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"Bad Press For Chat Rooms"

I'm watching the news, and they are talking about two 10 year olds who have gone missing. They think that they have been abducted by someone that they talked to on internet chat rooms. The press as usual are making it sound like Chat rooms are very dangerous.

Have any of you ever met anyone you first spoke to over the internet. Would any of you?

Ros

Basically, the media will always find a scapegoat. People cannot accept that sometimes things just go wrong. That's why we get all those crap adverts for 'accident helpline' ("if you've had an accident on the road, at work or at home that was't your fault..."), people just can't accept that things go wrong sometimes, so people want someone/thing to blame, be it chat rooms, video games, rock music, violent films, yadda yadda yadda.

It seems the public are all too willing to believe something is bad based on what the media tells them.

Tetchy wrote:
> Yeh, I saw a feature about 'the perils about chatrooms' on
> 'Newsnight'.
>
> They were telling everyone how easy it is to lie about yourself
> on-Line and ensnare kids.
>
Thereby telling all the peodophiles in the country exactly how to go about it!

oh clever!

people never learn

Yeh, I saw a feature about 'the perils about chatrooms' on 'Newsnight'.

They were telling everyone how easy it is to lie about yourself on-Line and ensnare kids.

The thing is, no-one is going to speak up for chatrooms at the moment in case they are accused of being disrespectful.

We all know that a properly governed, well organised chat service can be a great place to log on to. I guess the criticism is against sites that may not be as well run or monitored as this one.

On a different note, the village where the girls were abducted is just down the road from where I live. The police helecopter flew over my house yesterday. Very scary.

cookie monster wrote:

> Incidently if there are any paedophiles on this forum trying to get
> some kicks, go get a life you sad little people.

Aww man, I'm telling my mummy =(

I really shouldnt joke though :/

Yeah, im afraid this sensationalism seems to sell more papers. Since most parents dont really have a clue about the internet they automatically assume that the media is telling it like it is. How many people use the internet in the UK? Easily a few million. And how many cases of abduction have been proven to be connected with internet chat rooms? I cant name that many. If you go to decent forums you meet decent people.

Incidently if there are any paedophiles on this forum trying to get some kicks, go get a life you sad little people.

Rosalind wrote:
> Well said :)

Who me? I dont see anyone else here, you must be talkin to me =)

Thanks anyway :p

Well said :)

Er I have met two people off the net. One girl called Hannah and one called Katy, although I met them at the same time. Just went to the cinema and was fine although I have to say I could barely talk.

I think the media sucks mainly because they really dont know what their on about a lot of the time. Giving the impression that anyone on the net is a pervert just isnt right as its just stupid people spreading stupid stereotypes. I mean I play TO online a lot and a vast, and I mean vast majority of them are older than me as in 18+ because of this my brother comes out with comments such as "how are your friends on the net, those peados" and I just find it really irritating. They go on the net and play the game to have fun because they enjoy games, just like I do, just because their adults who play games online with kids as well doesnt make them peados does it.

Also with chat rooms you do get quite a lot of strange people in them, but that tends to be because you've searched them out. Personally I wouldnt mind meeting most people on this forum because I can practically assure myself that their not freaks, however I cant say that for people who go to "teen sex chat rooms" because its a breeding place for peadophilia. Your not going to know if someones lying to you in a place like that. If they come in and say, I'm a 30 year old man who wants to get off over a teenage girl they are going to get ignored. HOwever if they pretend their like a teenage boy etc. they can get girls talking with ease really. Oh and remember its not always men, females can do the same thing.

In my view the net is reasonably safe for children, if anything bad comes of it in my view its because the child hasnt been monitored whilst their on the net. Obviously they shouldnt be watched all the time because thats absurd but I personally think that if a parent is letting their children on the net they should keep an eye on the kinds of sites they are visiting. Now I'm 15 and I think of myself as being mature enough to know the limits. I wouldnt go around giving my address out in chat rooms to people that I dont trust, and even if I did trust them I doubt I would unless I have talked to them on the phone or something for quite a while. Its all about trust, however thats one of the things peadophiles aim to do with children, get them to trust them and then they kind of have them in their hands.

Basically I think that the media shouldnt be blaming chat rooms for this. All the media is aiming to do is (as sheepy put it) target parents who havent even used a chat room before and dont understand that everyone on the net isnt a pervert. I know its harsh but if these two girls did in fact arrange to meet someone they had actually met in a chat room its not their fault, but the parents.

Attention seeking methinks.

Yeah I know what you mean but didn't someone see those girls and say they were "larking" about? You don't normally lark when you've been abducted.