Pandora’s Blog

Thought I’d give the shout out for some television programming tonight. The PBS series, Frontline, which is fantastic, is airing an episode tonight dedicated to the generation of kids growing up now that are, in reality, the first ones to fully grow up in an online world. The piece, entitled Growing Up Online, touches on the much-discussed fear of online sexual predators, as well as concerns about the ease of cut-and-paste plagiarism using the Internet, and how notions of privacy and the meaning of friendships change drastically with the touch of a button.

This is a must watch episode of television for all parents. It is also yet another FANTASTIC case/argument for the need for monitoring software like PC Pandora. The truth is that it’s not just predators… what if your child is being cyberbullied? Or worse, the instigator of such a horrible thing…? What if your kid is addicted to porn… or looking up how to make homemade bombs to bring to school in an act of revenge?

The World Wide Web is just that – a web of information connecting you to the world. Kids can’t comprehend that and should not be given free roam within. But what is a parent to do?

Use technology. Educate yourself. Talk to you kids… and protect your family and your child’s bests interests with monitoring software like PC Pandora!

Tune in to PBS tonight. Check your local listings… it plays in NYC at 9PM.

So here are a bunch of stories I came across as I caught up with the end of the year’s news…

Missing Teen Left With MySpace Friend, Mom Says
From Cincinnati OH, a 13-year old girl in Mason (OH) left her parents house with a boy/man she met on MySpace – who was old enough to drive, as he showed up in his car. Later on the girl came home and the family kept it private, but they still called the police at the beginning of the affair. To those claiming we blow online predators out of proportion: maybe this guy wasn’t a predator, but young girls are still dumb enough to meet someone on the Internet in real life, give them their address and get in their car.

Teens and social media
An interesting write-up on a recent Pew study. Apparently, kids like MySpace. This generation is doomed in so many ways…

Police: Man used MySpace in rape
Another fantastic (sarcasm) story about a 30-year-old dirtbag that used MySpace as a means to communicate with and later rape an underage girl. This one comes from Massachusetts.

Jessica’s law is working
A very interesting commentary article by Bonnie M. Dumanis (the district attorney for San Diego County) on Jessica’s Law and the sentencing of sexual predators who lure a child via the Internet for sexual purposes. Equally as interesting are the comments that follow her piece.

N.J. curbs sex offenders’ Web use
NJ just signed a law that gives the state “virtually unparalleled power to monitor and restrict Internet access by convicted sex offenders.” This is a wolf’s law in sheep’s wording. While I applaud the effort to crack down, restricting the World Wide Web is impractical and stupid. How about just watching them closer. They’re still going to do it – and the net has too much value. They just shouldn’t be allowed on sites where youngsters can roam…

Jury finds Saratoga man guilty of molesting girl he met through MySpace
This story is somewhat old, but the guy’s name is familiar. He was finally convicted, but several charges were declared mistrial (due to hung jury). Good read that will make you feel good…

Predators face laws on ‘luring’ next year
Similar to the new NJ law is this law in Oregon on using the net for “luring.”

Well… that should be a good read… More to come tomorrow for the weekend coffee table…