Hi there, just signed on and glad to have found this forum. I have a dilemma that I hope I can get some real help with.
I have a website for teens. This site also has a message board, which I believe to be of some value. Unless I can figure out a way to keep postings that are inappropriate (links to sex or drug sites) I am considering disabling the board permanently!
It has become too time-consuming to delete the perps, or to block them or to modify the link,,,I can't always participate on a daily basis.
I know the parents can't be watching over the kids' shoulders. I know that even the most informed teen gets duped into opening a camoflaged link. And I also know that reporting porn spamming from numerous ISPs won't get much action. My attorney general is too busy, for sure.
Surely, there must be a Bullentin Board software program that hss built-in safety features to 100% insure that my viewers are protected. I kind of look at it as my responsibility as the webmaster, after all, I am the adult here.
I don't believe that this age group will benefit from learning life's realities, as one poster suggests. Since some of the stuff out there is just too peculiar....
Any suggestions?
ggflower
|
ggflower
Posts:
2
From:
New Mexico
Registered:
8/16/06
|
|
(4 of 4)
Re: Online Bulletin Board Safety
Aug 21, 2006 9:27 PM
|
|
Thanks to both posters regarding this topic. For Anne, the posters are spamming their website, which is sellng online pharmaceuticals, or the worst case, something about horny teens. I have come to the conclusion that given the fact that my viewers are the most vulnerable age group, that it would keep me awake at night worrying about it! I will be taking the board down this weekend and wait until new technology is available. But I will be keeping up with whats going on out there on this board! Keep up the good work!
Ginny
aka ggflower
--
Edited by ggflower at 08/21/2006 9:28 PM
|
|
|
jbcoops
Posts:
37
From:
Forest Grove, OR
Registered:
6/20/06
|
|
(3 of 4)
Re: Online Bulletin Board Safety
Aug 16, 2006 11:31 PM
|
|
I've had similar issues with wiredsafety.com's bb, because they've pretty much let anything go there, with the excuse that "changes are in the making." I offered to act as Moderator, and encouraged them to *eliminate guest posts*. For someone to post, they need to register. On one bulletin board I frequent, those registrations need to be approved (and aren't approved automatically). My advice to you would be:
1) Eliminate guest posts.
2) Advertise a bit on your board for trusted Moderators to handle the flow of posts (if there are too many to handle yourself).
3) If you aren't getting too many requests to join per day, then eliminate auto-registration as well.
My opinion is that there are more "good" than "bad" but if you don't watch your behind, the bad will drive you out. Count on common courtesy from most of your members, and let them help you monitor your board.
Good luck with this, and btw, if this site is for teens only, you definitely will have your hands full in getting responsible Moderators! I have a couple I work with at Tapped In, if you want to contact me to contact them let me know, and I'll pass your information along.
Regards,
Jeff Cooper
Education Technology Support Consultant
|
|
|
Anne
Posts:
507
Registered:
6/26/06
|
|
(2 of 4)
Re: Online Bulletin Board Safety
Aug 16, 2006 4:04 PM
|
That is a great question, ggflower! First, I wish I could tell you I was aware of BBS software that had safety features, but I will pass your question along to our forum host, LiveWorld.com. I follow tech news closely for my newsletter, NetFamilyNews, and I've never seen any ref to any safety feature in online community for kids besides a profanity filter (tech) and human moderators (I'll see if AOL's Kids Only community has anything more than that). Of course, what companies with human moderators do is make their boards asynchronous, right - people post, but nothing appears on the board until it's reviewed by a moderator. Do you have time to do that? I'm sure you can find software or a service to do that.
Your sense of responsibility is certainly commendable. Could I ask you if the main problem is adults with bad intentions posing as teens or teens sort of acting out (maybe it's really hard to tell the difference!)
I'd love to hear from other people here if they know of bulletin board services/products that cover other safety features and what they are, because it'd be interesting to know if the technology has advanced. Thanks for posting,
Anne
BlogSafety.com co-director |
|
|
ggflower
Posts:
2
From:
New Mexico
Registered:
8/16/06
|
|
(1 of 4)
Online Bulletin Board Safety
Aug 16, 2006 1:28 PM
|
|
Hi there, just signed on and glad to have found this forum. I have a dilemma that I hope I can get some real help with.
I have a website for teens. This site also has a message board, which I believe to be of some value. Unless I can figure out a way to keep postings that are inappropriate (links to sex or drug sites) I am considering disabling the board permanently!
It has become too time-consuming to delete the perps, or to block them or to modify the link,,,I can't always participate on a daily basis.
I know the parents can't be watching over the kids' shoulders. I know that even the most informed teen gets duped into opening a camoflaged link. And I also know that reporting porn spamming from numerous ISPs won't get much action. My attorney general is too busy, for sure.
Surely, there must be a Bullentin Board software program that hss built-in safety features to 100% insure that my viewers are protected. I kind of look at it as my responsibility as the webmaster, after all, I am the adult here.
I don't believe that this age group will benefit from learning life's realities, as one poster suggests. Since some of the stuff out there is just too peculiar....
Any suggestions?
ggflower
|
|
|
|
|
