RE: [TCLUG:8245] FidoNet

[^chewie <chewie@wookimus.net>]

On Mon, 13 Sep 1999, Christopher Palmer wrote:

> Too technical for people to grasp: proper parenting ('Hey there,
> son, whatcha lookin' at on the computer? Let's talk about
> that...'). I agree 100% that that's too tough for parents to
> grasp. Parents of the Boomer generation are complete idiots.

Exactly!

> For this reason, I advocate parenting licenses. Think about it.
> ...[snip]...

Well, a noble idea, but one hard to implement and one that also
infringes upon the rights of the individual.  You'd be hard-pressed to
actually pass something like this.  However, I do believe an education
course offered for free for new parents to be would be a wonderful
start.

> A good start, as long as the site owners get to decide on the TLD
> to use. Some sites containing horrible, nasty, evil sex (bad dirty
> bad sick) are better off with .org TLDs... If the gubmint gets to
> decide that a site gets the .xxx TLD, then it's censorship and I'm
> against it.

Well, although the .xxx TLD is a good start, but it's not a failsafe.
The net is composed of IP addresses, not namespaces.  There are ways
around name filters. 

Currently, I believe an organization like the FCC rates movies that
are released to the public, though I can't remember if it IS the FCC
or a movie organization (I don't pay too close attention to it). G,
PG, PG13, R, NC17, X, etc... There are plenty of rating systems out
there being applied to the web.  There are simply too many sites to
hit them all, and not every site owner participates in the rating
systems.

I believe what we need to do is a combination of everything.  Create
namespaces that contain a standardized "rating" notation, accompanied
by a standardized rating on every site.  Make it very easy for sites
to participate in such a movement.  Educate the parents about the
internet with community classes subsidized by the government.  If it's
the government that wants to do this to us, let them pay for it.  Of
course, that'll come right back to us, but oh well

If you have a standard rating system, it'll be easier to create
software for it.  It'll also be a bit easier to get around, but hey,
when the kid's smart enough for that, you won't be able to keep much
from him/her anyway.

Later!

    ^chewie

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