Who can police the World Wide Web?

By: Mai Eldib

MySpace! Facebook! These two online communities have become so
integral to the daily lives of Generation Y. We obsess over our profile
picture. What does it say about us? Do I look pretty? Do I look sexy?

Sadly many of us don’t realize that what we post,
upload or simply write in the world of cyber space
is free for all. Privacy does not exist. The amount
of privacy that exists is equitable to zilch. Anything
can be uncovered on the World Wide Web. Whether
you wrote a blog when you were naïve at the young
age of 13 or rebellious at 21. Everything is
interlinked and can be tracked down.

Recall these stories - the recent incident in Florida
with the cheerleaders and another incident with
resulted with the death of an innocent girl, Tina
Meier. Why did the Eight Florida teenagers
mercilessly beat the cheerleader who made a
posting about them? What pushed them to this limit?

And how could a mother bring herself to convince a young girl of 13, Tina
Meier, that she was her online boyfriend and then totally abandon the girl
in unsympathetic manner. Disturbing, to say the least, these events are
demonstrative that cyber space isn’t a space safe. On the contrary, it is an
arena that can potentially solicit harm, crime and many other abominable
actions.

From sexual predators to diverse forms of bullying, the online world is a
new forum for trouble. With no concrete form of protection, anyone is
vulnerable to online predators, who would even be tempted to steal your
identity. Time and time again I think about who can possibly police or form
a sort of protection against the perils that exist all over the web. Is it the
parent’s responsibility? Yes! It is essential, if not imperative that parents
understand the ramifications of the current dynamics of the online
community. Like it was in the past a parent’s duty to censor age-
inappropriate material in any of the forms of the media, this is no different.

The internet is a new form of
media, and it’s here to stay and
will grow even bigger. This only
means one thing, less and less
privacy. Trivial as it may seem,
we must always be extremely
wary of any transactions we
decide to process online.
Whether it be using a credit
card or candidly discussing
controversial issues that can
be misinterpreted, being
cautious is critical.

Online communities are new malls and hangout locations where people can
meet and chat. But there are ramifications to this new found technology;
you are dealing with an unknown cloud. The person on the other side of the
screen might have an ulterior motive when it comes to having a
relationship. His or her intentions might not be based on platonic and
friendly terms. There is a high potential for sexual predators and bullies.
One thing is for sure, we must make sure to protect ourselves by limiting
the availability of personal and private information, and avoid any form of
“sketchy” solicitation. And it is paramount to avoid the publication of
photos that can bring unwanted and dangerous attention.

So be careful when you hit the web, and make sure you:

- Don’t ever under any condition give out your credit card number, unless it
is a hacker free and certified website.

- If you make plans to meet a person through an online conversation, make
sure that you meet at a public and preferably crowded location. Also don’t
go ALONE, take someone as a backup plan, in case, the person you intend to
meet wasn’t what they attested to be.

- Don’t trust everything that is online. Be very wary of who you talk to and
who you friend on online communities, it’s preferable that you only accept
people who you have met at least once, or is a friend of a friend

- And lastly, always be careful and cautious. It’s not a safe world out there,
and seeing that the realm of the internet isn’t TRANSPARENT. Always think
twice before making a decision about what to do online.