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What Filters Are Right For Kids?
WaywardGeek writes "My daughter is using phrases like 'hot guys,' and soon will have a chat about the birds and the bees. I believe in letting kids discover the world as it is, and have no Internet controls on any of our systems, which are mostly Linux based. However, it's not fair for aggressive porn advertisers to splash sex in her face without her permission. My question is: What Linux-based Internet filtering solution do Slashdot dads favor, and do they hinder a child's efforts to learn about the world?"
You. Yes you. You are the best filter for your kids. Keep them close when they are surfing, and educate them as to what is right and what is wrong.
Don't abdicate your parental responsibilities to a glorified script, do the work. You had the kid(s), you need to take responsibility. If you are going to allow them to use the net, you have to police it.
If you don't, things will lead to heavy metal music, video games, then mass murder, the choice is yours. (yes, that was sarcasm)
Seriously though, live up to your responsibilities, and you AND your child will be better off. No filter can or will do this, nor will it answer questions and educate.
-Charlie
You sound like a "concerned parent" trying to not be the stereotypical fucking tyrant we read so much about on Slashdot, but you're failing at it and rationalizing that it's the advertisers fault so you can put up filtering and ensure that your little angle stays innocent and ignorant.
("splash sex in her face without her permission" actually means "splash sex in her face without my permission" - don't try to cover it up with your bullshit)
It's time for you as a human being to sit down and have a serious conversation with yourself: your daughter is growing up, plain and simple. If she's looking for "hot guys" today, in a few years she's going to be searching for "where can I buy a dildo in XXX" (or 10 years, or whatever, I don't know how old she is).
Once you've finally understood that your daughter is growing into a sexual being, and that it's OK, you can approach this from the perspective of helping her to grow up, rather than forcing a bag over her head and keeping her in the dark.
Honestly, if she's looking for hot guys, then it's time to sit down and talk with her about it - find out what her reasons are, why she wants to look at hot guys. It may be embarrassing, but if you simply filter the content, you're just keeping her in the dark about things she wants to learn about - and that creates a whole new subset of problems based around authority.
Kinda wierd that I've got a lower ID than you.
What did you spend your first 30 years doing? Or don't you remember?
HAHAHA
I kill me!
Don't take it personally. I'm in a very odd, sarcastic mood today.....
"City hall" in German is "Rathaus" Kinda explains a few things......