Safety for teen users of The Ledge

[holidayroad]

Originally Posted by ButterCookie

No, Dani, it's about Miranda's leaving... I think.

However, as a teenager, I do agree with the notion of deleting posts that give away location. I have posted where I live online before then gone back to it and thought "Why the HELL did I do that?" I don't really like the thought of the area for teen ledgies though, that was suggested in another thread. I get on better with people older tham myself and often have trouble communicating with people of my own age. For me an segregated area would make me feel like I was back in school. I like being able to read everyone else's posts and share my view on them in all the parts of The Ledge

Actually, I was the one who mentioned a teen area. My idea wasn't that teens should not be allowed on the rest of the board, but that, if a parent thought a teen should only communicate with other teens, there would be a section here that would promote that.

[holidayroad]

Originally Posted by LikeAWillow

Somewhat side-note: I'm not a fan of the teen board either, although to clarify, I think the idea holidayroad had in mind was to have a board that only teens had access to in addition to their access to the rest of the forum. Then it could just be a place where they could feel more comfortable about opening up a little more and sharing details about school/life/etc without worrying that everyone on the internet could see it.

That is exactly what I had in mind. I should have posted it more clearly when I first said it.

[nailatixela]

Originally Posted by LikeAWillow

I report this to Michele. Michele is kind enough to ban him. Well, OnlinePredator23434 can still view the ledge and all its happenings as a guest even after he's banned. Change the system and you have a better shot at keeping out people who have proven they need to be kept out.

I agree with your points. But I don't think banned users can actually come back as guests? If you ban their IP - I thought that computer cannot access the site at all? I'm not sure how the ledge is set up.

[LukeA]

Originally Posted by nailatixela

I agree with your points. But I don't think banned users can actually come back as guests? If you ban their IP - I thought that computer cannot access the site at all? I'm not sure how the ledge is set up.

Yes, you can ban an IP, but not everyone has a static IP address. Would be very easy to use another computer, or simply use a proxy of some sort.

I'm all for rendering The Ledge & all of its forums (except maybe the one pertaining to technical questions regarding the operation of the board) visible only to registered users.

[tilthefirefades]

Alright, new plan!

Require the following:

-Current Driver's license
-Social security card
-Birth certificate
-Background check
-And finally, make them take a short quiz on Fleetwood Mac

Vigilantes of the youth unite!

[hayley]

Originally Posted by RickRobert

Bye...

No seriously, what about us who don't like most people in our own area? You'd rather us have hardly any friends? I probably have four of five friends I actually care about here, where as I have about ten online, most of which I've known since I was 13/14...

Sit in your room and listen to the Smiths and the Cure and cry like everyone else had to do before the Internet existed.

I grew up on the Ledge. Literally. It wasn't a good thing. I wish my parents had taken more of an interest in what I was doing, I may have been forced to learn how to actually speak to regular people. Everyone can debate back and forth over whether Miranda's parents were right, but she's a minor and it's their right to do what they did. Sucks for all of you who are losing contact with a friend, but it's not the first time this has happened to a younger member of the Ledge and it won't be the last.

Closing the boards so only registered users can read messages is a really good idea. I'm kinda completely confused as to why it hasn't been done before.

[RickRobert]

Originally Posted by hayley

Sit in your room and listen to the Smiths and the Cure and cry like everyone else had to do before the Internet existed.

Can I listen to The Wall instead? Seriously though, I can and do talk to dozens of people, I just don't relate to any of them.

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by hayley

I grew up on the Ledge. Literally.

You were, what?, seven? nine? when we first started coming here??

And I was just barely 18. ummmm....x 2.35

[MissLadyLoki]

Originally Posted by RickRobert

Can I listen to The Wall instead? Seriously though, I can and do talk to dozens of people, I just don't relate to any of them.

No, you gotta listen to Wish You Were Here instead!

Anyways, about the boards being private, that is a very good idea. Most forums (such as IMDb, which I used to post at a lot till a left a few months ago) are private for a reason, and The Ledge should be no exception.

[SapphireSister]

Originally Posted by hayley

I grew up on the Ledge. Literally. It wasn't a good thing. I wish my parents had taken more of an interest in what I was doing, I may have been forced to learn how to actually speak to regular people.

Oh but Ledgies are far more interesting than regular people!

[mylittledemon]

There's not a whole lot you can do. Anyone can lie about their age.

Originally Posted by holidayroad

The moderators may or may not agree that anything different needs to be done, but it is something to think about. I think it would be a good idea that if a minor comes to The Ledge and posts something like what school they attend, the city they live in, or a phone number, that it should be able to be deleted by a moderator.

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

I personally feel that nobody under the age of 18 should be allowed on the Internet at all. If I were President. . .

it just depends on which website a 'minor' is visiting.

My 17 year old niece "Nimrod" (My pet name for Kendra) has/had a myspace account once but some '30-something' year old perv decided to potray himself as a teenager...so once her dad (My older brother Geary) took care of said 'perv' I offered my parental eagle-eye (somewhat odd that I'm NOT yet a parent) to watch her account and to make sure she isnt trying to act older than what she actually is.

Havent had an incident since...


Damn, I hate being old...

[chelluversu]

Originally Posted by hayley

Sit in your room and listen to the Smiths and the Cure and cry like everyone else had to do before the Internet existed.

I grew up on the Ledge. Literally. It wasn't a good thing. I wish my parents had taken more of an interest in what I was doing, I may have been forced to learn how to actually speak to regular people. Everyone can debate back and forth over whether Miranda's parents were right, but she's a minor and it's their right to do what they did. Sucks for all of you who are losing contact with a friend, but it's not the first time this has happened to a younger member of the Ledge and it won't be the last.

Closing the boards so only registered users can read messages is a really good idea. I'm kinda completely confused as to why it hasn't been done before.

So, just for my understanding, wouldn't cutting off the board to unregistered members end what led to many of the Ledgies signing up? I mean...I lurked for about a year or something before I actually got to sign up (thanks Arlene ).

As a minor I am guilty of a few things: Posting pictures of my friends online (I did this to Jeordy but he doesn't mind...but still), posting my phone number (but it's on a private page that only friends can read...but we all know that fb isn't the safest place ever), telling the name of the school I go to and my daily routine (not smart once I think about it), and a few other things...

I agree that the Ledge should be a safe haven for us minors who are as equal as everyone else here. How to implement that safety is gonna be cause for a good debate. Locking us up in a corner is not a good idea (I know it's not yours...I'm just saying) but we all should be urged to self regulate what we post so that we are safe (there's creepers out there )...

[bucklind17]

I started posting on The Ledge when I was 15. I remember trading even, meaning I gave my actual address to people who would then mail me tapes. I'm scratching my brain to whether or not my parents knew about this, they had to have because how else would I get to the post office to mail my trades?

I don't know, I think in a case like this, it's up to the user, not the community. 15 is old enough to know what information should be shared and what shouldn't and honestly, it's also old enough to decide whether or not you want to be posting on a message board. I don't really know much about the 15yo in question, but if she's spending an amount of her limited internet time on The Ledge, she's probably pretty intelligent!

[Nathan]

I just think this it ridiculous. And I've never even talked to Miranda.

The likelihood of there being people out there who troll Stevie Nicks fan forums for underage pussy, is low.

The person above me who said self regulation, is dead on.

And to quote someone else from the other thread -- 'Are we being serious right now'?