Fisk-Memo23

In the information age of today, computers and Internet technologies have allowed us instantaneous access to a wealth of information at the click of a mouse. Undoubtedly, information technologies represent the tools of the 21st century worker, tools which are increasingly adopted by the youth of today. However, in addition to providing today's youth with the tools they need to succeed in the workforce of tomorrow, information technology has a dark side. Just as the youth of today might access the Library of Congress merely by visiting a web site, so too can they open the door to pornography and criminals. Of foremost concern are the sexual predators which lurk in the shadows of the Internet, who become virtual friends with children and lure them away from home. One in seven children between the ages of 10 and 17 have been solicited by a sexual predator online. Additionally, youth are increasingly looking to virtual activities, rather than socializing in the real world. Teens are spending unhealthy periods of time surfing the Internet, chatting with strangers and making virtual “friends.” These interactions are particularly dangerous to youth Internet users when combined with online video gaming, which desensitize youth to violence through disturbingly addictive gameplay. Even those games which do not include an online component frequently expose children to violent and sexually explicit content, training children to perform acts such as murder and rape. All of this is done to the detriment of socialization and exercise in the real world, as youth increasingly prefer to spend time behind a keyboard or controller rather than spend time outdoors or with families.

I think I need to go take a shower...