Children on the Internet

[Sekr Gray 520]

Might belong in debate pit with this. I'll let the local admins decide.

 

I just got off a week-long debate with a child (under thirteen) on DeviantArt over how he had stolen art without crediting the original artist and blatantly insulted people by shouting "rasist" (spelled exactly like that) and various other kind of things that he saw as an insult. It's got me asking why anybody would allow this person on the internet. Every response I got was almost unreadable, without punctuation, and tons of spelling errors when I asked him where the source for a flag "he mad" was, since it was clearly professional and beyond his capabilities. As this little war with him has ended with him blocking me just now, I really have to ask;

 

Could we (rightfully) restrict internet access to those older (or at least more mature)?

 

Part of me wants to be able to just enjoy my time online some 8 year old kid shouting obscenities at me because they can't come up with a better response, or spamming their meager attempts at humour, or half a million other immature things. Censoring these younger users would at least stop some part of that, albeit I don't know how much. The other part of me says it's the parents of the child job to know what their child is doing online, and monitoring it. Unfortunately I know many parents simply follow the idea of "If the computer isn't broken, he's alright" and care at all as long as the child is shut up for a few more hours (this was the principle I largely grew up on).

Edited November 11, 2015 by Sekr Gray

[A Black Circle 1,586]

When I came on the internet as a 12 year old, I was an immature little shit. I matured and came better through the internet. So if I wasn't allowed to be stupid on the internet, I would be stupid in real life.

 

And dead.

 

Probably.

[Lucky Shot 232]

So far as I'm aware, there's no law stopping you from arbitrarily blocking access to something to persons under a certain age.

 

Hell, there are more laws requiring you to do so. If you simply ask for personal information in order to register for your site, then per COPPA regulations, a person under the age of 13 cannot lawfully submit that information without parental consent, which gives you a legal requirement to suspend any such person's accounts until they're older.

[Jeric 46,854]

Might belong in debate pit with this. I'll let the local admins decide.

 

I just got off a week-long debate with a child (under thirteen) on DeviantArt over how he had stolen art without crediting the original artist and blatantly insulted people by shouting "rasist" (spelled exactly like that) and various other kind of things that he saw as an insult. It's got me asking why anybody would allow this person on the internet. Every response I got was almost unreadable, without punctuation, and tons of spelling errors when I asked him where the source for a flag "he mad" was, since it was clearly professional and beyond his capabilities. As this little war with him has ended with him blocking me just now, I really have to ask;

 

Could we (rightfully) restrict internet access to those older (or at least more mature)?

 

Part of me wants to be able to just enjoy my time online some 8 year old kid shouting obscenities at me because they can't come up with a better response, or spamming their meager attempts at humour, or half a million other immature things. Censoring these younger users would at least stop some part of that, albeit I don't know how much. The other part of me says it's the parents of the child job to know what their child is doing online, and monitoring it. Unfortunately I know many parents simply follow the idea of "If the computer isn't broken, he's alright" and care at all as long as the child is shut up for a few more hours (this was the principle I largely grew up on).

http://help.deviantart.com/696/

 

You don't have to 'put up with it'. Report the outlier. On MLPF we have a similar policy. No members under the age of 13. As Lucky Shot said ... COPPA.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,632]

Honestly, the internet is what helped me mature in certain aspects. Before I got internet, I did not care too much about grammar and plenty of other things, but upon joining my first internet forum, it changed me as a person for the better. Of course not everyone is gonna have that same experience but the internet can be a wonderful thing and equally a horrible thing. It just depends.

 

As for the censoring part, unless a website has a policy surrounding that subject, I say no. It is easy to just block them personally. 

[Chronamut 355]

Might belong in debate pit with this. I'll let the local admins decide.

 

I just got off a week-long debate with a child (under thirteen) on DeviantArt over how he had stolen art without crediting the original artist and blatantly insulted people by shouting "rasist" (spelled exactly like that) and various other kind of things that he saw as an insult. It's got me asking why anybody would allow this person on the internet. Every response I got was almost unreadable, without punctuation, and tons of spelling errors when I asked him where the source for a flag "he mad" was, since it was clearly professional and beyond his capabilities. As this little war with him has ended with him blocking me just now, I really have to ask;

 

Could we (rightfully) restrict internet access to those older (or at least more mature)?

