One day. That’s how long it took for someone to put out another MySpace/Facebook pervert press release. This is the sixth one since January.
Our blood pressure rises a little bit each time we read one of these damn things. When will something substantive be tackled? I mean, if you don’t want your kids talking to perverts? Don’t let them on the internet by themselves! Damn.
ATTORNEY GENERAL JACK CONWAY ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH FACEBOOK TO MAKE SITE SAFER
Frankfort, Ky. (May 8, 2008) – Attorney General Jack Conway announced today that the attorneys general of 49 states and the District of Columbia have reached an agreement with Facebook to better protect children from predators and inappropriate content.
“I have been encouraging Facebook to get on board and follow MySpace’s lead in protecting children who visit these sites from adults who are trying to prey on their vulnerability and innocence,” General Conway said. “I am gratified that we’re moving forward with this agreement in an effort to protect Kentucky kids.”
The agreement is similar to the one that MySpace reached in January with 49 states and the District of Columbia. MySpace agreed to head a task force, which Facebook has joined, to explore and develop age and identity-identification tools for social-networking sites.
Don’t get us wrong– everyone appreciates keeping our kids safe. But it’s been five months. We’re tired of hearing about MySpace perverts or whatever. Legislators, former attorneys general, Democratic leaders and the everyday rank and file voters are beginning to complain to us– a lot. Can we cool it for a while? Maybe sue an oil company or whatever for a few minutes?
For the record: everyone else is afraid to offer constructive criticism and we’ve gotten a lot of push-back about mentioning this. But come on! We can’t be the only ones rolling our eyes at wasted potential. Especially if someone wants to run for governor/senate in a couple years.
5 responses so far ↓
1 JeffNLou // May 8, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I’ll tell you what…I’ll be one to say it out loud. This is all about the exploitation of children, specifically for politcal gain. Sure, it’s a valid issue, per se, but in the context of any form of politics it becomes a tool used to manipulate the voting masses. It strikes at the child-reverence element of culture & society, which did not exist, at least not in it’s current form, until Dr. Spock sold lots of books & made lots of money writing about it when the baby boom hit. Again, it’s an admirable cause, but, of course, it’s aimed at getting someone elected to a higher office. If anyone can articulate this any better, please jump in.
2 Steve Bittenbender // May 9, 2008 at 7:12 am
If we want to protect children, why don’t we work harder to expand K-CHIP?
I realize that’s not under Jack Conway’s purview, but that would do so much more to help our kids than this Facebook agreement.
Besides, I thought Facebook was mostly for college students and adults. How many tweens have Facebook pages?
3 Yellow Dog // May 9, 2008 at 8:42 am
Amen to all. This is classic fear-mongering over a scary but minimal threat to hide total lack of action on real threats that are boring and hard to deal with.
I remember at a fundraiser hearing Conway talk about stopping Internet pervs being his first priority, and my heart sank.
Conway’s far from alone, but it’s still depressing.
Way past time to clone John Yarmuth.
4 James R // May 9, 2008 at 8:45 am
Call me crazy, but I accept anything that will stop some of the problems that facebook, aol, and other internet chat rooms cause. Most Kentuckians do. The internet is a wonderful thing, but it can be abused by people who want to abuse it and should be watched by law enforcement.
I guess some people see that when certain politicians do the right thing it is pandering, when other politicians do the right thing it is real change. Give me a break.
I agree with Steve though, lets expand the program Hillary Clinton got passed- K-Chips.
5 jake // May 9, 2008 at 9:18 am
James R: “Internet chat rooms” ??
In this instance it IS pandering. Because there’s nothing an AG from Kentucky can do to stop people from having a MySpace account.
It’s always silly things like requiring perverts to register their email addresses with the courts or whatever. I’m not sure who came up with that idea first, but, uh, have they ever been on the internet for more than a few minutes? If you’ve got ten minutes you can register ten fake email addresses with ease.
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