As Chicken Little once said: The Asifah is coming! The Asifah is coming!
So without further ado, let's talk about it.
The internet is a vicious creature, with many things on it that people shouldn't be looking at, such as: Porn, Gossip, and the Numa Numa Guy.
And because of this the Jews are uprising, and forming a Kosher Expo, followed by discussions on the topic, of how to keep people off the internet, and away from these sites.
As someone very familiar with computers, let me start by saying: There is no such thing as a filter. Every filter is breakable. And if you don't want your kids online looking at this stuff, then don't let them use the computer.
When I was a kid (a young teen, the age on when it all began, doesn't matter), first getting into trouble for looking at porn and the likes, my father installed the Internet Explorer Security Filter, and put a password on it. And then let me go on the computer...about three minutes later, thanks to a little help from some random site called Google, I had successfully found the file buried in the computer, that had the password in it, and deleted the file, allowing me to remove the filter.
Yes, at a nice young age, I was already disobeying authority, and hacking computers.
The expo is supposed to be showcasing "filters, various new products, methods and advice to help individuals, families and businesses to effectively filter all their internet connections". The only advice to successfully filter the internet: DON'T HAVE INTERNET.
Another problem I have with this whole Asifah, is that it is for men only...but woman will be able to watch it via satellite feeds at certain locations...I hate to say it, but unless they are securing an actual satellite feed (very expensive, trust me, I have experience in those matters), they are probably using THE INTERNET to run the feed. DAMN LIBERAL HIPPOCRATES. Don't hold a convention against using something and then use it, when it is necessary to your demands. On that note, don't have one of your RSVP options be via email...because that just encourages INTERNET!!!
Now, don't get me wrong, personally, I think every person in the world should have internet. And no, the filters should not be in place. It is everyone's responsibility to filter for themselves what they look at on there. As for minors, well, if you don't want them looking at that stuff online, then don't let them go online.
All of this just sounds to me like a typical #FirstWorldProblem.
BTW, for a more sane article on the topic, and further coverage of it (because, really, is it worth me going over it again?) try reading Thinking Jew Girl's first piece on it, found here.
"It is everyone's responsibility to filter for themselves what they look at on there."
ReplyDeleteAgreed. A kid is taught boundaries, rules self-control. And then he is told to put it into practice. How can one practice self-control when they are forced to relinquish that control by others?
I am pro filters, even for oneself. It may not make you stay away, but it is a danger sign every time you get too close. I put K9 web protection on my personal laptop, just for myself. So if I ever ended up on a site where I shouldn't be, I'd have to put in a password. And that act itself reminds me, turn back, you shouldn't be here.
I don't know that an Asifah will help, but there's no doubt that there is a problem. I just don't know that there is a viable solution. At least not on such a grand scale.
Boundaries that are placed too tight, means later in life, you don't know how to make decisions for yourself.
DeleteI think the best solution is to have spy software on the conputer, so you can see what your kids are doing on it, and LET THEM KNOW. That way, they KNOW they'll get caught if they try anything, and even if they disable it, you'll automatically know, and that's tantamount to an admission.
ReplyDeleteWhat if they don't care that you know?
DeleteMost people that explore those territories, don't really care.
I think that many people DO care what other people think. Fear of man over fear of G0d :(
DeleteGreat post and I love the cry from Chicken Little. I have no idea what the solution is... filters are imperfect. When I was younger and my dad got me an email account, he also set up some sort of parental filter for my internet browsing. But then it was blocking sites like Mostly Music for "explicit lyrics" so he took it off. And then as far as blocking sites- sometimes you don't know which site to block until you have an unclean popup hit you first...
ReplyDeleteSpyware might be a good idea, but only if the parents stay on top of their kids and act upon it. (And then who patrols the parents?) Every so often I go through my own browsing history to look for a lost site and am in disbelief at the minute-by-minute account of the stupidity that I spend so much time on... and that's not even inappropriate stuff. Not that I'm involved in anything illicit, but I definitely would be ashamed if every article I read/clip I listened to/facebook profile I dwelled on/chat I had was transparent to my parents. I know they trust me too much to snoop into my privacy and I'd feel violated if they did, but in the end it's up to all of us to recognize that "ayin ro'ah v'ozen shoma'as" and there is nothing like that spyware up there. Self-control and some yiras shamayim really is the key.
Strict filter at home + absence of self control = Frum people watching porn in the Brooklyn Public Library (I've witnessed it)
Damn Lipa and his nisht-Shtark lyrics.
DeleteAnd stop wasting time on Blogger!
And yeah, "witnessing others watching porn in the library"...like we believe that. Just kidding. Yeah, people have no morals.
I'll admit my wrongdoings, but wouldn't do any of them in public.