I read this in the dead tree edition of the Tribune yesterday and forgot to make a post bitching about it. Luckily, Chicagoist was there: Congressman Says Second Life Could Expose Kids To Porn, Predators.

Basically, Mark Kirk got his panties all up in a bunch because Second Life have some adult stuff going on and in his opionin its too easy for minors to get into that area. While I understand his concern, I disagree that the government should be stepping in here, even with something as minor as an FTP consumer alert. Parents should be monitoring what their children are doing on-line. If you can’t take the time and/or education commitment to do that as a parent, disable your internet access.

The part that really chaps my hide is the following (quoted from the Tribune):

Kirk said he knew of no cases in which children were targeted by sexual predators on Second Life, but he said he considers the virtual world an emerging danger.

So…there’s been no reported problems, or at least none visible to him, but OH MY GOD! RAISE THE ALARM BELLS!  THE CHILDRENS!  WON’T SOMEONE THINKS OF THEM??!?!?!!!  I hate election year fear-based  attention-getting pandering.

For the record, I have no particular love for Second Live either.  I’ve played with it a bit but I don’t get all the hype around it.  I must just be getting old.