The Lair

A while ago, there was a story bandied about that BitTorrent accounted for 35% of all internet traffic. A couple of days ago, Kottke mentioned how, anecdotally, his circle have now switched over to YouTube and Google Video. So, people like pasting in links to video clips; and at least a few sites now have enough bandwidth to handle video.

But what else do people use the bandwidth for? A couple of days ago, Slashdot was asked if kids still program - and the answer, overwhelmingly seemed to be - not as much as they used to. These are also anecdotal examples, though… there are more people than ever before who have grown up in the era of ubiquitious internet access and around computers in general. From those, maybe 1% may find programming interesting. I know I didn’t. My childhood experiences of computers were confined to playing chess on old skool BBC Micros. Programming didn’t really interest me till much later; ironically, the wider availability of internet access was what helped get me interested.

These days, though, it’s the MMORPGs which seem to keep kids entertained, and therein lies the central subject of this post. Recently, I met a young kid. Well, it’s not like I’m about ready to chuck it all up and wheel myself into the retirement home; but suffice to say that I last saw this kid when he was a couple of years old… and now he’s 12. Also, the recent recipient of a computer and broadband connection with apparent near unmonitored and unrestricted access. Some of you may be exchanging knowing smiles and wondering if this kid is hitting up all the nearby porn sites - well, he’s too young for that to interest him yet. Well, at least I think he is. What he is spending all his spare time doing however, is playing a free MMORPG.

So, he’s spending copious amounts of free time wheeling an avatar around and interacting online with strangers. Unmonitored access. He’s not even a teenager yet. Are the pieces starting to add up here?

For a long long time, my general opinion was: it’s better to teach a kid to swim rather than ban him from the swimming pool in the backyard. I still think this is the best course of action. But there is something extremely disturbing about a twelve year old getting into a MMORPG and be allowed free rein… More to the point, this kid only got into this game because everyone else in his class was also playing the same game.. A quick look at the game’s website informs me that there are no restrictions on who may join (nor should there be, I suppose) and more pertinently, there are no kids-only servers. Am I being paranoid in recoiling with horror at the thought of a bunch of twelve year olds unleashed on a server which may see some … NSFW activity? Am I being prudish about this? I dunno.

I suppose reading about pedos and predators and crooks exploiting kids online is one thing. The thought of that happening to someone I know hit a bit too close to home. After a bit of thought and some consultation with a nearby IRC channel (I know, I know.. I go to an IRC channel to ask advice about this sort of crap. And now I post it to a blog. Man, am I a hipster or what?); I decided to play the heavy handed uncle with the guy. I’m more pissed with his parents than he, to be honest… Internet access is all very well, but no one should give a young ‘un unrestricted access - any more than you should give unrestricted access to a full cable TV package. Yet, I’m wondering if I’ve just made absolutely sure that all this kid’s activities online have now been pushed underground because of my observation… at least he told me about this cool game he was playing online before. Now? Maybe he won’t.

Still not sure if I did the right thing - but at least I made myself feel a bit better by giving him my Warcraft keys. Now, I can delight in being beaten up at my favourite RTS by a 12 year old I know… this will go nicely with all the maulings I’ve suffered at the hands of 12 year olds (and younger, no doubt) who are complete strangers.