact, if you go to Google News and enter the term "Second Life" (in quotes) you get 1223 entries. That's just from the last month, and the furor has died down since last year.

Here's a tip for any parents who might be reading: To run Second Life, you need a high speed internet connection, a reasonably fast processor and a good graphics card. If you have all of those things, and you have still never heard of Second Life, you have wasted your money on a machine with capacity you will never use. You have made a computer sales person very happy.

If your ten year old is that much more tech-savvy than you, you have much bigger problems than Second Life.

Sending children to school is more dangerous for them then Second Life. This is the biggest load I have heard in a long time.

Clueless parents or not, it is good to see some proactive ideas being thrown out by a member of Congress as opposed to your usual quick and sloppy reactive legislation which is only brought up once the harm has been done.

Thanks for posting all that Doreen, that's exactly what I was thinking while reading the article.

get real wrote:

<quoted text>
Obviously you're not a parent. Those kids are the ones that will determine if when you're of retirement age, you'll still have medicaid or social security. If they get exploited the government will be busy trying to help them,not you.

How about you grow up and learn to take care of yourself.

Don't let your young kids on these sites. It's called "parenting".

WeezyJefferson wrote:

TYPICAL REPUBLICAN PRETENDING TO WORK... The economy is in the dumps, we're blowing a TRILLION DOLLARS on the dumbest war in history, gas is close to $4/gallon... And like a typical Republican this guy's pretending to work by playing on Second Life and pandering to the virtual world of fake outrage.

Worry about your own politicians in OH. You sound like a "typical liberal" with your ranting and complaining. How about some solutions that are actually feasible?

Rules for computer use by children:
1. Have the pc in a common area of the house (that IS NOT a bedroom).
2. Turn the monitor so that the users back is facing the room (user looking at wall beyond monitor).
3. Spend some time with your kids while they are online.
4. Participate in their lives, do not be so self-centered as to merely observe.
That being said, teach your kids to question mindless (you're either with us or against us) authority, read between the lines of the news, and form one's own opinions (read: do not become sheeple - like the typical Chicago Democrat, or Washington Republican).
Take responsibility for your actions and childrens actions!

Hate to say this, but your 15 year old boy or girl is going to find a way to explore their sexual urges. It's pretty much what they do. Whether they find your stash of pornography, or go to some kind of "look out" hill, they have new and fascinating desires and emotions and they will figure them out.

I'm not saying that I approve of a 13 year old going to a virtual rape room, but trying to keep your kid away from sex is like herding rabbits.

Herding rabbits!?

get real wrote:

<quoted text>
Obviously you're not a parent. Those kids are the ones that will determine if when you're of retirement age, you'll still have medicaid or social security. If they get exploited the government will be busy trying to help them,not you.

So the best argument you can come up with is that if Second Lifers exploit your kids, you won't be able to exploit them for money later? I think there are probably some better arguments out there.

Doreen Garrigus wrote:

Oh dear. Are parents really as clueless as this article suggests? Did they miss the entirety of 2007? There was media blitz throughout the year. As a matter of fact, if you go to Google News and enter the term "Second Life" (in quotes) you get 1223 entries. That's just from the last month, and the furor has died down since last year.
Here's a tip for any parents who might be reading: To run Second Life, you need a high speed internet connection, a reasonably fast processor and a good graphics card. If you have all of those things, and you have still never heard of Second Life, you have wasted your money on a machine with capacity you will never use. You have made a computer sales person very happy.
If your ten year old is that much more tech-savvy than you, you have much bigger problems than Second Life.

People get high speed Internet for MANY reasons and it often has NOTHING to do with these moronic sites. I am a well-read professional woman with a teenager and neither my teen, or her friends, or any of the adults we know have heard of this site.

You never know who needs to be alerted about these things. I appreciate what Mark Kirk is doing.

As for those of you who pontificate about the foolishness of Kirk's proposal and yet have no children, all I can say is that until or if you do, you don't know what you're talking about.

WeezyJefferson wrote:

TYPICAL REPUBLICAN PRETENDING TO WORK... The economy is in the dumps, we're blowing a TRILLION DOLLARS on the dumbest war in history, gas is close to $4/gallon... And like a typical Republican this guy's pretending to work by playing on Second Life and pandering to the virtual world of fake outrage.

You hit it right on the head.

Mark wrote:

Don't let your young kids on these sites. It's called "parenting".

Exactly. While they are at it, keep the kids off the computer entirely. The schools should toss them in a dumpster and start teaching basics again.

Yes when republicans have nothing else going for them they go for the family values PR campaign. Prepare for more useless legislation like this in the future and be prepared for the Tribune to lap it up.

It's too late to prevent the damage from being done.

These social network sites know EXACTLY what they are doing by allowing leakage between the adult side and the youth side of these kinds of sites.

Matters are out of hand and only going to get worst.

Mark Kirk usually isn't such a panderer.

The "danger" presented in Second Life is no different than what any child could encounter anywhere else online. In fact, the dangers are far less considering the age verification requirements. This is ridiculous.