Are websites responsible for protecting minors?

Question

Myspace is being sued by the parents of several minors, who allege that their children were molested by sexual predators they met online. Are the parents not responsible for monitoring their children, and failing this, instilling in them a basic set of common-sense guidelines for dealing with others while online? Should they be rewarded for their failures as parents? Is it even possible for sites like Myspace to protect minors from predators without either infringing on the privacy of users, or making it so difficult to contact other users, to the point where they simply go elsewhere?

To blame sites like Myspace for appealing to kids seems problematic; basically, it's their fault for creating a site that people actually like. If minors are banned, or if everything they do while on the site is monitored and reported to their parents, will they not simply go elsewhere- perhaps an offshore site where there are no pesty laws or regulations to get in the way.

To me, blaming a company for creating a product that people like (an "attractive nuisance") is a little like suing the baker for creating donuts that taste good.

Answer 1

I answered a question like this earlier and again I will say that PARENTS are responsible for protecting minors. Myspace has gotten enough bad media attention that parents are well aware that it is a dangerous site for minors to be on unsupervised. After all the news stories about how many children are being hurt by internet predators I truly don't understand why some parents still let their kids have full, unsupervised access to the internet.That's where passwords come into play. And if a lot more people would simply move their computers into a "public" part of their homes (like the livingroom, that's where ours is located) instead of letting their children spend hours locked behind their bedroom doors and only allow their kids on when they are around then I believe a lot of kids would be saved from a lot of bad things.

Answer 2

I absolutely agree with you any site can set it for a certain age HELLO all the kid will do is put in another year of birth to make themselves seem older. The parents need to pay attention I learned the hard way just recently with my son. He is now banned from the Internet. Parents have to find someone else to blame because of the fact they don't give a flying fart in space what their kids are doing nor do they monitor what their child is doing. I trusted my son and he blew it.. Parents need to look at their computer and see exactly what sites or who their kids have been talking to. Suing myspace is just dumb they didn't buy the computer your kid is on did they no they created a site for everyone to join and put their friends on their friend list. IF YOU DONT KNOW WHO SOMEONE IS WHY IN THE HECK WOULD YOU ADD THEM TO YOUR MYSPACE????

Answer 3

Under 16 yes, impossible for young adults 16+ to be monitored 24/7 by anyone nor should they be. I think somehow the under 16 crowd who is not supposed to be on myspace needs to be addressed, some form of age verification. Remember young people do not need myspace if it becomes to restrictive they will go to other sites and may easily even create their own.

Answer 4

It is not the website's responsibility. All these parents suing sites like myspace are trying to place the blame elsewhere. If the parents would do their job in the first place, there would be no issue.

Answer 5

When u register with Myspace u have to accept the terms and conditions and in there it states that they are not to be held reponisble for anything like that. The kids should be blamed for abusing the internet and networking privalege and they should learn not to talk to strangers. while the men and women who are the molersters should go to jail because them talking to young girls that way is illegal. Parents just suffer cause their children did wrong.

Answer 6

There is still no way to check the security of minors. ( who are known to lie about their age) and of course the "criminal mind" that prey on them.

This is one very big reason I've chosen to be child free.It's because there are just too many dangers out there.Long before Internet, it was never talk to strangers. Now its never go into a chat room...

No, I'm very tired of parents blaming everyone else for not doing their jobs as responsible adults. They should monitor their children...end of story.

Answer 7

"the point which i'm attempting to make the following is which could no longer intense time that governments of all international places awaken to the probability being created by ability of the misuse of modern-day media"... I accept as true with you as a lot as that factor. I dont somewhat imagine you recognize what you assert there. ok seem- you're completely right. Sexual content fabric might want to correctly be modern-day in even G rated video clips, and the days are lengthy lengthy gone even as the fabled 'relations hour' existed. Curse words, major blood and gore, and waaaaay too a lot sex on the vast (and small) exhibit. No i dont imagine that they should be there; yeah, some sex jokes are tremendously gosh darn humorous, although the effect that television has on today's childrens is tremendously gosh darned undesirable. And effective. once you go back for the era of a newborn on your community no longer over the age of twelve boasting that he tried a clean type of pot that day, its adequate to get your spirits way down. yet allowing, desiring, the authorities into our houses is in basic terms as terrible, worse even. Its inviting them to come back and raise our toddlers because the excellent They see fit. more suitable regulations? more effective authorities? a lot less is continuously more effective. I dont understand the position you're from, yet the following in us of a of america the Founding Fathers had good reason to concern that concept. Too many regulations, too many regulations, too a lot oppression bring about a negative time for all and diverse. those with power lived in concern of loosing it, and those without it lived miserably in concern of all and diverse 'above' them. Our structure says that 'all adult men are created equivalent'. no individual guy, or team of adult men, have the right to rule the lives and hearts and houses of absolutely everyone, a lot less an total usa's well worth of human beings. mothers and fathers are the God given rulers of their toddlers. Its our interest, our accountability to augment them and prepare them right from incorrect, morality and humility, and all those issues that television shows isn't 'cool'. no longer the authorities.

Answer 8

Web sites do what they can, but parents have the ultimate responsibility and should monitor the internet activity of all minors under their roof!

Answer 9

It's the parents responsibitlity. You should always monitor your children's activity on the net.

And not only that, but where were the parents when these kids were going to meet these predators?

Answer 10

Parents are the sole caregiver of their own children. Unless they left their children in Myspace's care, only they (the parents) can be held and are responsible.