Sunday 19 December 2010

Government, ISPs and parents - why haven't they done more?

When I heard that the government was trying to bring together the main ISPs to stop adult rated websites or 'porn' from entering the households of millions of parents, I thought, that has taken a long time to work out.

With all the magic, tech wizardry and power of Google, why haven't they done more to quite simply stop internet porn? They can do it. Moreover, should do it. Yet, never, do we hear of Google actually doing anything to stop the criminal gangs that exploit, women, children and make millions in the process?

Instead some argue that Google is infact, well, taking the mick a little with its overwhelming power of the internet. Using and abusing its position, rather than using its abilities to 'do good'. You would have thought it would come naturally? Alas, it is a company motivated by money as any other and unfortunately appears to have become blinded by its moral and ethical obligations.

So, on that note I am actually 100% behind the governments initiative. To be honest, parents need to be on board too. It is just far too easy to logon or search for a porn website. Anyone can do it. And the sad thing is, demand is at an all time high. Why? Because it is uncontrolled.

Governments are the only bodies with power to do something. So hearing that Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg are going to do something about this in the UK, well, go for it I say.

So, parents, dads, you can make a difference and you know what, It would be an idea if they government set up a website to encourage the public to send it urls of 'adult websites' they know to help the ISPs shut them down.

It is one area I am particularly happy for the government to enforce. Question is: will they?

Saturday 4 December 2010

Are parents really that naive in 2010?

Watching the news much of the past few weeks I couldn't help but notice the many hundreds of young children, literally no more than 13-14 year olds who were stuck in a head on clash with the police.

Now, protesting is one thing, but for young teenage school children that is completely wrong. Protests have a tendency to turn nasty, in fact, you only have to look at the violence and destruction of the past few student riots to see that they don't care about public property. They have descended into a mob and intent on causing nothing but trouble. The Police have said parents need to take responsibility for their children's actions.

The thing I don't understand is why we don't force those that are arrested destroying property aren't given the bill to pay for the clean up? Why haven't police passed that bill onto the parents? I think that would encourage a bit more responsibility.

To be honest, as I walked over to Westminster on each of the strike days, I noted that there were anarchists in the crowd here and there. Many of whom looked well prepared for violence and seemed to be much older than the majority of the students that were there.

Now as a parent, I wouldn't allow my teenage son or daughter to go on one of these protests. When you pay tax you can protest. That is my view. Until then you do as your told. It cannot be right that the students who have in my opinion been extremely immature and childish. Their arguments are weak and fail to recognise the fact that they will pay nothing until they graduate and earn a decent salary.

I have to agree with Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg, I don't see all the fuss. It was Blair that brought in tuition fees and made everyone pay, the new government has taken that all away and yet still people complain?

That is why I can't help to speculate that this might be politically motivated? Hence my concern about young children attending these kinds of protests. Typically infiltrated by extremists with weird ideologies, do you really want your young son or daughter to be led astray by some lunatic?

I think most people will say no. I have to add, as the final vote will soon pass in the House of Commons on the 9th December, I just hope parents around the country behave like parents as Eminem so aptly put it in a recent interview. Essentially saying 'grow up'. Not just a good musician after all!