Tim Rollins Photo courtesy of Beth Rollins

It seems that there is an increasing need for responsibility in our society, particularly when it comes to our young, both children and teenagers alike. This is particularly true when it comes to the Internet. It seems that there is a growing number of pedophiles and other assorted wackos who are preying on those who are unable to protect or defend themselves.

The rapes and murders of Megan Kanka in New Jersey and Polly Klaas in California some years ago led to the passage of legislation designed to protect children form predators such as these who practice out in the open. There has been an emerging and disturbing trend over the past few years for a number of these pervs to start plying their trade over the Internet.

An excellent case in point came with a twelve-year old girl from outside of Toronto who was chatting on ICQ with a boy from New Jersey. They seemed to be getting along friendly enough until things started to take a dark turn. The boy started talking about how hopeless his life was and how he wanted to end it all and commit suicide. Not knowing better, this girl believed in all actuality that he was going to do it, and started screaming and becoming uncontrollable. Her stepfather had to pull her away from the computer, and the girl’s mother and her best friend took her to her room to calm her down.

The stepfather then looked at the entire transcript from the conversation, and then looked on the Internet for the phone number of the Mt. Laurel New Jersey Police Department and dialed them up on the other line. They asked him to fax the transcript of the conversation to them, which he promptly did. In a follow-up call, a detective sergeant spoke with the stepfather and together they decided on the course of action for this case. For openers, the stepfather had concerns that this may not have actually been a 14-year old boy, but possibly an adult with a yellow (rap) sheet that dated back to childhood. It was not known whether this was a teenager as stated or a violent sex offender. After discussing the case with the sergeant, this guy went and spoke with his wife on the matter. Inasmuch as it was her daughter from her first marriage, the final decision would rest with her.

After 45 minutes of consultation, it was decided that the daughter would be off the computer for two weeks and off the Internet for 30 days. To keep her from logging online, all the passwords she was using were changed, written down and kept in the safe. When the 30 days were up, the original passwords were restored and she was allowed back on the Internet only when there was an adult supervising at all times. In addition, her ICQ account was cancelled. Later that night, she gave her mother an envelope that she was preparing to mail this guy. It was not until her mother and stepfather explained to her the risks that go with giving out personal information online that she began to understand the potential gravity of her actions and how it could affect her sister and little brother.

Well, it now appears that Congressional support is growing for efforts to require schools and libraries with Internet access to install software to block access to pornography, obscenity and materials considered harmful to minors. As part of a bill going through Congress that hopes to make it into law before the elections, it has the support of among others, three Republicans, Senators John McCain of Arizona and Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, and Representative Ernest Istook of Oklahoma. Whether it makes it into law is anyone’s guess at this point, and given the opposition of the White House to mandatory filters, one shouldn’t get their hopes up, especially with Clinton at the helm.

Legislation and filtering for computers in public areas where children can have access to them is important and libraries know there are ways to have the filters and still allow children access to areas they need for school book reports and the like. However, it is particularly incumbent upon parents most of all to teach their children the proper and responsible for any and all things in the house. Whether it be the handling of kitchen knives, the washing and drying of dishes, proper telephone etiquette designed to protect them when the parents aren’t home, or the Internet in particular, parents need to remember this above all else - these children are their responsibility, and they are the prime providers for said children – not the school, not the churches or synagogues, and particularly not the state.

That is a lesson that all parents should either learn or remind themselves of frequently.

Copyright © 2000 by Timothy Rollins.
All Rights Reserved.

-Published with permission