All that said, I admit that most of my online time is spent in the chat environment. I use various software packages in addition to a basic browser. I like ICQ for the instant messaging facility and I like PowWow for longer, easy to set up chat sessions. I have spent many happy hours over the years in chat rooms.
What is the point of all this? It's this, a highly personal view point of an aspect of the chat scene that I DON'T LIKE!
The chat scene generally expects people to use false names or 'handles' as, it is said, a security thing. Why do so many chatters use names including words like 'death', 'Satan', 'chaos' and other such concepts? I have seen many chat rooms with such names in widespread use. I saw a three way chat on one occasion between 'Satan's Disciple', 'The Lord Of Chaos' and 'Bill Gates'. The inclusion of Mr. Gates on that occasion (I doubt if it was the 'original') was almost amusing but then again I have seen the name 'Child Molester' in use also. I would guess that the bulk of chatters making use of such handles (based on the content of the over seen conversations) are boys around the age of 14/15. This whole scene is rather sick and sad.
There is much talk today about the possible corrupting influence of the web on our younger people and much lauding of such software as 'Safe Surf' and 'Net Nanny'. While the 'net does contain many disturbing influences so also does your local library and any store stocking a reasonable cross section of today's plethora of magazine publications. Surely it is our responsibility to teach and to lead our children in such a way that they have no desire to visit these sites as opposed to blocking them from access which just raises their interest factor? Do we stop our children from going to the library because there is a book in there featuring photographs of unpleasant subject matter? I hope not! Do we stop our children from entering a book store because there is a magazine there that features naked bodies on the cover? I hope not! Do we teach our children both by formal instruction and by example to have respect for each others points of view and indeed, simply for each other? I hope that we do!
The web scares many parents today because of ignorance. Ignorance is not a sin - it is simply a lack of knowledge. It is natural to be concerned about that which we do not understand but in this case it is also easy to deal with. Parents should learn a little about what they are allowing their children to get into in any case - so parents, try it for yourself. It's not that hard to learn enough to loose your fear. And please, pay attention to your son or daughter in a chat room environment. That is the true danger of the web. Most web sites are static and will not hold a persons attention for long but a living, reacting person can have a large influence on anyone in a conversational situation.
Would you like to think that your son or daughter was spending time in the company of 'The Devil Incarnate' or 'The Masked Rapist'? I doubt it. Or worse! Do you know that your child is not him/her self 'Evil On Earth' or 'The Force Of Destruction'?
Finally, please do not keep your children from using the web because of some misunderstood media horror story. The web is its self part of the media and the more long standing members of it are afraid of the changes that are being thrust upon them by this new method of disseminating information. There is a certain amount of kicking and screaming going on in the ranks of the traditionalists as they see their monopoly being eroded before them. The Internet is not inherently dangerous. Possible misuses of it however, are terrifying. But no more so than any other form of publishing. We all have heard historical references to book burning. Let us not have a 'net burning' caused by similar lack of knowledge.
