Feb 16, 2010

The demise of innocence online... 'child play or prey'?

Major threat to young children online... with web links to other tween games such as Hannah Montana, Bratz and Scooby Doo, the site has attracted the attention of children as young as seven. HTML clipboard

Quote from kids game developer: "'The contraceptives and morning-after pills are only one part of the game"...The more often avatars buy and use condoms and morning-after pills, the higher their IQ is rated.http://agapepartners.org/content_images/8/Internet%20Safety.gif

Far from the innocent online dress-up games on other websites, parent groups and child psychologists fear My Minx is pressuring children to grow up too quickly.

The website does not have any age restrictions, and even this technologically challenged journalist was able to figure out the pay-by-text system.

''This sort of site sexualises women, which can create negative body images, low self-esteem and unhealthy ideas about women's roles in society in terms of sexual behaviour,'' said Dr Dooley, the scientific director of ECU's Cyber-bullying and Child Health Promotion Research Centre.

''Some older children can assess such sites critically, while younger ones can just take it on board and normalise these ideals as their own.  Please read full at herald