I just got off the tanks247 multiplayer flash wargame site, which features moderated chatting along with two dimensional tank shooting, in the vein of the popular game Scorched Earth.
The players choose between several rooms from Newbies to a specific area of the world, such as Africa, Pacific, etc. I chose Newbies since I was a newbie to that particular game, and was taken to the general chat area of that particular room.
Then the instant messages started appearing. The names were what I would have expected from college students or at least high school students. BIGBOOBS. SEXYGIRL. SUICIDE. And forty other various names, some more nasty than others. The language was as harsh as any flame war chat room that I've ever been on.
I was almost immediately challenged by someone with the handle of "KILLERS." He was very polite and started volunteering information (I didn't ask him anything). He wanted to be friends. My shields went up and I told him that I was way too old. He asked how old I was and I said "30+" and he said he was nine years old. NINE and he's in a chat room like that with that kind of vile language being thrown around??!
I politely said goodbye and logged off.
A short time later I logged in under another handle and was challenged by someone handled SEXYGIRL. My shields went up again and she volunteered that she was 13. I said "bye" and logged off the site immediately.
PARENTS!!! PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOUR KIDS ARE DOING AND SAYING ONLINE!!
If these were kids, they're making very bad mistakes by giving out e-mail addresses, phone numbers, addresses and other pertinent information that someone with bad intentions and half a brain could use. And in plain sight too, where everyone can see and read the information. At least one person gave out their e-mail address for all to see.
I hope law enforcement is monitoring sites like this.
I'll stick to Scorched Earth, thank you very much.
No comments:
Post a Comment