After reading all the discourse regarding Cyberpatrol and blocked sites,
I'm not sure who I feel more sorry for, the artists whose "legitimately
artistic nude" work gets blocked, or the folks at Microsystems who have
taken on the gargantuan task of becoming our collective cultural cybercensors.
I took the time to check out the directory Cyberpatrol blocked on sito
(http://www.sito.org/sito/pers/Adams_RE.html) and although I rather enjoyed
the images presented therein (except for the artist's preoccupation with
cigarrette-brandishing women), I immediately understood why it was put on
their list.
Although I'm not yet a parent, I can definitely see how this software would
be a very effective tool in my effort to prevent my kid from being exposed
to more than they were ready to process before I had a chance to help put
some of this "questionable" content in context for them. I have created
images of a similar nature to the ones blocked on sito, and would still not
introduce a kid (mine or anyone else's) to this work.
By and large, I felt that their list of CyberNOT categories (listed here:
http://www.microsys.com/cyber/cp_list.htm) were relevant for concerned
parents, as 95% of the content described on this list I would consider
inappropriate for a child to be accessing. The other 5% I'd want to be
introducing them to in a "controlled" situation, (ie. at home where I could
introduce them to the content in an educational context).
Really, the only entry in their CyberNOT categories that confused the hell
out of me was the following passage...
"Sex Education (graphics or text):
Pictures or text advocating the proper use of contraceptives. This
topic would include condom use, the correct way to wear a condom and how to
put a condom in place. Also included are sites relating to discussion about
the use of the Pill, IUD's and other types of contraceptives. In addition
to the above, this category will include discussion sites on - how to talk
to your partner about diseases, pregnancy and respecting boundaries.
Excluded from this category are commercial sites wishing to sell sexual
paraphernalia."
What's up with this?!? I'd have thought that they'd REVERSE these
included/excluded categories. Maybe it was a typo.
Anyway, in this day and age when kids are often learning to use computers
faster and more effectively than their parents, and at younger and younger
ages, I think that a tool such as Cyberpatrol can definitely help parents
keep their kids' explorations in check, and within reason for the most
part. Our culture rushes them enough already as it is.
Just another voice in the din...
-jaxun
Experience Pixelschism ... www.art.net/~jaxun
j a x u n @ a r t . n e t