 

Part of me wants to be able to just enjoy my time online some 8 year old kid shouting obscenities at me because they can't come up with a better response, or spamming their meager attempts at humour, or half a million other immature things. Censoring these younger users would at least stop some part of that, albeit I don't know how much. The other part of me says it's the parents of the child job to know what their child is doing online, and monitoring it. Unfortunately I know many parents simply follow the idea of "If the computer isn't broken, he's alright" and care at all as long as the child is shut up for a few more hours (this was the principle I largely grew up on).

 

newgrounds was a perfect example that certain people should not be allowed on the internet, and that generally nobody under the age of 16 should be allowed to post on forums. Running chat rooms I learned at the age of 16 some switch seemed to magically flip in their minds and while they could still be terrible people, it wasn't that "kid annoying" type of insufferability.

[Guest]

Kids should just learn the way I learned when I was a kid on the internet: try and talk trash to someone, get schooled by someone older and smarter than you, and laughed off a website. I remember when I was 10 I was so stupid and douchy that I got myself banned from a forum that I was on because I thought I was hot shit. After that, I learned that I needed to behave like a human being like I would in real life.

 

Kids learn, just let it happen. Once someone insults them so bad that an entire website is laughing at them they will learn.

[Yufery 205]

If you ask me, it depends on the child. Overall, I do think children shouldn't be allowed on the internet as they can be very annoying and obnoxious, but at the same time there are relatively mature and intelligent ones. Not to mention how others on this thread mentioned how it can be educational for them, too. 

 

Really, it's just that the parents should be monitoring them. It's their job to watch over the children, not to have strangers over the web do it.

[Bird Mom 900]

I began getting on the computer when I was eight. But my parents only let me because they knew I was a mature kid. Children/kids can be allowed if A, the parents agree; and B, the kid has at least some level of respect for other's works and for other people. 

 

The kid that you are explaining just wasn't raised to be respectful and that's her/his parent's issue rather than the kid's. They should have showed their kid the proper do's & don'ts of a computer and how you can get in serious trouble for it.

Edited November 11, 2015 by Bird Mom

[Mr F 1,522]

I think younger people are just as diverse as everyone else. There are many 16+ people that really should take a break from the internet and maybe not come back at all.

There are probably more milk drinking adults than children online, and that is not very hard to prove (Just look at tumblr).

At least in my experience children are not neccecarily immature in that way. As a child, I  made some of my best friends though competative online games. Some of which I talk to this day, they where like older brothers and sisters to me. As long as someone can communicate effectively and in a non-agressive way I think they should be allowed into most areas of the internet. I understand that forums and art sites are usually restricing people that are too young, but if it goes too far I think they will be even less prepared to meet the online world when they grow up. So I think it depends on the individuals, but ofc most children under 13 should stay away from the internet untill they grow older.

[SquipyCheetah 449]

I came on the internet back when I was an immature ten year old. The internet helped show me what reality and life really are like and to mature my mindset further. I know there are a lot of young, immature kids online but I normally just ignore them and don't give them any kind of attention.

[Chronamut 355]

I'd love for people to have to answer skill testing questions - logic, spelling, punctuation, maturity tests etc.

[Miles 2,512]

Alright so, this is going to sound bad...

My mom has been teaching at an elementary school since I was 6 years old.  I'm 21 now, so she's had a lot of different children come through over the years.

There is a large difference in the behavior of children now as compared to 15 years ago.  Now I know everyone is thinking "Baby boomers probably thought the change from Gen X to Gen Y was bad; that Gen Y kids were bad..."

Well, sorry to say, that isn't comparable to children born past 2000.  My mom is a Baby Boomer.  She's 61 right now.  She's seen the generation changes throughout her life.  The behavior of children born in the Gen X and Gen Y aren't really all that different.  But Millennials (Gen Z kids) are different.

