The Internet isn't so bad after all.
01/16/2009Dateline NBC's " To Catch a Predator" brought the idea into America's living room. The Internet is a bad place for children. It is sordid, populated by sexual predators looking for their own little Lolita to abuse. However, the New York Times published an article earlier this week summarizing a report by the Internet Safety Technical Task Force that concluded that the Internet is not as full of adults looking to exploit children. This contradicts the notion that there are predators in every corner of the Internet, just waiting for the right minor to come along. What the report does acknowledge as a potential problem is children's use of technology to bully each other, a cyber issue that receives less recognition.
Despite the bitter aftertaste, the conclusions of the Internet Safety Technical Task Force's report seem to hold promise for online communities. John Cardillo, the chief executive of Sentinel Tech Holding, told the New York Times, "This shows that social networks are not these horribly bad neighborhoods on the Internet... Social networks are very much like real-world communities that are comprised mostly of good people who are there for the right reasons." Technology enables predators to contact minors with just a click of the mouse, a much simpler act than physically approaching a child in broad daylight. Despite some parents' worries and fears that this report will push the issue to the back burner, the likelihood of that happening is the same as the likelihood that " The Oprah Winfrey Show" will be taken off the air because of low ratings.
The Internet does not have to be a dangerous place; it all depends on how it is used. Many children use the Internet daily to do homework, socialize with friends, and play games. As long as they are not doing things they shouldn't be doing, it is unlikely that they will be propositioned by strange adults. Indeed, according to the report mentioned in the New York Times, the teenagers who do become embroiled in cases involving child pornography or importuning online are, in general, willing. In addition, there are usually compounding factors affecting these willing teenagers, such as poor home environments or substance abuse, among others.
The exploitation (in any form) of minors on the Internet is, without a doubt, one of the saddest results of the modern technology boom. It hurts so many people each year, it cannot be ignored. However, understanding the statistics related to incidences of adults propositioning minors online is just as important. It is not as big of problem as people believed, but it still exists and is illegal. The data contained in the Internet Safety Technical Task Force's report will guide lawmakers and policy pundits to better address the issue, and to continue their efforts to protect children.
Online bullying is another issue lawmakers ought to address - and they do. Cyber bullying laws have been enacted in several states. However, there is no standard federal policy to deal with online bullying. Perhaps " To Catch a Bully" would light a fire under the derrieres of parents and officials, while simultaneously garnering high ratings for NBC.
