(The Center Square) – Two Michigan bills pitched as “child safety legislation” were withdrawn this week after advocacy groups raised concerns about privacy and data collection.
Really sorry that happened to you. I had a relatively similar experience, though I still believe children should have access to the internet as a whole. I had a home life that made the internet a place of refuge and people took advantage of that, but if it wasn’t via the internet it would’ve likely ended up much worse for me. I think part of the problem is what people consider “kids”. I would not give an 8yr old the entire internet, but by 12-13 I’d feel like access should be pretty wide. Mostly unsupervised but in a shared space. They have the freedom to explore, but an adult is around and could theoretically see what they were doing at any time. 14+ and I would still be talking to them about online safety, but not regularly checking in on them while they’re online. 16+ and it’s a free for all imho.
Though I had a lot of negative experiences online, the fact I had access to the whole internet meant I was able to independently explore topics I found interesting and really helped me understand myself better and learn so much about the world I never would have known. I grew up around racist religious republicans and as a queer kid I felt alone and confused. I like to think I would still be a good person without all the exposure to amazing people online, but boxing kids into their local social circle in their formative years just dooms some of them. I shudder to think of the kinds of things my less online cohort were doing. They should be able to see what’s out there. I think restricting children’s access to information because there are awful people online really centers the wrong thing. Basing this wide reaching policy on your experience is unfair and does nothing to address the actual problem. Children need better sex ed. They need to know it’s not “bad” to send nudes, but that the person they’re sending them to is a criminal and that person is the “bad” one. They need to have safe people to talk to. Parents need to have more time to spend with their kids. Laws like this are a bandaid and a bad one at that.
The Internet saved me too. I was severely abused by my family and talking to other people online helped me through it. I met my husband online (he’s the same age as me lol) and we made a thousand plans for my escape the moment I turned 18 in 2006. The plans worked out :) I’m not sure I’d be alive now if I didn’t have the Internet. It’s a double edged sword that’s for sure.
But the times have changed and people are more tech ignorant because it’s too easy to access the Internet. I miss when it wasn’t in everyone’s pockets. I can’t imagine the fucked up things I would have done online if I had the Internet in my pocket 24/7
Also I’d like to add that I have no authority to implement restrictions on anyone outside of my home so my extreme view doesn’t affect anyone. It’s simply my hot take :) I just hope that I have influenced at least 1 person to take a closer look at what their children might be doing online and hopefully restrict if needed.
Really sorry that happened to you. I had a relatively similar experience, though I still believe children should have access to the internet as a whole. I had a home life that made the internet a place of refuge and people took advantage of that, but if it wasn’t via the internet it would’ve likely ended up much worse for me. I think part of the problem is what people consider “kids”. I would not give an 8yr old the entire internet, but by 12-13 I’d feel like access should be pretty wide. Mostly unsupervised but in a shared space. They have the freedom to explore, but an adult is around and could theoretically see what they were doing at any time. 14+ and I would still be talking to them about online safety, but not regularly checking in on them while they’re online. 16+ and it’s a free for all imho.
Though I had a lot of negative experiences online, the fact I had access to the whole internet meant I was able to independently explore topics I found interesting and really helped me understand myself better and learn so much about the world I never would have known. I grew up around racist religious republicans and as a queer kid I felt alone and confused. I like to think I would still be a good person without all the exposure to amazing people online, but boxing kids into their local social circle in their formative years just dooms some of them. I shudder to think of the kinds of things my less online cohort were doing. They should be able to see what’s out there. I think restricting children’s access to information because there are awful people online really centers the wrong thing. Basing this wide reaching policy on your experience is unfair and does nothing to address the actual problem. Children need better sex ed. They need to know it’s not “bad” to send nudes, but that the person they’re sending them to is a criminal and that person is the “bad” one. They need to have safe people to talk to. Parents need to have more time to spend with their kids. Laws like this are a bandaid and a bad one at that.
The Internet saved me too. I was severely abused by my family and talking to other people online helped me through it. I met my husband online (he’s the same age as me lol) and we made a thousand plans for my escape the moment I turned 18 in 2006. The plans worked out :) I’m not sure I’d be alive now if I didn’t have the Internet. It’s a double edged sword that’s for sure.
But the times have changed and people are more tech ignorant because it’s too easy to access the Internet. I miss when it wasn’t in everyone’s pockets. I can’t imagine the fucked up things I would have done online if I had the Internet in my pocket 24/7
Also I’d like to add that I have no authority to implement restrictions on anyone outside of my home so my extreme view doesn’t affect anyone. It’s simply my hot take :) I just hope that I have influenced at least 1 person to take a closer look at what their children might be doing online and hopefully restrict if needed.