What exactly is the difference?  Lack of understanding how to change one's etiquette from one scenario to another.  When I was an elementary school kid, I knew how to act differently at school than at home; than at church; than at sports events; than on the internet.  I inherently knew what etiquette I needed to use before I even knew what the word "etiquette" was.  

Kids these days are seeming to lack that kind of behavioral ability, and when added onto the fact that more children are currently being raised in single parent homes, or worse, than in previous decades... Handling a class full of elementary school kids can become ridiculous.

Now, I'm sure I have some self bias.  So I'll admit that.  Despite the fact I was born in 94, thus technically making me a Gen Y, I was raised by much older parents, of whom came from quite strict, traditional country backgrounds.  I may have been ornery and hyper sometimes, but I'd get a nice smack on the mouth for saying something nasty, or a nice smack on the butt for doing something nasty, so I learned quickly how to behave well.  

In this day and age, kids lack the kind of active involvement in being taught how to act in different places because they're just given an iphone or something to play with.  I know I'm only 21, but I know that's horrible parenting.  

I'm not saying kids need to be smacked anymore, that kind of thing is too old fashioned for the "politically correct" world we live in today.  But what I'm saying is children are being allowed way too much leeway without being given any guidelines.  

Maybe if parents would tell kids "treat people online as you would want to be treated in real life."  I don't know, but... it could help.

~ Miles

[Blaze Bronson 343]

I'm a believer in an open and free internet, and would not like any form of censorship.

 

Annoying people are sure annoying, but just ignore them.

[A Black Circle 1,586]

Alright so, this is going to sound bad...

 

My mom has been teaching at an elementary school since I was 6 years old.  I'm 21 now, so she's had a lot of different children come through over the years.

 

There is a large difference in the behavior of children now as compared to 15 years ago.  Now I know everyone is thinking "Baby boomers probably thought the change from Gen X to Gen Y was bad; that Gen Y kids were bad..."

 

Well, sorry to say, that isn't comparable to children born past 2000.  My mom is a Baby Boomer.  She's 61 right now.  She's seen the generation changes throughout her life.  The behavior of children born in the Gen X and Gen Y aren't really all that different.  But Millennials (Gen Z kids) are different.

 

What exactly is the difference?  Lack of understanding how to change one's etiquette from one scenario to another.  When I was an elementary school kid, I knew how to act differently at school than at home; than at church; than at sports events; than on the internet.  I inherently knew what etiquette I needed to use before I even knew what the word "etiquette" was.  

 

Kids these days are seeming to lack that kind of behavioral ability, and when added onto the fact that more children are currently being raised in single parent homes, or worse, than in previous decades... Handling a class full of elementary school kids can become ridiculous.

 

Now, I'm sure I have some self bias.  So I'll admit that.  Despite the fact I was born in 94, thus technically making me a Gen Y, I was raised by much older parents, of whom came from quite strict, traditional country backgrounds.  I may have been ornery and hyper sometimes, but I'd get a nice smack on the mouth for saying something nasty, or a nice smack on the butt for doing something nasty, so I learned quickly how to behave well.  

 

In this day and age, kids lack the kind of active involvement in being taught how to act in different places because they're just given an iphone or something to play with.  I know I'm only 21, but I know that's horrible parenting.  

 

I'm not saying kids need to be smacked anymore, that kind of thing is too old fashioned for the "politically correct" world we live in today.  But what I'm saying is children are being allowed way too much leeway without being given any guidelines.  

 

Maybe if parents would tell kids "treat people online as you would want to be treated in real life."  I don't know, but... it could help.

 

~ Miles

Once again, the beautiful, the amazing, Supreme Lord Reverend Miles has brought wondrous words to all who listen.

[Miles 2,512]

Once again, the beautiful, the amazing, Supreme Lord Reverend Miles has brought wondrous words to all who listen.

Bahaha... Oh dear.

 

I'd much prefer "Your Friendly Neighborhood Miles."   

 

~ Miles

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

Alright so, this is going to sound bad...

