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> How do you propose fixing the problem? Teach your kids better. There are several factors at play here. One is the technological ignorance you mentioned. Kids

> How do you propose fixing the problem? Teach your kids better. There are several factors at play here. One is the technological ignorance you mentioned. Kids don't understand caches, archives, downloading media? Teach them. It shouldn't be hard to explain those concepts at a level that will allow kids to make better choices. Another thing to teach kids is about anonymity, falsehoods and trust levels. You want to connect to your friend Michael on Twitter? When you next meet him in person, ask him for his username and give him yours. Anyone you randomly "meet" online might not be who you think they are or who they say they are. You don't have to automatically assume someone is hostile, but never automatically assume someone is benign. Above all, don't give your kids means to get themselves into serious trouble until you've taught them. That means that if the kid is too young to properly understand these things, don't give them a smartphone. If you wouldn't send a toddler to walk alone to preschool a few blocks (and pedestrian crossings) away, why would you give a 10 year old a smartphone?

Pigo 9y ago
It probably starts with the technological ignorance of the parents. Spreading stories like this hopefully reach these parents.
ams6110 9y ago
> Kids don't understand caches, archives, downloading media? Teach them. Most adults don't really understand these things. Also have you ever parented a teenager? Some are less troublesome than others but most will do what they want to do, regardless of what the adults in their lives tell them to do. They are actually individuals that way.
- CodeMage 9y ago
  I haven't parented a teenager yet, but I remember doing all sorts of dumb shit myself. That's why I aim to teach my kid this stuff before he becomes a teenager ;) That's what I feel is the hardest thing about parenting: coming to terms with the fact that you cannot guarantee nothing will ever happen to them. You have to try your very best, but there's no guarantee. As for adults not really understanding these things, that's also an education problem. We can't just shrug and say that nobody really understands this, therefore educating people isn't really a solution.

Pigo 9y ago

It probably starts with the technological ignorance of the parents. Spreading stories like this hopefully reach these parents.

ams6110 9y ago

> Kids don't understand caches, archives, downloading media? Teach them. Most adults don't really understand these things. Also have you ever parented a teenager? Some are less troublesome than others but most will do what they want to do, regardless of what the adults in their lives tell them to do. They are actually individuals that way.

CodeMage 9y ago
I haven't parented a teenager yet, but I remember doing all sorts of dumb shit myself. That's why I aim to teach my kid this stuff before he becomes a teenager ;) That's what I feel is the hardest thing about parenting: coming to terms with the fact that you cannot guarantee nothing will ever happen to them. You have to try your very best, but there's no guarantee. As for adults not really understanding these things, that's also an education problem. We can't just shrug and say that nobody really understands this, therefore educating people isn't really a solution.