Australian Govt. Proposes Internet "Panic Button" For Kids 434
CuteSteveJobs writes "Children who feel they are being bullied, harassed or groomed online could call for help instantly using a 'panic button' on their PCs under a plan by the Australian Government's cyber-safety working group. The button shall look like a 'friendly dolphin,' who will connect the child victim instantly to police or child protection groups. Australian Internet Censorship Advocate Hetty 'Save the Children' Johnson says the Internet needs something like 000 or 911. Will this be another scheme wasting taxpayer dollars in lieu of parental supervison, or could it actually work? Are 1 in 4 children really sexually abused by the Internet? Can flaming and trolling be classified as bullying?"
Definitely questions for... (Score:5, Funny)
Will this be another scheme wasting taxpayer dollars in lieu of parental supervison, or could it actually work? Are 1 in 4 children really sexually abused by the Internet? Can flaming and trolling be classified as bullying?
I'm sure there are plenty of experts on Slashdot that are very qualified to answer. ;)
I've got a friendly dolphin (Score:2, Funny)
actually it seems I have one right here in my pants
Are penguins friendly too? How about beasties? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:That's... (Score:5, Funny)
Help! Help! I'm being repressed!
Re:That's... (Score:5, Funny)
You're a meanie!
I've pushed my button:
http://jezlyn.files.wordpress.com/2006/07/easy-button-hack.jpg [wordpress.com]
The authorities are going to get you, meanie!!!
Re:That's... (Score:5, Funny)
What do you mean, I just called 911 because I have been modded down on Slashdot and they said its being taken care of...
I wish I had that panic button.
P.S. I am 11 years old.
So long (Score:5, Funny)
achievement unlocked (Score:5, Funny)
achievement unlocked
you are a regular pusher, well done!
pressing the panic button 50 times in a minute unlocks this award and gives you access to Juvie hall.
Extra Rewards: Parents must pay $500.
Re:How long until (Score:4, Funny)
Oh honestly now... (Score:5, Funny)
How can Dolphins save you from the net when they get caught in them all time?
New Euphemism (Score:2, Funny)
I think that, if I were a small child, I'd probably pound on that dolphin button all day long. Hey, pounding the dolphin! New euphemism! Kids, don't try this at home...
The OTHER online bully (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Definitely questions for... (Score:5, Funny)
this would encourage people to use the panic button for stupid reasons
Brittany left a really mean posting on my FaceBook wall. She keeps saying I still like Shakira when I told her, like, three weeks ago that I don't like Shakira anymore. So now Brittany keeps telling everyone at school I bought those purple sneakers to match something I saw on Shakira's video when I told her already I didn't even see that video until, like, yesterday.
Re:The Internet is not Real Life (Score:2, Funny)
Hey boys and girls.... (Score:4, Funny)
Here's a neat button and everytime you press it a bunch of cars with with flashing lights and screaming sirens will come zooming up to your house!
Reminds me of the diapers with the moisture sensors that played a little tune every time the kid needed changing, which was pretty often once the kids figured out how to make the music play. : - )
Re:Are penguins friendly too? How about beasties? (Score:5, Funny)
"click"!? In *BSD!?
*blink* .... *blink*...
(turns to crowd - )
It's a HERETIC! BURN HIM!
Re:How long until (Score:1, Funny)
How long then until a worm emerges that floods the govt with hundreds of thousands of fradulent calls, making the signal to noise ratio too burdensome to navigate?
What would be the motivator for such a malicious act? There's no money to be gained, and if they were caught, they'd have the book thrown at them. Frankly, if someone tried this I wouldn't be surprised if the criminal community "policed itself" and put the poor bastard out of his misery out of fear of unwanted attention/legislation.
Re:Definitely questions for... (Score:5, Funny)
Show me where on the dolphin he touched you.
Looking forward to 4chan (Score:5, Funny)
I have just searched for "bear" in the comments. (Score:3, Funny)
...and found nothing.
NOTHING!
Re:That's... (Score:5, Funny)
This will be incredibly abused. Not to mention the ability for virus/malware to disable the panic button or abuse it (cry-wolf).
I imagine it would go something like this:
You suck, vii is way better than emacs
You: Hi Interweb Police? /. said vii was better than emacs.
The I-Pol: I see you have an emergency, how can I help?
You: Some noob on
The I-Pol: I see, this is an issue, when in fact, Notepad is better than both.
You: WTF? BOB?!
Re:Definitely questions for... (Score:3, Funny)
My younger brothers know not to call 911 unless it is a real emergency.
My cat can't dial 911. However, my cat can accidentally walk on my keyboard and press the 911 key.
Re:How long until (Score:3, Funny)
4chan would do it for lulz in a heartbeat.
The irony being that 4chan is one of the top sites where kids get "bullied, harassed or groomed" onli- wait, WTF? Groomed?! Either that word means something totally different to Australians, or people are having waaay more interactive of an experience with the Internet than I am.
Re:Definitely questions for... (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Definitely questions for... (Score:5, Funny)
A Can of Worms (Score:2, Funny)
Re:What's Dumb is Ignorance (Score:3, Funny)
I went the private school route after that, and only once did I have to choke someone who was fucking with me.
Bad choice, choking will only make the hardon stronger. Go for the eyes next time.
Re:The Internet is not Real Life (Score:1, Funny)
Don't cushion the blow. Be mean. Any parent willing to install this thing needs their ass kicked more often. We need less pussies in this world and more people with guts. Anyone giving their kids this thing is the former, not the latter. The only way to move from one to the other is to be subjected to abuse and hardship, and learn to handle it yourself instead of running crying to the authorities every time things get hard.
-- An even less tactful bastard