 

My mom has been teaching at an elementary school since I was 6 years old.  I'm 21 now, so she's had a lot of different children come through over the years.

 

There is a large difference in the behavior of children now as compared to 15 years ago.  Now I know everyone is thinking "Baby boomers probably thought the change from Gen X to Gen Y was bad; that Gen Y kids were bad..."

 

Well, sorry to say, that isn't comparable to children born past 2000.  My mom is a Baby Boomer.  She's 61 right now.  She's seen the generation changes throughout her life.  The behavior of children born in the Gen X and Gen Y aren't really all that different.  But Millennials (Gen Z kids) are different.

 

What exactly is the difference?  Lack of understanding how to change one's etiquette from one scenario to another.  When I was an elementary school kid, I knew how to act differently at school than at home; than at church; than at sports events; than on the internet.  I inherently knew what etiquette I needed to use before I even knew what the word "etiquette" was.  

 

Kids these days are seeming to lack that kind of behavioral ability, and when added onto the fact that more children are currently being raised in single parent homes, or worse, than in previous decades... Handling a class full of elementary school kids can become ridiculous.

 

Now, I'm sure I have some self bias.  So I'll admit that.  Despite the fact I was born in 94, thus technically making me a Gen Y, I was raised by much older parents, of whom came from quite strict, traditional country backgrounds.  I may have been ornery and hyper sometimes, but I'd get a nice smack on the mouth for saying something nasty, or a nice smack on the butt for doing something nasty, so I learned quickly how to behave well.  

 

In this day and age, kids lack the kind of active involvement in being taught how to act in different places because they're just given an iphone or something to play with.  I know I'm only 21, but I know that's horrible parenting.  

 

I'm not saying kids need to be smacked anymore, that kind of thing is too old fashioned for the "politically correct" world we live in today.  But what I'm saying is children are being allowed way too much leeway without being given any guidelines.  

 

Maybe if parents would tell kids "treat people online as you would want to be treated in real life."  I don't know, but... it could help.

 

~ Miles

I pretty much agree with most of this accept the part about giving iPhones to kids. Yes, that is bad parenting but I don't really think it applies just to this generation. I see it as no different then how parents would just sit their kids in front of the TV and let that raise them. This caused a lot of parents to complain about cartoon being too violent because they were stupidly letting television raise their kids.

[Megas 27,727]

I don't think there's an issue with kid's being on the internet. Some do learn to be more mature as their experience grows. Hell, I've seen some pretty mature kids(youngest being 11 or 12), some far more mature than some adults I've seen here

[Miles 2,512]

I pretty much agree with most of this accept the part about giving iPhones to kids. Yes, that is bad parenting but I don't really think it applies just to this generation. I see it as no different then how parents would just sit their kids in front of the TV and let that raise them. This caused a lot of parents to complain about cartoon being too violent because they were stupidly letting television raise their kids.

 

I was a very active child, and my parents always did a lot of stuff with me.  Maybe it was throwing around a baseball outside, playing with legos or hot wheels, shooting some hoops, riding bicycles...

 

They only placed me in front of the television when I was lacking energy after wearing myself out.

 

And when they did, I was easily entertained by anything.  I didn't care what they put on.  But I loved old movies the most.  Charlotte's Web; Wizard of Oz; Casper (all three 90's ones); Hocus Pocus; Halloweentown 1 through 3; Annabelle's Wish; Babe [the pig]; The Muppets...  Okay, so when I say I was easily entertained... you see the point right?

 

So, I disagree that you think there's no difference between giving kids iPhones, and sitting kids in front of TVs.  iPhones are interactive and thus take the place of other interactive games and such, like playing outside.  TV is an idle activity, just sitting and watching.

 

~ Miles

[Chronamut 355]

I believe kids need to be smacked - noone has respect anymore.

 

kids these days.. young whippersnappers.. GET OFF MY LAWN!

Edited November 11, 2015 by Chronamut

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

I was a very active child, and my parents always did a lot of stuff with me.  Maybe it was throwing around a baseball outside, playing with legos or hot wheels, shooting some hoops, riding bicycles...

