A minimum age for Internet users?

[Xenon]

Do you think the government should introduce a new law that enables people ONLY above a certain age to browse the Internet? Should all children be isolated from the "dangerous" environment, or is that all nonsense? If not, what should the legal age be, and how could this be enforced upon parents to prevent their children from entering the Internet?

Go.

[Serza5]

There shouldn't be a minimum age. There should be a parental control on the internet so it filters bad websites.

[Jman]

Pff there is. Not everyone would call them "bad" sites, some people say "YAY!"

[foultzboyz]

The only logical thing you can do is age limits on websites, though most kids are at least smart enough to not enter their own age. There is absolutely no reason to keep all children off of the internet, and I don't see how you could possibly enforce a law like that. There's some bad eggs and the screamers in online games, though not all of them are bad. The internet's a big portal--not just porn and useless stuff, though all sorts of information about everything. And I can't see why everyone thinks minimum age requirements are effective. They're easy to bypass the majority of the time, and they're eventually going to see it all anyways, maybe just not right now (or maybe so, if they manage to get around it, which again, isn't that hard for a semi-smart kid to figure past).

[Holy Crap]

"Why do they bother putting age limits on these sites if all they have to do is press 'yes I'm 18'? Even a 17 year old can figure that out."
- House.

[Tobbe]

House is orsum!

[Joshua822]

There shouldn't be a minimum age.

A better way to prevent children from things they shouldn't see, is a problem that providers and hosters should solve. They should filter everything that's going out. Yes, it's a whole lot of work. But the amount of hosters and providers over the world is huge. So it could be done

[Holy Crap]

But then people who are allowed to see it won't be able to.

[Cairnie]

Some sites like Youtube, Myspace, Livejournal and DeviantART already have ages limits of 13, but a load of kids lie about their age because they think they're so net-savvy. It's just like when teen boys used to like about their age in order to get in the Army in the world wars; and later realise how tough it is to be.

The main problem is parents letting their kids do whatever they want. I was allowed to do whatever I wanted on the net, and I regret half of the shit I've ever done. All those times I would spend 90% of my wake online, all of those nasty sites and pictures I've been exposed to... I don't want ten year olds running around on the net like that and getting into the same trouble as I have.

[Acarr]

I'm totally with Stacey here.

[stan423321]

The simpliest way is to let parents watch monitors of their children. And yes, I'm under 18, so I know what am I talking about.

[Xenon]

According to the UK news, social networking sites like Myspace actually deteriorate a child's social abilities to interact! Apparently, chatting in a secure, untimed, virtual conversation weaken the child's innate ability to properly engage in real life chatting. Kind of makes sense, but weird, no?

Anyway, I don't think any law should be brought about for preventing so-called "underage surfing", but I do think parents should be fully aware of what sites the child is accessing and time restrictions should be given (again, through the parents' consent and nobody else). It's important to remember that there are pros of allowing kids full access of the web, too.

[Acarr]

chatting in a secure, untimed, virtual conversation weaken the child's innate ability to properly engage in real life chatting.

Hmm, this kinda ties in with my life a bit.

[Cairnie]

Exactly what happened with me. When I was first using the internet to chat, I thought that I would make friends easy with just the click of a mouse. Eventually, I learned the hard way that some people just want to get in your pants after so much gift giving and grooming [which I believe is dangerous], because they're socially broken themselves. I was 19 when the worst happened, but the sad truth is that kids as young as 10 are going through the same online harassment. Their parents need to know what their children are doing.

I'm trying to cut down on my internet use. It's bad, really bad. Going to the charity shop to work helps a lot, but I need other things to do to make me better in real life. :<

[Acarr]

What happened?

[spiraldoor]

chatting in a secure, untimed, virtual conversation weaken the child's innate ability to properly engage in real life chatting.

Hmm, this kinda ties in with my life a bit.

I was like thay since way before I started using the internet!

[Acarr]

Way you must've been a loner.

[Cairnie]

I was a loner long before I even knew what "www." actually was. In an aspie mind, being a loner and having friends sucks.

[Acarr]

I've always had my little minions, even when they get annoyed by me.

[Xenon]

I don't think I socialise properly either, to be perfectly honest. I always come home from college to eat lunch with my parents at midday, while all of my friends are eating at the college in their large groups. Though if I'm truthful about it, I'd much rather things stayed this state as I don't particularly want to make friends or socialise with such groups. Gothic and other sub-cultures suck in my eyes, anyway.

In some of my classes (well, one in main) I feel isolated from the group because I am not pro at the subject. I have one friend in the class, and she is sat the other side of the room "socialising" with her friends, while I'm sat, alone most of the time, listening to the teacher and my classmates laugh and jeer me because I fail at the topic. Again though, I don't want things do change despite detesting the state I am in.

It's weird.