Thinking of the Children

Image by aranarth via Flickr

A couple of child psychologists have come out recently applauding the the ISP filtering scheme. I hope this is a case of an experts in one field being called to make a judgement on a field in which they have no expertise i.e. that of Information Technology.

In perhaps a subtle attempt to sway the debate or at least get more mileage, the Courier Mail in their story Web filter ‘needed’ to protect kids from porn quotes from Michael Carr-Greg and Dr Joe Tucci, on the ISP filtering debate.

FILTERING of illegal internet porn is urgently needed to prevent the sexualisation of children, psychologists and children’s advocates say.

Adolescent psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg said exposure to internet porn meant sexual behaviour was starting younger and the type of sexual behaviour had changed.

Do you agree with the web filter? Tell us (Note the curious placement of the poll link)

“Oral and anal sex have become almost normalised among 13-year- olds,” he said.

I agree with Mr Carr-Greg 100%, parents should have filters installed on their home computers and should determine if friends of their children do as well. This is a really good way for you to be involved with your child’s internet usage. I would like to see some of the statistics regarding the normalisation of oral and anal sex amongst teens though. Not that I don’t doubt he has witnessed it in his practice, but we really need to get an idea of the scale of the problem.

Australian Childhood Foundation chief executive officer Joe Tucci said children who had been exposed to adult sexual practices on the internet “are trying it out in ways that hurt other children”.

This is a sad state of affairs, but then where does the responsibility lie? Why with parents of course and in education.

Dr Tucci said a PC filter system was ineffective because children used computers other than their own, which might not have a filter, and computer-savvy teens could find their way around a PC filter “in 30 seconds”.

Which is why you need to monitor you children’s usage, that and a computer savvy teen can show you how to get past an ISP filter in about 30 seconds as well. An ISP filter will still let illegal content through. Mind you we have a pretty low opinion of our teens here, assuming they will go behind our backs to look up porn.

My parents never let me go to someone’s house before checking them out first, why are we letting parents off the hook in regards to their duty. Quite simply this filter while it may in the short term filter out some content,Porn pushers will develop ways of getting around it , it can’t be 100 % safe and taking the pressure off parents to do their job won’t make things any better.

I wonder if the to Psychologists mentioned would be of a different view if sites on sexual health were blocked by this filter or indeed their own sites through which they sell their books.

Looking at Carr-Greg’s site, he looks to be heavily involved in promoting education of parents and usage of filters. Strengthening this area is the way to go.

Dr Tucci said he did not “buy” the freedom of information argument.
“We restrict pornography in news agencies but not on the internet, which is much persuasive and private,” he said.

Then I suspect that Dr Tucci does not understand the Freedom argument. Its not that porn should or should not be filtered out, it’s what else could be added to that list of unknown, never to be known sites. Public debate could be stifled, slowed, manipulated by an unscrupulous government – details about a sensitive political situation delayed until after a vote is made.

We are witnessing on this very debate the power that the Internet can grant to the everyday citizen to call their politicians to account. This sort of effort could and would be curtailed in filtered system. Imagine if we had twitter at the time of the Tampa incident?

Perhaps it is better to maintain choice, have Telstra offer an opt in ISP service for lazy parents/computer illiterate parents. Actually I am supprised that Hillsong et al have not seen the opportunity to create a godly ISP filtering out porn,atheism and Islam.

So yes I am thinking of the children, I want them to grow up in an Australia that maintains its freedoms, that remains responsible for the upbringing of its children.

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