 

They only placed me in front of the television when I was lacking energy after wearing myself out.

 

And when they did, I was easily entertained by anything.  I didn't care what they put on.  But I loved old movies the most.  Charlotte's Web; Wizard of Oz; Casper (all three 90's ones); Hocus Pocus; Halloweentown 1 through 3; Annabelle's Wish; Babe [the pig]; The Muppets...  Okay, so when I say I was easily entertained... you see the point right?

 

So, I disagree that you think there's no difference between giving kids iPhones, and sitting kids in front of TVs.  iPhones are interactive and thus take the place of other interactive games and such, like playing outside.  TV is an idle activity, just sitting and watching.

 

~ Miles

I will admit that giving kids iPhones is stupid. Not because it encourages laziness, but because it's basically giving kids cell phones at a young age. Why do they need those at young ages? Where would they need to call someone especially since they will always be around adults?

 

I get kids having iPads since I can't really argue with all the hours I spent on my Gameboy Advance as a kid, but iPhones just feel unnecessary.

 

On topic, I think another issue is that this generation has easier access to the internet. There are many more outlets than 10 years ago. Doesn't help that kids will lie about their age to get on 13+ websites. I was one of the honest kids that waited until I was 13 to do that stuff. Even when I was a kid, I would balance that with playing outside and watching cartoons, and the sites I went on were kid sites like Nick.com or Cartoon Network.com. So yeah parents, monitor your kids better on these websites and try not to use excuses like, "Oh they're mature for their ages." 9/10 times that's not the case. 

[Chronamut 355]

all generations will find some way to f*ck up their children - look at the 1930s during the depression, or during world wars. Strong people turn out fine regardless.

[Miles 2,512]

I will admit that giving kids iPhones is stupid. Not because it encourages laziness, but because it's basically giving kids cell phones at a young age. Why do they need those at young ages? Where would they need to call someone especially since they will always be around adults?

 

I get kids having iPads since I can't really argue with all the hours I spent on my Gameboy Advance as a kid, but iPhones just feel unnecessary.

 

On topic, I think another issue is that this generation has easier access to the internet. There are many more outlets than 10 years ago. Doesn't help that kids will lie about their age to get on 13+ websites. I was one of the honest kids that waited until I was 13 to do that stuff. Even when I was a kid, I would balance that with playing outside and watching cartoons, and the sites I went on were kid sites like Nick.com or Cartoon Network.com. So yeah parents, monitor your kids better on these websites and try not to use excuses like, "Oh they're mature for their ages." 9/10 times that's not the case. 

 

I absolutely agree.  And I as well spent a lot of time playing Gameboy Advance (then an SP) - I loved Pokemon Ruby, Leaf Green, and Emerald.  But I balanced my time where I would be doing something active for some part of the day, too.

 

Yeah, the easier access to internet is a big reason as well.  I wasn't very keen with the internet until I was in probably 5th grade, and even then, I only used it for necessary reasons.  But of course, by high school I loved the internet.

 

~ Miles

[Shift 4,272]

I joined the world of the internet at the age of 9 and joined a variety of forums. If I hadn't done that, I'd be a very immature little being nowadays. So even though i'm embarrassed as to the way I acted back then, it did change me for the better. The internet really taught me to be a lot more mature in general; I was surprisingly not a brat on the internet at the age of 12 because I got taught very quickly that the internet is a kill-or-be-killed place (No i'm not actually Flowey). I think parents should monitor things on what a child is doing on the internet as a child to make sure they're okay, but once they get to the age of 12 or so, the parents should give the child more leeway. The internet is one of those places you can only survive in via experience. In real life, too, that mindset the internet thrust onto me - 'be mature or nobody'll take you seriously/you'll be mocked' stayed with me. 

 

It's not the same for everyone, but I do think kids should go on the internet - obviously not to places like 4chan - but to places where they can learn that if you're childish/bratty you'll be mocked and not taken seriously.

[PROJECT: Simon 3,954]

Sure, they'll annoy and piss off people with their low maturity, I don't think young kids should be allowed to surf on the internet :C