MidnightMcMedic: Wouldn't a Childs Chat board be a feature Medi?

Ok this is my last warning, all further posts that are not requesting a feature or along those lines will be deleted. This is thread has gone on too long. Please take it to either general chat or members only, thank you.

I am back to thinking a "G" rated board strickly for CHILDREN, closely monitered my a MOM that knows a lot of peeps on BK and has a child of their own to use such a site as a monitor! "HARLEY" comes to mind!

It is not the game sites job to fill the role of parents in deciding whats appropiate! So eliminate ALL Adult subjects to this one site and then they are safe!

If parents want their children to know MORE, then let the parents tell them and teach them more,let the parents allow them on sites where material is adult, let the parents teach them in private at home, not peeps on a game site! Give the Parents a choice! They have no choice now!

Bry: I'm referring to swaer words, sexual innuendo's, sexual references etc etc.

And that's where the trouble starts. You might consider something to be a "swear word", while I would find moderating such a word overprotecting. Or vica versa. The same with sexual references. Some people believe it's better if children don't even hear or read the words used for certain body parts. While others think that such restrictions is bad - because it gives the impression something is wrong with it.

I see your point re having a board for kids as asking for trouble

Actually, that's not what I said. I said that having a moderated board is asking for trouble. And then I don't mean moderated in the style current boards are moderated, which basically means trying to keep the discussion on topic and people to behave, but moderated as in "deciding what's 'good' or 'not good' for the children".

perhaps the very young should be accomodated accordingly and be responsibly looked after by trusted people

I think the (very) young should be looked after by trusted people: their parents/guardians. I don't think it's up to a game site to fill that role.

Rex Nihilo: The specification is still being formulated.

If possible it would be nice to be able to select players en masse from ratings pages in order to be able easily to invite them to tournaments.

Fencer: Wouldn't the row layout work on a 240 pixel format screen with only the addition of smaller boards?

Fencer's call, as he is doing the work, but just some thoughts I had.

A layout for mobile phones (except the Treo, which is 240 pixel format) would be too burdensome, I would think.

Merrily Watkins: In general,children & adults should be able to talk,in a healthy manner.but with so much negative behavior in the world tho,I must agree,maybe its a bad idea.
re on your list #5. "Adults pretending to be children would post.":
I personally dont see what attracts a man to children.Anyway,I want to bring to every mother's attention something I have observed:
"children pretenting to be adults".
I volunteer at the local community centre and sometimes use the libraries computers.I have seen on too many occassions.young girls getting into chatrooms & talking sexy to older men & pretending to be older.I have learned that this is considered fun & is very popular.I'm sure many mothers would be shocked at what some of their daughters are typing.it is something to be aware of.
I want to br

Can we move this conversation to general chat or members please? Getting a bit away from features request :)

grenv:

The only thing offensive about nipplegate was how little we got to see and how quickly it was covered up!

AbigailII: with respect, I'm referring to swaer words, sexual innuendo's, sexual references etc etc.

Not Hard Core, or world-wide controversial, but the kind of thing that if you knew a 9 year old could read, (like I definately know of one member here) might, you (using common sense) would want to delete it.

I see your point re having a board for kids as asking for trouble - thats the last thing any normal person wants, but to let them loose on "un-strictly" moderated boards is when problems may happen (not that I have first hand experience of this).

I think we are just suggesting that if BK is expanding, as it is, and appealing to all ages, perhaps the very young should be accomodated accordingly and be responsibly looked after by trusted people.?

As it stands, any account can post on any board. Whilst we all know the dangers to children, anything that will "help" provide a more secure place has got to be worthy of a discussion....

Bry: i have to admit that I've edited/deleted some things you really wouldnt want a child to see.

Well, that's very subjective. What you find "unsuitable" for a kid I might not. And I might find things "unsuitable" for a child that you find perfectly normal. I've lived on both sides of the pond and what's considered unsuitable for children is quite different. Nipplegate was a big scandal in the US -- exposure of a nipple, specially if a child could see it -- is considered shocking by large groups of USians. Half of Europe is still laughing about it. OTOH, Europe frowns upon violence much more than the US. In Europe, people generally don't own guns. In the US, people have different ideas of freedom.

If you were to moderate a board for teens, or younger kids, how would you moderate? American style? European style? Asian style?

I think having a moderated board for teens/kids is just asking for trouble. Nor do I think it's something that ought to be on a games site.

