ATS Forum for Kids'?

Originally posted by Whine Flu
. . . At a certain age, kids end up progessing when it comes to questioning things. It starts out at "what's for dinner?" and "Can I stay at Jared's?" and then it turns into "What is the truth?" . . .

You have the crux of the matter right here.

The little birdies grow stronger wings, and want to fly.
Some parents are delighted that their children are maturing and exploring for themselves. These parents will give their children all the information they can to help them stay safe, and proudly watch them fly off.

However some other parents want to make sure their children only fly in one direction. They will feed them scare stories about what could happen if they stray from the accepted path and deny them information about other paths they could follow.

I believe that is the real problem here. The worry about crazy ATSers from even crazier ATSers is just an excuse to find a way of denying children information that these adults disagree with.

LASTofTheV8s might worry about children being on a site that has people like me on it, as he made clear in his thread, but I worry just as much about children being in a household with people like him in it.

It's the kids whose parents try to restrict the information they get to what is in accord with the parent's beliefs who need a site like ATS.

Originally posted by LASTofTheV8s

Originally posted by americandingbat
I also have a question -- people keep talking about how under-18's shouldn't be on here anyway. Is that true? I don't remember anything about that in the T&C's, but maybe it's there?

What an odd thing to ask, after arguing and insulting and seeming so convinced that you were in the right.

I would never have expected somebody from THIS site to actually argue a point without being informed of the details.

First -- it's interesting that you accuse me of insulting you. As I recall, I implied that you might be allowing your fear of what kids might be exposed to here interfere with your ability to see the positive aspects of having kids on the site. I don't consider that an insult, just an idea.

You told me that I just might be the "Living Embodiment of everything that's wrong with our world" (which I'm thinking about using as a signature, btw). That just might count as an insult.

Yes, I argued. I disagree with you and I thought (still think) that you're not seeing the issue in perspective. That's all. I agree with you that there are too many kids out there whose parents are not able or willing to provide support and guidance when they are confused.

Finally, I asked because I don't know. I know that there are in fact people under 18 on the site. I actually signed up another username with another email address yesterday to see if I was asked my age yesterday -- I wasn't. I'm wondering where you saw that age restriction and whether it's really here. (For the record, and so you don't start worrying that I'm sock-puppeting you or others, my other name is lisaingotham).



mamabeth -- I'm not sure what you are suggesting, I guess. Would the ATSjr be supplemental to ATS or would you want kids banned from "adult" ATS and funneled into ATSjr? One idea I had if younger members are interested in having an area that's more teen-oriented would be to start an ATSjr group on ATS media -- the groups feature on the media site is not heavily used, but it's there.

I don't want children banned from this site!I,thought it might be nice to
have a forum for the children.So,they could express their views,thoughts
and opinions of the world through their eyes.I was wrong in thinking that
members would discuss the pros and cons of such a forum.The members
are stuck in the rut of the age issue.
I have already contacted a mod about possibly closing this thread.Since
no one seems interested in discussing my original topic...

Any mod on this forum! I am asking for this thread to be closed,just
like the members' minds and thoughts!

Are We Kidding?

Originally posted by mamabeth
Any mod on this forum! I am asking for this thread to be closed,just
like the members' minds and thoughts!

Well, the topic does seem to inspire quite a lot of strong feelings and strong opinions, but that's not necessarily bad -- as long as they don't devolve into ad hominem attacks. Oops! Too late.

Another mod or an admin may choose to close the thread, but your actual suggestion (before the thread got derailed) seems well-intentioned enough, and I'd hate for it to get buried because the thread got off track.

So maybe this is worth a try, if you're okay with it...

NOTICE: The topic is NOT about restricting ATS access on the basis of age, or whether kids should be able to access ATS, or whether ATS content is suitable for kids, but about the possibility of setting up a separate ATSjr forum with content appropriate to and designed for kids.

The Topic: ATS Forum for Kids'?

Off-topic posts will be subject to removal, so please don't.

For anyone who misunderstood the OP, please read it again and stay on topic.

Thanks.




[edit on 1/8/2010 by Majic]

reply to post by Majic


Thank-you very much for your reply.I would like to try and see if others
can stay on topic.Thanks again,Mamabeth

Originally posted by mamabeth
I don't want children banned from this site!I,thought it might be nice to
have a forum for the children.So,they could express their views,thoughts
and opinions of the world through their eyes.

