Lawmakers take aim at social-networking sites

A proposed federal law, Deleting Online Predators Act, or DOPA, would soon make many social networking sites such as Myspace, Blogger, and others from being accessible on library and public school computers for minors. This is not the most disturbing part, as there are other programs that would be blocked under this legislation including AOL and Yahoo Instant Messenger.

As always, the idea behind this proposal is that it would protect children from online predators. Ah, yes because online predators unlike those in real life can reach out and grab your children and kidnap them. OH WAIT, the child has to provide personal information and in most cases establish contact with the predator? Hm.

In the talk I saw from danah boyd last Thursday, she discussed how online predators aren't nearly as mysterious and rampant as we might think. Most of the time, the girls that get into trouble with these creepos are fully aware before they meet their "online friend" of their age difference (and through this revelation would be able to ask themselves - "Why would a 40 year old want to hang out with a 15 year old?") and choose to meet them anyhow.

Libraries, schools, and *gasp* parents could provide information about how to protect oneself from predators--both online and otherwise. Instead of blocking these websites and messaging services that are principally used for communication among already established friends (because parents won't let them go out because their baby needs to have 500 extra curriculars to get into ___ University...ok that's really beside the point but whatever.)

Blocking this social outlet for young people is not only destructive and extremely unneccessary. Being under 18 does not make one socially incompetent. Minors haven't forgotten the "dont' talk to strangers" policy and if one worries they have, all they need is a simple reminder.