I surely didn't mean to offend any of the older teens on the site..

and it was merely a suggestion due to the rise of the kiddies getting online..

I just done watching a talk show this afternoon.. this was after I had asked for such a board.. it was about a girl (really a cop) posing as a 12, 13, and 14 year old.. and how many men were hitting on her.. absolutely sick.. anyway.. within 2 1/2 days.. she had 18 men come to her house to meet her.. one was a tv producer.. another was a NYC Fireman..

One of the hosts stated.. We as parents know we are to protect our children from the World.... but, we don't always know we need to protect them from the Web World..

Just something to think about..

grenv: Actually neither have I. Though I really don't read all posts on all discussion boards. I read a few of the posts here but didn't find a clue on WHY you're asking a board for kids. has anything special come up?

Well, the only kid I know here is winnie who I think is totally MENTORED by her mother since the first time whe played me a game it was with her mother's permission and I'm sure Harly takes good care of her daughter which I like very much. I would vote for a board for teens on here but I really don't know how many they are!

Are they as many as would be enough for a group to start a discussion on their own board?

grenv: I see your point, but i have to admit that I've edited/deleted some things you really wouldnt want a child to see. But yes, you cannot shield a child from the internet, but providing them with a "safe" board to chat on, on such a friendly site is the best you could ever get on most websites.

If you're that concerned don't let your kids use a computer, or watch TV. Perhaps we should burn a few of their books while we're at it?

Personally I've never seen anything offensive here.

ceridwen: mmmm there's teens and there's kids. I assume you know the teens you refer to?, who are more towards adult age then not?, and prefer to chat to adults?

I think we are concerned with the recent influx (OK - maybe two or three - but as BK gets more popular, it will expand to all age groups) of 9yr olds that if all had their own board to discuss their own interests - they would be much happier and safer.

I wouldnt want any child of mine posting and getting into any boards on here unless they were designed at "child age" and well monitored by respectable MOds/GM's.

Just my opinion....

BuilderQ: Well duhhhhhhhhh Zorro is only 29!

Does anyone really think that all members are going to say their real ages?

I want to know why you want a teen board when this was all sparked off by a few posts by a couple of pre-teens.
I'm all for a children's board, correctly monitored, but I think you'll find that teens (at least the ones I know on here) are quite happy posting on normal boards.
As grenv said, people can be over-protective and brainking is one of the best sites for moderating.
Undesirables can be banished at the click of a mouse.

grenv: DANG.........A very wise staement!

I think it's a little naive, not to mention overprotective, to be worried about this site.

Kids can go anywhere on the internet, if this is where they end up I wouldn't be worried in the slightest.

harley: well, like I said, doesn't matter to me one way or the other. However, I LIKE the fact that there is more to do here than just games. I think Fencer should embrace the community idea. It has much more to offer than a pure game site. I guess, any community site needs to support a broad range of members. Including teens.

I dont understand what appears a overall negativity towards GC. Alot of us enjoy it! I love it! Tons of peeps read it and never comment! I think the demand will only increase for a place where those that want to go to an understood place where everyone visits from time to time! It is an excellant way to learn peeps. I read it for weeks before ever posting on it! I dare say there are others wanting to chime in!

A seperate closely moderated board where teens can go I beleive would be nothing but a big plus as we keep growing!

Zorro: Fencer started BK as a Game site. I think it has evovled into an online community around the games. I think Fencer is trying to get back to more of a "Game" site. This is my feelings, based on the fact that Fencer is combining some of the boards. He also keeps threatening to limit bosses to two fellowships. I hope Fencer comes online soon to discuss this.

it has been requested several times a wider player search feature with stuff like gender, age or nationality...

Taliesin:

He did, Summertop. But I do think this could be a good thing. When my daughter first joined she wanted to play other kids, but didn't have a clue how to find people her age here. I wouldn't let her post on general chat to ask so she had to play adults. She didn't mind too much but was delighted when other kids started to post and I let her talk to them.

Taliesin: GOOD POINT!

Summertop: Something to consider as BK grows with 1000's of peeps things will need to be expanded, with more options and chices available to everyone, and I'm sure he has thought through all that!

Zorro: Adults aren't concerned with questions like 'does anyone have a horse' because they too busy with posts like *throws whipped cream at so-and-so then runs and hides*

If you keep kids from PM'ing and other stuff, they'll just go to their profile and change their birth date to be able to...
If you keep adults from posting or reading on a teen board they'll just need to go to their profile and change their birth date so they can be able to...
There is no way to enforce stuff like these...