Do you think an ATS media group might be a good idea? It could be restricted-access so that kids who wanted to join would have to u2u the "owner" for membership, with strict penalties for anyone who was found to have lied about their age, and maybe a couple of mods to keep things kid-friendly?

edit: fix bbcode

[edit on 1/8/2010 by americandingbat]

With all due respect to mamabeth and majic the two subjects are one and the same ...

Why?

Because once you create a ATS Kids "table" by consequence you have instantly created a ATS for adults "table" ... thus it IS the same topic.

If ATS is going to use the GAP model (gap, gap kids, baby gap) for sharing information, it will, in my humble opinion lose its primary virtue ... namely a repository of ALL available ideas and information from as great a diversity of membership as is possible.

Keep'em separated?

Even if it were practically feasible the answer is imho no thanks ... as has been mentioned before, age has proven to be an unreliable indicator to the quality of member contribution, and ATS T&C is rigid and mindful of younger members.

The young'uns bring to ATS a fresh and imaginative take on things that many of us old folk are too stubborn or set in our ways to even consider. All together, and as in life in general, the greater the variety of membership (in age, spirituality, ethnicity, education, etc) the more we ALL benefit, for we ALL get to share and learn from each others' thoughts.

Now, one might suggest an ATS for kids AND leave ATS with unrestricted access ... well what exactly would be the point of that? Then you get into a whole targeting kids specifically for immersion into alternative topics/conspiracy theories ... please, those worms need to stay in their proverbial can.

In any case, though believe me considering some of the ad-nausemly repeated expressions on this and the other thread it pains me to concede it, as I noted above, the two topics are in fact one.

My opinion for what it is worth ... inclusion not exclusion.


[edit on 8 Jan 2010 by schrodingers dog]

Originally posted by mamabeth
...I wanted to know
if it is possible for kids' to have their own forum on ATS,like ATS jr.? Like ages
8-12 and when they mature some,graduate to the regular ATS.
...
I would like to hear from kids' their opinions of religion and not their parents...

I'm still unclear how it's possibly to verify age, on the Net.

I see no way to know that you would necessarily " hear from kids' ".

A credit card, while not infallible, helps with the 18 or over aspect.

There is no commensurate tool for determining ages or age brackets under 18, that I can think of.

Seems like a non-starter, IMO.

reply to post by mamabeth


oh, i'm sorry, i didn't really understand. now that i do, it doesn't sound like a bad idea after all.

Originally posted by MirrorImage

Originally posted by mamabeth
...I wanted to know
if it is possible for kids' to have their own forum on ATS,like ATS jr.? Like ages
8-12 and when they mature some,graduate to the regular ATS.
...
I would like to hear from kids' their opinions of religion and not their parents...

I'm still unclear how it's possibly to verify age, on the Net.

I see no way to know that you would necessarily " hear from kids' ".

A credit card, while not infallible, helps with the 18 or over aspect.

There is no commensurate tool for determining ages or age brackets under 18, that I can think of.

Seems like a non-starter, IMO.

When my grandson was younger - - I signed him up on a kids site. It was monitored by parent volunteers. They did have age groupings (child/pre-teen/teen) - but it was not mandatory to stay in any one age group.

It was great. He was only 7 - but reading at 12th grade level. I got him a kids typing program - - he shortly became proficient enough to have some good discussions.

Although - I do not advocate proof of age sign-up for ATS. I would suggest it for a kids site. As the parent/grand-parent of a minor - - I had to provide a verifiable email address and a credit card with name and address.

I don't think that other kids shold be confined to one message board. I believe that kids should have the freedom to switch back and forth from the adult message board to the kids' one. I am 12 and very interested in this site and conspiracy theories.

Originally posted by Annee
... As the parent/grand-parent of a minor - - I had to provide a verifiable email address and a credit card with name and address.

Wow, that seems like a lot of info to give up.

Regardless, how would one verify if the 'parent' giving an email address and Credit Card # was actually a parent ? (or G-parent )

It could be anyone for any reason, no ?

From a kid with a 'borrowed' credit card
to an adult with ulterior motives.

Originally posted by MirrorImage

Originally posted by Annee
... As the parent/grand-parent of a minor - - I had to provide a verifiable email address and a credit card with name and address.

Wow, that seems like a lot of info to give up.

Regardless, how would one verify if the 'parent' giving an email address and Credit Card # was actually a parent ? (or G-parent )

It could be anyone for any reason, no ?

From a kid with a 'borrowed' credit card
to an adult with ulterior motives.

I know. I monitored the site for a while first. It was parent run and monitored.

My decision was based on how the site was run and monitored.