Monitoring Software

[Kabuchan]

drf, I'll say one more "parent" thing. Please check this site. Maybe it will open your eyes a bit.

Good luck trying to get your parents to come around, it usually happens around the time you hit 25. It coincides with the moment you find out that your parents are really smart. (LOL You'll get that one in about 10 years!)

[toomanycats]

That's why all the jokes were erased. It was too much to go thru all of them and the "mods" did the right thing by starting over again. If you parents live in the last century then know this; "Past is Prologue". It does sound like you spend too much time on the computer.

[katzdvd]

kabuchan,

there is a site where you can input the zip code, & it will list the offenders in your area by name & address, even their picture! Our church made us aware of it in the past; http://www.nsopr.gov/

When I used it, I found "kids" on there that I used to go to school with - Yikes!!! I would have Never suspected, but then again, you never know...

[blutach]

Goodness me.

Danny. I have a kid around your age - a tad younger (13 this month). We are in Australia, as you know, which is known as a pretty safe place. But there's no chatrooms for Alex (I think they are dangerous too - you just don't know what you're dealing with) and he obeys me. He chats on MSN to his friends but his history is on. I hardly ever look at it. I trust him.

Minimising/closing a window is a dead giveaway anyway. Don't do it. You'll lose the PC for good.

It's natural to want your own life and your parents out of your private affairs. Give it a bit more time. You're a good young man; you'll get the freedoms you deserve when your folks think it is right. Bear with it.

Regards

[Kabuchan]

@ Katz - thanks! Looks like you can pay a crap load of money for a house and still live near the sickos!

[drfsupercenter]

Well blutach, I doubt there are any sex offenders who know Pokémon, and I am basically on Pokémon chatrooms.

All those kids are in the ages of 12-18 anyway, their parents feel the same way too LOL



Also, only 12 people with my zip code in that list, never heard of any of them

[blutach]

You'd be surprised where nasty people lurk to get their prey, Danny.

Regards

[lfcrule1972]

But how am I supposed to hide all your guys' dirty posts here

Yes but you can still trust them. It's one thing to not know someone's name or whatever, but to know lots about them is different I think. I don't need to get into detail, but I have even listened in on voice chats among one of the smaller chatrooms I was in. You can't fake Skype calls

I don't want to sound like an old fart here too but as a parent of 3x kids aged 12, 11 and 5 I really think that you are being a little to naive about this Danny. The whole point is that these "sexual predators" groom their victims on chat rooms and the like by convincingly passing themselves off as kids like you and the others in the room. Now luckily they are the minority but you can never never be sure who you are chatting to.

Well blutach, I doubt there are any sex offenders who know Pokémon, and I am basically on Pokémon chatrooms.

All those kids are in the ages of 12-18 anyway, their parents feel the same way too LOL
:

Re my point above - it takes less than a minute to find a site on Google dealing with Pokemon, if you were that way inclined you could then read up on it and keep a window open whilst in the chatroom for easy reference. I know you don't want to hear it but at your age you are far too trusting, your parents have a few more years of worldly knowledge and are trying to keep the crap stuff away from you. Now, it feels restrictive but when you have your own kids you will understand this.....

Like blu, my kids use MSN to chat to their mates, the history is on the PC but I have yet to look at it cos I trust them to only chat with their friends who form their contacts list.....

I really think if you get caught again you are only going to confirm all your parents worst suspicions about the internet and chat rooms.....

[blutach]

Tell you what you should do Danny - show this thread to your folks and let them decide based on their own feelings and our advice (should they care to take it).

You've started this thread - be a man enough to show your folks what your DVF buddies think. They will appreciate it more that you have shown them.

Regards

[lfcrule1972]

Good idea blu....

[drfsupercenter]

Well see, why talk to people you know in real life on MSN if you can just talk to them at school? I have maybe 15 people on my buddy list, and I only know one in real life.

And also, my parents treat me like a 3-year old at times. One time I printed lyrics to a rap song that I liked, and it had a line saying "who the hell cares", they immedietly threw it out and said it was inapropriate. I'm 15, I am not a little kid... I hear that sort of language all the time at school, why is it so bad? Maybe now no one will question why I only buy edited rap songs.

Also, even if people on IRC are sexual preditors, if you don't give them enough info it won't matter. For example, I told you guys that my name was Danny and that I live in Michigan. But I don't have to worry about one of you showing up at my front door one day because you don't have enough info to find out my address, phone number, etc. I give the same sort of info on IRC, so I am relatively safe as far as I am concerned.

[katzdvd]

One time I printed lyrics to a rap song that I liked, and it had a line saying "who the hell cares", they immedietly threw it out and said it was inapropriate.

Maybe now no one will question why I only buy edited rap songs.

I go thru the same thing with my 13 yr. old & the rap/hip hop - I don't get it at all...& my parents thought that my 80's metal was bad stuff!!! I believe I actually need to be a bit firmer with my son at this point. My guess is that you don't watch "pro" wrestling either?

My son does, & it is absolutely ridiculous the way those guys talk & act. We have to actually mute the tv when a certain "hip hop" wrestler comes on, because his language and constant sexual references are so vulgar & repulsive. @ geez, when the "Divas" come out to wrestle, it is nothing more than a "jiggle show".

That is why being a parent is such a difficult task at times; unfortunantly, we can't always be "your friend" & not upset you; We are here to guide our kids from our past mistakes. Some things are inappropriate for kids, & some things are just inappropriate, period.

***Man, I can't believe I'm saying this stuff - when I was a "kid", I said I would never grow up & act like my parents! what happened to me?!?!

[vw56german]

Danny, my daughter thought very much the same as you when she and her friend were playing games online and chatting with the other players, one who had been saying he was 17. Neither she nor her friend realized just how much info he knew. Until I read the logs and saw some of the emails I did not either. She had stated her age, what town she was from, talked about her school, mentioned it was her birthday, talked about a school activity date and location. Now none of this occurred in a single conversation or email, but lets put it together. He now knows her date of birth, her city, what school, and even when she will be in a public place with little supervision. Harmless enough?? Not when you find out he was 35 and not 17. Over time little details add up to more information than you might realize. Isnt there one of our regular members here that has a box in his signature that shows your IP address? Now none of these people you have in your buddy list may be a preditor, but remember why they are labled that way, because they stalk and prey on their victoms. They build trust, they groom you to act in a certain way, and they have a definate plan to what they do. Parents need to be very careful and so do kids, even 15 yo kids. Now I know doubt he would do it but I bet someone as savy as Blu, or Chewy or Lt, could find you if they wanted to make a point. How surprised would you be if the local police stopped by to tell you "Hi" from your friend Lt.? The internet has a lot of value, but it is not a safe or secure place, not for adults, and especially not for kids.


Ok I will turn off my rant.

[Derree]

Well blutach, I doubt there are any sex offenders who know Pokémon, and I am basically on Pokémon chatrooms.All those kids are in the ages of 12-18 anyway

Hate to say this but they (the predators) make it their job to know about things such as Pokemon...they make sure they know what their prey will want to talk about...I agree with your parents about the chat rooms....fully 100% agree sorry to say Danny....

[lfcrule1972]

I am officially grown up now - I sound like my parents and give the same advice too........... Damn !!