And what about mixing conversations from a teenager with conversations from 8 yeard old's? Isn't it kind of the same problem?

so Fencer - what do you think?

I don't care one way or the other if there is a "Teen" board. However, didn't fencer say he is trying to cut down on the boards because this is a "Game" site?

I thought my ears were burning!

I can see both sides, but overall, I'd say a kids board would be a good idea. Without going into detail, there are many chat rooms on the net where certain types of people prefer to prey. I doubt a games site where the huge majority are adults would be much interest to them. Especially once they realise how heavily moderated it would be. A bigger concern is private messages, I like Scarlets idea of needing parental permission before an adult can message a child - and also parents should have to give permission before their kids can message adults. I'm not sure how easy that would be to set up though.

I feel like we are shunning them when they asked do you have a horse? And all the other questions that adults arent concerned with. I think the MODS have done a MARVELOUS job cleaning up General Chay from what it was several months ago! I have seen stuff that iw ould not want my daughtewr to see on general chat and actually there be nothing wrong with what they are saying!

Making adults adhere to material that doesnt offend children is pretty hard to pull off with out it becoming soo bland everyone stops reading it.

Maybe start an adult site! No cursing or flaming but no teens allowed?

I would first like to see some "teens" actually request the board to know if it would even be used - other then a bunch of adults thinking that they would use their "own" board.

I agree that it's a good idea in principle but I'd be happier if it were a closed board, that is, a board that could not be read by adults apart from global moderators.

General Chat is moderated. Children are still going to read the harsher topics. Child curiosity will see to that!
I don't see the problem with children posting if they want to. Perhaps it's the adults who feel threatened, even embarrassed?
Putting them on their own board is only going to draw attention to them. They (and their parents) might get a false sense of security.

Blimey, I sound like the prophetess of doom!

You know.. www.neopets.com is able to keep adults from contacting children.. without prior permission from the parents.. Which I highly suggest of this site.. if it is going to be family orientated.. besides.. none of the other game sites have done anything like what I am suggesting before.. which would be a bennifit of BrainKing.. maybe even help build up more paying members..

Merrily Watkins: yes.. there are some obstacles .. there always will be.. but, there is a way and if a designated board for their age is given.. it will at least give them a place to chat without being exposed to the harsher topics.. especially once their board gets established..

Heck.. when I was their ages.. I surely didn't want to talk with adults.. I wanted to meet others who were in my age group..

Merrily Watkins: That is a problem wheather there is a teen board or not! At least we or someone could watch it and keep adults off of it!

Yesterday I got a PM from an 8 year old. I contacted Harley and asked her advice? I havent answered her and won't! If she PM'd me did she PM other adults? Harley knows her parents kinda! Everyone knows who everyone else is!

Another good reason to have profile questions stating who peeps are in general! Also good way to connect with peeps of like intrest!

Merrily Watkins: Good points - we posted at the same time. I think with enough supervision it might be worth a try. There's nothing stopping P*****philes on GC? At least the rules would state no adult posts (except Mods/GM's).

ScarletRose: I agree - it would have to be a "Teen Only" place. Only the youngsters who state their age on their profile.

Good shout re Mods - I think Winnie would be a good choice, and I would certainly volunteer to help as to would Harley i'm sure.

A bad idea on a few counts:

1. Adults would post.
2. Children want to have conversations with adults. It wouldn't stop them posting on an adult board.
3. Paedophiles this way....
4. Are you trying to say there's adult conversation on General Chat? I couldn't have been online that day!
5. Adults pretending to be children would post.

I'd like to see a monkey board. :)

pgt: we all used to be.. but, I would hope that the adults would stay off the board unless it is a moding issue..

I foresee some upcoming problems.. innocent problems.. when youngers get in the midst of discussions because they are curious.. and permitted to venture on the boards.. and this isn't meant to get anyone upset..

There really isn't a specific board they can currently mingle on.. when they want attention they come to the busiest board at the time.. the youngster might get insulted.. Or.. in worse case be exposed to adult behavior due to some of the members blowing up at others.. (no fingers pointed here).. or even worse.. they may get privately solicited from someone not realizing they are a younger member.. or pawn..

just my thoughts..

pgt: Some days I wish I still was!

I used to be a teen once. Can I join too?

Zorro: third.