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Weblog:   Content Filtered--Parental Control Advised
Subject:   Just So I'm Clear...
Date:   2003-09-30 08:03:33
From:   gnat
Response to: Just So I'm Clear...

Ha! Good catch. I don't mind other parents using one while their kids are young, I'm just not going to be responsible for the book that teaches them. It's dual-use technology, and from what I've seen of the parents of teenagers around here, most parents are like rogue nations when it comes to their children. They spy, snoop, invade, and threaten. From what I've seen, no more than 10% of parents would think of disabling a porn filter on their kids computers, even if they were told "but it could prevent your kid from accessing Planned Parenthood and similar sites!" They'd see that as a plus.


If there was some way to keep the book in the hands of parents who feel the same way I do, I'd have no problem. But as there isn't, I would rather not create a book that will help those fascist parents to treat their kids like chattels. I understand someone probably will write the book to help them, eventually, it just won't be me.


--Nat
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Showing messages 1 through 2 of 2.

  • Just So I'm Clear...
    2003-09-30 19:29:43  anonymous2 [Reply | View]

    How about a "Filtering Hacks" book, that covers a broad range of filtering software, including parental filters, spam filters (eg spamassasin), and how to tweak them to maybe not be so obnoxious. Tell people how to adjust some overbearing right wing POS to filter only real porn, not just any non conservative site. Give a less biased source for what the limitations and biases are for various filtering software, instead of letting the software maker's marketing departments do it.

    Filtering software is getting to be a bigger business, and an independant manual on how to pick and configure filtering software depending on your real needs could be appreciated.

    ljl
  • Parents of teenagers
    2003-09-30 11:46:00  anonymous2 [Reply | View]

    I don't know. It sounds to me like you're treating the parents the same way you complain they're treating their kids. Don't you think parents of teens are open to a fair discussion of the ups and downs of censorship?

    I'll tell you: Teenagers is a whole different game than toddlers. Just when you think you've got junior trained to not throw spaghetti on the wall, they turn 11 or 12 or 13 and, whoosh!, the pasta's in play once again. My wife and I have drawn up elaborate, somewhat silly rules for one of our teens -- because it was just too hard for her to take responsibility for herself. I think teens need arbitrary and silly rules, because otherwise they'll cross over the sensible ones.

    Nat, if I had a lot more time, I'd be rewriting this and the previous post as a book proposal. Though I would only do it if I could ask Larry Wall for a preface....

    yudel @ use.perl.org
Showing messages 1 through 2 of 2.