MySpace Age Verification - for Parents

unlametheweak writes "North Carolina is thinking of the children by passing a law requiring parents to verify they are parents before letting their children onto social networking sites. Notwithstanding the whole concept of an Internet ID for people in general; children are now being tracked by cellular phones with GPS, spied upon with Parent Controls (MS Vista has built-in parental spyware), and also strategically placed Nanny Cams, keyboard loggers, etc. 'Few of the proposals we've seen so far seem like good ways to [protect children], but North Carolina's approach at least has the virtue of novelty--unlike most video game legislation, which relies on similar rhetoric but has been almost universally struck down by the courts, sometimes at great cost to the states.' Is the zoo-like Minority Report world in which children are growing up in today doing more harm than good? How will this affect a 14 year old, much less a 17 year old "child"?"

Comments

NC is a scary place

[svendsen]

As someone who just moved to NC I can say this is a very messed up state.

NC does not let you put your significant other on any of your insurance if you aren't getting married within a few month time window. Why? Because it's a sin! Been in many other states and none had issues with this.

Want to get a NC drivers license to replace your out of state be prepared to:
Bring your old license
Your SS card
Birth certificate
Car insurance (how many catch 22's does this bring up)
Take a road sign test
Take the written test
Oh if you have a middle name you need a document to show the FULL middle name. Yes this means if you have a birth certificate, passport, and drivers license and none of them have your full middle they will deny you.

I could go on and on, but NC is messed up. I'm sure myspace would sue over that law. Wonder what the cost would be to verify A)someone is an adult B)someone is the guardian of that kid C) the kid who A + B verified is the one signing up.

Oh an NC makes panhandlers get a license to panhandle. They tax the people who beg for money. Go NC!

Re:So don't do it secretly!

[maillemaker]

>Of course not - The computer savvy youth is much better than the old man at finding awesome pron

My parents used to say, "You can't get away with anything because we've done it all already".

The difference, when I say it to my kids, is that it will actually be true. :)

This old man has a BS in Computer Science. Not to say that my kids won't be smarter and more savvy than me when they get into the computer, but the old man will be able to give them a run for their money, I think.