[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Inappropriate content accessed from JKR.com

[Dina Lerret]

On 9/12/06, Heidi Tandy <heidi8 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Isn't it enough to have  a warning at the top of the screen and no
> "indecent" content visible before one scrolls down? As a mom, I think
> it's important to surf the net with my kids - at this point I've tweaked
> our primary machine so it only loads images from certain domain names so
> things aren't visually, er, visible, and I think that's fine. But then
> again, I read Forever at 11 and Clan of the Cave Bear at 14, so I know
> they'll read things that may be over their heads eventually...

There's one point I think has been skimmed over: The education system
is highly encouraging to downright forcing younger kids to learn more
much faster than many of us.  I was watching... NBC's Today, I think,
recently where more academic tests were required of kids.  Some of my
favorite parts of childhood (e.g. naptimes and playground periods) are
being phased out because these kids must meet a government 'standard'
at an early age and days are shortened for budgets.

To use the phrase, age really is only a number and I've learned not to
underestimate some kids.  However, Heidi does have a very good point.
As kids are evolving each generation, parents must evolve as well to
keep up.  To pick on Heidi (because it's still a good pasttime for me
;-) ), she's obviously acquired the computer knowledge to try to
'childproof' her home or had someone assist her.  My sister isn't good
on computers and I'm willing to bet $50 that my niece, her young
teenage daughter, can do circles around her on the computer.

This topic will keep popping up over time, and ultimately, by
censoring content because of underage viewers, sites end up censoring
content from legitimate adults, which may in turn lead to a much
larger implementation of censorship.  I think there was some topic
called POOP on FictionAlley or some other equally ridiculous acronym
where younger audience members thought older members shouldn't be in
the HP fandom... well, I think younger audience members shouldn't be
online without parental supervision.

Dina