and the choices that follow:
PARENT: “Derek, what’s your take on filtering some of the Internet
content on your computer?”
DEREK: “Why? Don’t you trust me? I don’t need a filter.”
PARENT: “It’s not a matter of trust. At the office, the business
filters content — not because they don’t trust us but simply as a way
to prevent material that we don’t want from sneaking into our
computers.”
DEREK: “Oh.”
PARENT: “There are a number of different types of filters. Some are
tighter than others. Some filter all pictures that are sent through e-
mail, some are based on sight, and some are based on words. I was
thinking we might explore these options together. It’s important to
me that you feel good about whatever we decide.”
DEREK: “Okay.”And here’s a conversation a mom might have with her daughter about
Internet chat:
MOM: “Honey, you’ve been doing some chatting on some of the
Internet forums, right?”
VANESSA: “Yeah, Mom, it’s fun. I’ve been getting ideas for prom
decorations from lots of other kids. There’s a whole forum just on
prom themes, and it’s really fun.”
MOM: “And you’re talking with other girls about prom stuff?”
VANESSA: “Yeah. I’m so happy I found it. Janelle told me about
the site.”
MOM: “How do you know you are talking to another girl?”
VANESSA: “What do you mean?”
MOM: “I mean, how do you know you’re not talking to a thirty-
year-old man pretending to be a teen girl just to get to know you?”
VANESSA: “Well ...”