Rules for Teenage Internet Access?

Kent Brewster writes "Despite dire warnings, we've gone ahead and put computers with Internet access into our adolescent (11, 12, and 15-year-old) childrens' rooms. We've got a nebulous set of rules, which include several like these: Keep the door open when you're on the computer. Don't quickly exit from everything when we walk past. Don't ever lie to us about what you're doing. Unfortunately we've had instances where all of these rules - especially that last one - have been broken, so now we are looking at getting more specific. We'd be very interested in hearing from both sides of the fence: parents with Net-connected progeny, and those who are chafing under their rule. Parents, once you're past making the huge mistake of actually letting the kids have computers in their rooms, what's a reasonable set of guidlines? Non-parents, what are the rules that chap your hide the worst? Do they actually make a difference in your behavior, or do you just sneak past them anyway? Finally, and this is sort of a meta-question from an exasperated dad, does everybody lie about what they're doing on the Internet?"

Comments

Re:Double Standard

[jimmy_dean]

Wow, I almost agreed with you except at the very end...you just couldn't resist a cheap shot against God huh? Nice...try and get a clue. Children, teens and even moreso adults, need guidance. No one who is a normal biologically sounds person can resist such a temptation as having a computer in their room and not looking at porn. Even if they don't seek it out, with all of the pop-up advertising and dirty spam emails...you're bound to come face to face with the choice. And no amount of education will overcome nature. I agree education is good but it's a blanket statement and sheer ignorance to say it can be the end all cure towards people doing bad things. And yes looking at porn on the net is a bad thing.

Re:Privacy Invading Software

[Molina the Bofh]

Out of curiosity, are you a fanatical religious moron ?

And yes, I know my karma will be blown with this message.

Re:Childs Internet Access

[trotski]

Newsflash: you can't make a boy turn out gay.

I can't stand politically correct bullshit like this. Of course you can make your kid turn out gay. Simply get him into thinking that sex with women is wrong... he'll just turn those urges some other way.