Banning Wikipedia and MySpace in schools?!
Well, Ted Stevens is at it again. This time instead of spouting about “Internet Tubes” he’s trying to pass a bill to force public schools to ban “interactive websites” which would include MySpace for sure but could be applied to Wikipedia, Google Docs, and lots of other useful sites.
I think it’s rather funny that Stevens believes that all interactive websites present a risk to underage students under the DOPA act (Deleting Online Predators Act).
According to Section 203 of the act:
- “COMMERCIAL SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES; CHAT ROOMS- Within 120 days after the date of enactment of the Deleting Online Predators Act of 2006, the Commission shall by rule define the terms `social networking website’ and `chat room’ for purposes of this subsection. In determining the definition of a social networking website, the Commission shall take into consideration the extent to which a website–
- `(i) is offered by a commercial entity;
- `(ii) permits registered users to create an on-line profile that includes detailed personal information;
- `(iii) permits registered users to create an on-line journal and share such a journal with other users;
- `(iv) elicits highly-personalized information from users; an
- `(v) enables communication among users.’.”
So Blogs, online journals (even private ones), any site with a profile (which could cover Moodle and many other LMS services), any site in which users can COMMUNICATE!!!!!!!!!!!! So according to Senator Ted, kids are only safe if they become passive readers who may offer no feedback or interactive discussion. So Webkins, Club Penguin, Teen Second Life, and lots of other great interactive spaces will be blocked from school computers as well as tons of publisher-supplied interactive spaces that are prefectly safe and very well monitored.
The bottom line is that Stevens has NO IDEA how the internet works. He has no concept that there are plenty of ways to keep kids safe without blocking sites. And worst of all, he’s not holding parents accountable at all. I’d love to know how many kids have been stalked from MySpace during school hours. Is the next step to force parents to block these sites at home as well? Or perhaps the Telecoms who provide home internet access should block them? Oh Geez!
Hey Ted! Maybe you should pay a little more attention to how folks right there in the Senate are abusing the internet! The “Truthiness” of the whole issue is that a major portion of adults in power have no idea how online communities work and rather than learn and teach children, they choose to ban them. This is NOT a solution.
Go build your Alaskan bridge to nowhere and leave the internet to people who understand it. I, for one, don’t want folks like Ted “protecting” my kids.
