Oh. My. God.

[andrewducker]

I just cannot believe the sheer stupidity that is rife amongst people who claim to know better.

This BBC news story

A forensic psychologist spoke about the dangers of online journals, or blogs, and pictures posted directly online.

Rachel O'Connell said adults could use weblogs to learn about children.

She said: "This is just a paedophile's dream because you have children uploading pictures, giving out details of their everyday life because it's an online journal."

She described a scenario where a group of paedophiles could exchange information on a child's movement, potentially leading to an abduction.

For Fuck's Sake! How many actual children are actually kidnapped by actual paedophiles in a year? And how many will get something good from being able to share their lives with others and find likeminded children? I'd have _killed_ as a kid to be able to not feel alone from the ages of 11 to 18. The internet would have added unimaginably to my life and LJ would have made it so much more worthwhile.

But apparently there may be paedohpiles out there so we should lock up our children.

Maybe we should make them wear Burkhas so that they don't inflame the lusts of any passing paedophile.

I just feel speechless with rage.

Comments

[onceupon.livejournal.com]

Some people are so motivated by fear.... I feel sorry for the forensic psychologist.

And she seems to completely absolve the parents of any responsibility here as well. I mean, if your kid is online all the time, it's your responsibility as a parent to be aware of what they're doing, at least to have a little "don't have cyber sex with perverts" chat.

Okay, that last bit was a little flippant, but I find myself unable to express how I feel about this woman's statements.

[broin.livejournal.com]

Ach, no. That's exactly the conversation they should have.

"This is ethics. This is civics. This is how to be an informed consumer. This is how to be an informed citizen. This is how to communicate. This is how to better oneself. These are the risks, and these are the glories."

[onceupon.livejournal.com]

YES!!

I think people are honestly afraid to talk to their kids now though, and it's SO sad to me. I taught high school for 3 years, and if nothing else, it taught me that kids/young adults are willing to and capable of talking about just about anything. It's the adults that get embarrassed.

[broin.livejournal.com]

Exactly, exactly.

And imagine how much better informed you'd be about say, mortgage rates, or health, or literature, if you had a child to teach/talk to. *Everybody* wins.

[onceupon.livejournal.com]

*laugh*

I'm a firm believer in art/literature with kids, because that's the only way they're going to develop a taste for it. I don't know if mortgage rates would ever be palatable, but I'm willing to try, should I ever have kids of my own!

[broin.livejournal.com]

Absolutely. =)

I just rejoined a club, the purpose of which is to run roleplaying games for kids. Ages 12+. And it's such a thrill, just endlessly satisfying to see them go on to create their own fictions.

With such clearly excellent genes (they *need* to be passed on), best wishes with your fertility. =)

[onceupon.livejournal.com]

It's really sad -- the most amazing people I know are all determined to be child free.

I don't blame them, but I wish we could sample their DNA and use that in the kids that other people want to have.

Thank you!

[broin.livejournal.com]

"...but I wish we could sample their DNA...".

Hey, check my room. The average IQ of my sheets probably exceeds 140.