Some legal minds are getting together to see what can be done to make sure that social networking Web sites like MySpace are exclusively kids’ space. Researchers at Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society have been chosen to head up the Internet Safety Technical Task Force — at the behest of 49 state attorneys general — to look into possible technology-aided barriers to throw in front of predators — and online bullies — looking to hang out on Web sites the minors frequent.
Something such as this is unlikely to ever happen. For one, some people have legitimate reasons to keep their identity a secret, such as they have dangerous enemies for whatever reason, or they may be innocent refugees. Then there's the concern of privacy, the fact that this personal information would be made available for any website that a person is signing up on, which may or may not be relevant under that particular case. Then there's the concern that setting up such a system is very delicate, and if a simple system such as age verification is used, there may be legitimate people of a mature age that wish to socialise, but will be blocked because of their age - In my country, that'd be called discrimination, and that's illegal!
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Harvard Law Researchers to Helm Social Net Safety Group
Posted by: Jim Offner February 28, 2008 11:22 AMSome legal minds are getting together to see what can be done to make sure that social networking Web sites like MySpace are exclusively kids’ space. Researchers at Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society have been chosen to head up the Internet Safety Technical Task Force — at the behest of 49 state attorneys general — to look into possible technology-aided barriers to throw in front of predators — and online bullies — looking to hang out on Web sites the minors frequent.