At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I really like the cut of this guy’s jib. He’s taking a lot of heat from both media and parents alike but is standing his ground on a very reasonable and logical position. Most kids of middle-school age simply aren’t mature enough to handle social media or the new web of user-generated content, and the damage being inflicted on kids through these sites is serious. I want to thank not only our customers but all parents who take active roles in shepherding their kids through a new and very challenging landscape.

The most common knock on this guy that I hear is that he’s telling kids not to communicate. Many compare it to telling kids not to use the telephone. Well, that’s a lot like comparing Godzilla to an iguana. They’re both reptiles, true, but one is infinitely more damaging than the other. This is literally the first time in human history when anyone, regardless of age, experience, or influence, can have their words seen and heard by thousands, sometimes millions, of people. I don’t think any of us completely realize the impact of this.

Readers, do you think this principle deserves to take heat for his position?

Filed under: Internet Safety News