News Connecticut proposes MySpace ID Bill

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/03/09/senator_proposes_myspace_ID_bill/

 

I kinda like the idea tbh.

Giving parents some sort of access to what their kids are doing online is always good but how many parents just don't care?

 

I thought myspace had a tickbox which said you had to be a certain age and have parental permission?

 

Its a step but then, as airchie pointed out, how many parents actually care? Or simply just gloss over the 'If you are over 13 click here...' verification screens?

It's all fine and good to say more needs to be done, but you simply can't enforce it on those unwilling to enforce. <shrug>

It's not so much that new laws or regulations need to be created. Parents need a wake up call to the actual things their kids can get up to on the net. Most simply have no idea just what content is out there.

Well, not unless some nice new-fangled brainwave/dna/rectal scanner security system comes out to 100% guarantee you are who you say you are..

Did I say rectal.. i meant.. retinal...

 

ID verivication to join a social networking site, now with the likes of Myspace that may be OK as they can be trusted to hold that personal information.
Now obviously Myspace is not the only social networking site out there, in fact every forum could fall into this catagory, and how many would be willing to share their personal information with just any site.
This simply cannot work as there are too many forums and social networking sites to safely monitor, and who would you trust to retain your credit card details.

 

It's a great idea, with the exception of the Credit Card deal. After all, I am 21 and use Facebook/Myspace to chat with my cousins as well as coworkers when not at work. I would rather give out my drivers license number than the credit card if that would be possible. For some reason, I don't see any reason to give a "free" website my credit card number or any information that would allow ID theft.

Especially given the virus and account stealing vault that MySpace has become lately.

 

Connecticut is spelled wrong in the title.

 

do it. The loss of people advertising will balance out in the end and parent SHOULD take more responsability.
the culture of blame and somebody else problem has to stop

 

I filly agree with the scheme. I'm 21 so I'm not exactly going to get propositioned but I fully agree with the scheme and it's ideals. I don't think anyone would class this as nanny state, it is for the protection of minors.

 

I like the idea. I live in Connecticut myself, and let me tell you that Richard Blumenthal, even with his comb-over, is still one of the best civil servants I have seen. He uses discretion in choosing his cases and his office has gone after many, many internet scammers and e-criminals. I hope no one thinks he's like that guy who went after "Bully" and other video games.
Connecticut has had a freakish number of Myspace-related sex crimes over the past two years (compared to the rest of the US). If the parents won't step up to the task of protecting their kids, then the state has to be relied upon, and its job is getting harder. Many times, the offenders will live in other states, and that creates extradition complications and really prevents our state government from protecting its own kids (which, of course, it shouldn't have to).

Besides, Myspace now sucks anyway. Facebook is where it's at. (No offense, Doug)

 

I think it would be a good idea if it didnt have the credit card idea... and also for example i dont think it should flag it unless the theres a serious age difference with younger people. For example an 11 year old talking to 15/16 year olds is ok but i think it should flag it if 20+ yr old adds an 11 year old.

Also does this work vice versa? what if the 11 year old adds people who are 20 odd.

 

Credit Card is only way to safely and fully confirm age.
I like this idea as long as it doesn't affect online forum communities.

 

Unless, of course, the child knows where mommy keeps her credit cards...
No online ID verification can be truly foolproof because, being a long-distance thing, it relies on the honesty of one of the parties.

The only way to truly achieve verification would be for applicants to go to their local government office (DMV, council buildings, whatever) and apply in person with verifiable photo ID.

 

While a good idea, it's completely impractical to make it mandatory.

 

I don't think that it would be practical to make this mandatory for all social community sites (every forum could fall in that category).
It should be ok however when major players adopt such policies ...

 

Honestly, there'll be loopholes in the system, they'll be exploited, and again, oh no! Rush in the big brother and big sister (or nanny) state - it's not the parent's fault for not giving a rat's ass what their child does or where they go, it's not the person who set it up's fault (oh no, no, they need help!) it's the big bad corperation not doing enough to protect the kids from falling off the proverbial jungle gym.

[I'm not for supporting the asshats that take advantage of children, but i'm far and for the removal or moronic constraints that do nothing against the problems, just ones that slow down the legitimate users]

Besides, it requires credit card numers, now does it? Makes newscorp ever so much more the sweet to knock over...

 

won't work lots of sites use age verification based on credit cards such as ebay and paypal. But even though I am under 18 I still use these sites because I have a card that apears to be a credit card (just can't go over drawn on it) and even if I didn't I would be able to sign up for a virtual credit card which money could be deposeted on by other means.

I also don't see whats so bad about a child having adult freinds, I have many friends that are over 18 and they are very usefull to me.

 

i think the kind of card your refering to is a debit card

Any you can sign up to paypal at any age, its stupid, it says you must be 18 but it doesn't actually check, it doesn't even ask for your DoB
But yeah, this just seems stupid to me in a way, people will just get round it somehow