Just recently, I had a very confusing chat with a kid who is going on 11 in Shoutboard. He (she?) kept asking how old I was and I kept giving him (her?) hints. Finally, he (she?) fled - perhaps not to come back again. I felt a bit bad about it, though.

Well, it's inevitable that adults ARE into Archie comics, which are supposed to be kiddie stuff to begin with, so of course adults will come here to discuss the wonderful, complex world of Riverdale. But young kids will come here, too.

Unfortunately, we do discuss some pretty adult stuff here...like SEX! And it's also understandable that the kid took off like that when he finally teased out my real age (I don't like to tell even white lies, BTW.) Kids aren't supposed to talk to strangers...either in RL or online anyway. But then again, kids aren't supposed to be online at least until they're 13, right?

What do you think, guys?=\

Great, to make me feel like an even nastier, older, and uglier wacko than I really am.

Well...as long as the kid doesn't grow up being wary of everyone close by, spouse included.

(He/she came back, needless to say.)

Well, I'm 13 and I don't talk to random people on the internet. On here I may talk to people I don't know all that well, but I'm only talking about archie comics. I'm probably not gonna ask someone their age unless they ask mine. I may not be an adult, but I'm not a little kid. Yes to some I am, but I'm wouldn't come on here and act like a little kid. Maybe he or she got scared because her parents had told her not to talk to people older than her on the net.
Just thought I'd share that so no one thinks they can't talk to me cause I'm 13.
But remember, I'm on here to talk about archie comics 

The thing is, I'm 17, but I remember going online back when I was 11 and or younger and so. The whole 'no online until 13' thing really doesn't apply much to kids these days as EVERYTHING is about the computers. Heck, they teach kids how to play computer games in kindergarten.

And yes, it is very crucial that parents teach their kids about the dangers of being online. My parents gave me talks about online safety and all that.

Though I must say, you shouldn't feel bad about anything Brunette. I've talked to 11 year olds before, and they are pretty articulate. An eleven year old is someone who is very young and not experienced in life, but isn't /completely/ ignorant. The kid who you talked to seemed (well to put it as lightly as possibly) a bit flighty. His questions and remarks didn't seem to make sense. Not all eleven year olds are like that. I'm just saying that your conversation was innocent enough for you to not feel bad about it since you were answering this kid as politely as possible, despite the lack of sense in his replies.

Brunette,

I saw the exchange you're posting about and I don't think you did anything inappropriate.  It seems to me that MJB may be right, or that the kid was looking for a member of the opposite sex his own age that he could "flirt" with ("flirt" at the age meaning mainly "talk to"). When he discovered you weren't that person, he left.

I also agree with everyone that a forum is a much safer place than a chatroom and that as long as we stick to talking about Archie comics, it really doesn't matter how old any of us are.  For the record, I think I'm the oldest guy here at 54.

Archie Comics to me has always wanted it both ways - they want to be family friendly and accessible to all ages, while at the same time featuring such things as drawings of pretty girls striking seductive poses, stories about love triangles, humorous and cartoony depictions of lust and of guys and girls getting turned on, teenagers parking or snuggling on blankets at the beach or making out on couches,  occasional stories that push the envelope or even cross the line, etc.  I'm not sure how one can discuss Archie Comics, especially the older Archie Comics stories and some of the artists and writers of the past, without discussing these things.  Even some of the themes and things that recently happened in something like "Bad Boy Trouble" may not be what some parents would want young children exposed to.  Certainly Archie Comics are a far cry from the "Walt Disney's Comics And Stories" and "Dennis The Menace" and "Casper" comic books I read when I was very young.  So, due to the nature of Archie comics, it is inevitable that we will deal here at the forum with adult themes from time to time.  But hopefully we do so in a "G" or "PG" or "PG13" - rated manner. 

And, yes, Parents, please monitor what your children are doing on the INTERNET and give them instructions on what to avoid!  That's part of being a parent!

First things first, Brunette, you didn't do anything wrong! 

You know, I completely agree with Frank on this one.  I really do believe that children under 16 perhaps should have PARENTAL SUPERVISION when it comes to looking up things on the Internet.  The internet can be a fun place and can be chock full of information and excitement, but it can also be full of danger as well.

I'd like to think that all of us on this forum are easy-going good people, and for the most part, we do mind our P's and Q's when it comes to posting topics, because we do have a few teeny-boppers here on the site.  In that sense, the site does have a one-up, because I've been to several sites (including one where I was a moderator) where common sense and personal responsibilities get chucked out the window.

I think that's the key here...PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.  When typing in a response, I tend to think "would I want my nieces and nephews to read what I am about to type in?'.  On this site, I think we all handle ourselves appropriately.

Being a parent can be tough.  It's a fine-line between protecting your children and over-protecting.

I'm sure when my daughter turns 25 and I let her out of her locked facility she'll thank me...   - joking!

It's probably not that parents need to micro-manage their kids, but they do need to have open dialogue abut the things their kids are doing on the internet.  Statements such as "I read that Archie comics in the 1950's had lot's of alien covers" would be one thing.  Saying "I *met* this nice guy that wants to take me to an amusement park this weekend..." - that would be a red-flag.  To be honest, some younger folks might not see it as a red-flag - hence some of our societal problems.  At the same time, schools, organizations, and good parents are more involved. 

Maybe I'm just old school, but I agree with the statement that Captain Hero posted - I write any statement here with the assumption that it will be read by someone far, far younger than I am.  I think that I can respect the intellect of youth without having to use adult themes and language to discuss....well.... Archie comics! 

Quote from: Overkill on February 06, 2009, 06:07:49 PM

Quote from: Captain Hero on February 06, 2009, 05:51:50 PM

  I really do believe that children under 16 perhaps should have PARENTAL SUPERVISION when it comes to looking up things on the Internet.

Haha, I'm all for the safety of children and such, but I would of been ticked off if that became an established internet rule. That'd mean I'd only have been allowed to use the internet for two years as of yet. (Well, without a parent looming behind me of course.)

I think that if parents get a computer and have young children at home, they should definitely learn about their computers first and learn about all the child blocks and filter techniques. (Granted, teenagers will find out ways to get pass them, but when you're younger, you're not the wiser. )

Hey, I could've said TWENTY-ONE!  LOL!

But, again, this is where personal responsibility comes into place.

Lol alright alright! I'll just be thankful I'm above your suggested age group. But being with my peers and seeing some of the younger kids act in my high school, I could see how they might need that parental supervision you suggested. Some just lack pure common sense.