Parents Worried Over Porno Comics On Net
By Rosli Abidin Yahya

Bandar Seri Begawan - Worried parents expressed concern over the existence of websites offering pornographic comics that can be subscribed from as low as US$1 for three days.

They said the comic titles at the websites are legitimate ones but they (the websites) open up as pornographic cartoons.

Parents urged their counterparts to check on their children when surfing the Net as they may unintentionally be exposed to pornographic comic websites.

"Children should not be allowed to surf the Net alone. Parents should accompany them. Parents may also need to help their children find desirable comic websites so they would not be unnecessarily exposed to porn comic websites," they said.

Industry observers said it is difficult to block pornographic websites as providers would find ways around the blocks.

"Parents now have a greater role in seeing to the healthy development of their children. They need to observe their children regularly including times when they were allowed to surf the Net," they said.

The Authority for Info-Communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AiTi) provides free leaflets on "Kids' Rules for Online Safety" which parents can get from the agency.

Officials at the department told the Bulletin that it is important for parents to face up to the challenges of the Internet and other technology their children use where scenarios of prospective pedophile predators can be encountered.

They offered a few commonsense precautions. These include making sure children use the Internet in a family part of the home, not in their bedrooms; encouraging them to talk about their online activities, particularly anything that surprises or disturbs them; and warning them against giving personal information such as phone numbers or addresses or the name of their school to virtual "buddies".

The guidelines provided by AiTi also include ensuring that children will not give out personal information such as address, telephone number, parents' work address/telephone number, or the name and location of my school without parents' permission.

Children must also be encouraged to tell parents right away if they come across any information that makes them feel uncomfortable; keep Internet passwords secret from their friends but not their parents, and never agree to get together with someone they have "met" online without first checking with their parents. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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