by Caroline Tibit

Created on: February 13, 2007   Last Updated: April 25, 2007

Recently, reporter Brad Hicks, of Fox 6 Milwaukee, did a segment concerning the Nintendo DS as the latest target for child molesters. Apparently, children are at risk for encountering child molesters through a feature that allows them to talk to and challenge other players. The game console's "pictochat" feature allows gamers to send hand written messages and pictures to other gamers much like an instant messenger. According to the report, children can send messages up to 300 feet away. The Nintendo website also states that gamers can connect to the free Nintendo Wi-Fi to compete with players from around the globe. It is easy to assume that a child molester could use the devise to target children, just as he/she might use chat capabilities on the web.

The problem seems to be that parents don't know about the chat capabilities of the devise. Though Nintendo has posted warnings in the owner's manual for the DS, most parents fail to read it. Parents simply get a request for the new toy, go out and buy it, and think that's the end of the story. In this day and age, when technology is progressing at an infinite rate, parents need to pay all the more attention to the products they are exposing their children to.
The real problem is that parents are spending more time living their own lives then they are being involved with their children. No doubt, the child who requests the Nintendo DS knows what he/she is asking for. Ever since the invention of the television, parents have gotten the mistaken notion that they can allow technology to baby-sit their children for them. Parents should have learned to become more involved in the activities of their children when the perverted members of their communities started preying on them. Regardless of how responsible a child may seem, their minds are not capable of comprehending the malice of a perverted adult. When it comes to child abuse, it is just as much the parent's fault for not watching their child, as it is the child molester's fault for soliciting them. If a parent wants their child to be safe, they have to be involved.
Parents, don't be afraid to invade your child's life. Children need their parents to protect them, and ignorance is not an excuse. If you are purchasing the latest technology for your child, then please pay attention, do your homework and stay involved.

Fox channel 6 broadcast: http://www.myfoxmilwaukee.com/myfox/pages/News/Detai l?contentId=2311167&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCod e=VSTY&pageId=3.1.1

Nintendo DS Website:
http://www.nintendo.com/overviewds

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