Do the adults here feel that they should monitor their childrens access to the internet?

Question

In a recent news release from United Press International, they state that according to FBI statistics, there is an increased number of gangs that are forming from the Internet. The following is a copy/pasted article, which states the following facts. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

U.S. street gangs use Internet to recruit
By UPI Staff
United Press International
February 21, 2007

WASHINGTON (UPI) -- The U.S. Justice Department said gang membership is rising in the United States as the groups increasingly use the Internet for recruitment.

Statistics from the department show that there are more than 21,000 gangs in the country with more than 700,000 members and those numbers are increasing, ABC News reported Tuesday.

The department said the groups use "Net Banging," the use of online content glorifying the gang lifestyle, to recruit children as young as 8 years.

"The concerns you have with that generation is they do not have a criminal history. And so because they do not have a criminal history, we don't have a lot of information on them," Wichita, Kan., Police Chief Norman Williams of the younger gang members, told ABC.

Chip Burress, assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Division, said the gang problem is a major concern.

"It's not becoming an epidemic, it is an epidemic," he said.

Copyright 2007 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Answer 1

I think ALL parents should monitor their kids' time on the internet.

My son's 10 & has 12 sites he's allowed on alone. I'm not far away while he's online, usually at the dining room table or on the couch where I can clearly see the monitor. He's never been tempted to be on a site that's not been pre-approved by me. I attribute that to my own checking out the sites he plays on every day for questionable content while he's in school. If he needs my email address, then I question him on what it's for, sign up, free stuff, etc.

He's asked me about myspace.com & why kids are so interested. I've explained that the site is for chatting & keeping in touch with friends as well as a place where people do bad things like post naked pictures of themselves. Thankfully, he's not yet interested in that site for any reason. Neither are his friends. In a few years, that might change. I'll deal with it then with blocking software.

Answer 2

YES!! You should definitely monitor what your kids are looking at on the Internet. There are so many child abusers out there using the Internet as a way to get close to our kids and the only way to protect your child is to educate them and know what they are doing. Also, if gangs are using the Internet to recruit our kids it has to stop. We are our kids only protection. Be a responsible parent and monitor your kids. They are precious. I know it is hard with teenagers but if your child is given rules about the web then you must enforce them.

Answer 3

There is a 17 year old girl in Idaho missing right now and her parents think she walked out of school to meet a guy she met on line from Ga.
She has not been seen or heard from since a week ago this Thursday. Monitor your children, they learn from you.

Answer 4

As a parent of 2 teenagers I think you do need to monitor their computer use. Put the computer in the living room where you can see what's going on, use parental blocks.

You need to balance this with their privacy rights. Also, you need to gradually let them have more choices as they get older. If you don't then they will have no experience making good choices.

Most importantly, talk to your kids.......a lot. Find out what makes them tick. Find out what they're dealing with on a day to day basis.

Answer 5

You can't setup a password to do that but you can configure rights. depending on what you are using. There is also software you can add on for that type of thing. Or log into the router and configure times when the ports are open etc..

Answer 6

Any responsible parent would monitor where their child goes on the internet. Too many perverts out there amongst other things to let them be victimized and mislead.

Answer 7

well of course parents should control their childrens access to the internet as well as tv. Its not the people who put the stuff on the net and tvs fault its the parents fault for not monitoring what their children are doing.

Answer 8

I do.I really would rather not have to,but with the way things are right now,I would rather be safe than sorry,Besides,I find the thought of my son alive and unharmed much more attractive than the alternative.