Thailand Bans Teen Info On the Net

Reservoir Hill writes "Internet providers in Thailand have been prohibited from disclosing personal data about anyone under the age of 18 in a way that would allow others to gain access to them — including disclosure of their age, gender, phone number, email address, chat logon name, photo, or name of their school. Violators will face six months in jail of and a fine of $1,900. Web sites have been given one month to come into compliance." The article isn't clear on whether or not the prohibition applies to foreign sites that carry information about Thai kids.

So what's the problem?

[hedwards]

I don't see the problem here, I don't see any particular reason why kids should be allowed to put their contact information up on the web.

As far as I can tell, this just applies to ISPs and not necessarily to teens themselves.

Re:So what's the problem?

[Karl0Erik]

No, God forbid kids should talk to people.

actually there is a line

[erlehmann]

"informational self-determation" - a term coined by the german federal constitutional court - is not censorship. it means that you can decide which informations about yourself is given to other entities. the "right to privacy" is actually a subset of informational self-determination.

of course, the government isn't you and therefore should not decide which information can be (or cannot be) out there.

no surprises here

[weighn]

So, once again legislators completely fail to grasp the simplest of concepts relating to this communications medium. It's easy to single out Thailand due to the bizarre [slashdot.org] laws [slashdot.org] that apply to the King/YouTube/Open Source [slashdot.org]. However, this seems to happen under all governments - regressive/conservative/progressive. My own country does it [slashdot.org]. Or, hopefully the correct phrase is did it [wsj.com] now that the election was won by a party that promises tax rebates for parents buying tech for their schoolkids.

Is it really a surprise, when you look at who the people are that draft these laws? Is it fair of us to expect them to be in touch? Perhaps what democratic governments need is a non-political, not-for-profit group that can propose some framework for national government tech policy? They could even propose different flavours for governments with either progressive or conservative agendas. At least then we may have some body of tech legislature that is based on informed analysis of what is being regulated. Easy to say, I guess...

Re:So what's the problem?

[DigitAl56K]

In many countries people under the age of 18 can have student loans, drive cars, drink, have sex, but now we won't let them put their contact information on the net? Teenagers are people too, and they should have the right to make contact with whomever they choose.

Governments shouldn't muscle in as parents. If you want to reduce the abuse of minors via the Internet educate parents to help them understand the risks, and educate teens to help them understand the risks and how to avoid them. Show them some episodes of Dateline: To Catch A Preditor. Warn them about the lack of privacy on social networking sites and how easy it is to locate someone based on some simple searches. Run a mandatory 4 week annual course for all high schoolers with updated materials reflecting current threats.

Help people understand what they're getting into, but don't start censoring them.

If there is one thing you should understand about tech-literate teenagers, it is that they will find a way if they want to. It's better to educate and let them protect themselves than to try and protect them all with laws like this.

Re:So what's the problem?

[timmarhy]

i don't think that's a good answer either. my faith in education being a tool to prevent things like this is failing. people are just too fucking stupid to be told at times.

I can't see any reason for kids to be giving out their contact details online. if you can justify them giving out phone numbers and address's i'll concede it's a bad ideaa...

Allowed???

[Capt. Skinny]

I don't see any particular reason why kids should be allowed to put their contact information up on the web.

Not to flame the parent author here, but what kind of whack job thinks any person should need explicit permission to do what they will with their contact information?

Re:So what's the problem?

[DigitAl56K]

people are just too fucking stupid to be told at times

Yes, some people are. And the problem of teen predators will never go away no matter what we do.

Now, do we:
A) Educate people, have a population that largely understands privacy risks, and still have teen predators, or,
B) Put this law into place, have a population that expects their Government to look after all their privacy concerns, and still have teen predators?

Predators aren't going away any time soon. On the other hand, the rights of the people all around the world appear to be.