FCC Mulling More Control For Electronic Media 176
A recent Notice of Inquiry from the FCC is looking for opinions on how the "evolving electronic media landscape" affects kids, and whether the FCC itself should have more regulatory control over such media. The full NOI (PDF) is available online. "FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski included a statement with the NOI in which he noted that 'twenty years ago, parents worried about one or two TV sets in the house,' while today, media choices are far more widespread for children, including videogames, which 'have become a prevalent entertainment source in millions of homes and a daily reality for millions of kids.'"
Quoting Eric Idle (Score:5, Funny)
Fuck you very much the FCC; fuck you very much for fining me. Five thousand bucks a fuck so I'm really out of luck: thats more than Heidi Fliess was charging me. So fuck you very much the FCC, for proving that free speech just isn't free. Clear Channel's a dear channel so Howard Stern must go. Attorney General Ashcroft doesn't like strong words and so. He's charging twice as much as all the drugs for Rush Limbo, so fuck you all so very much. [youtube.com]
Agreed (Score:2, Funny)
Re:The FCC is useless. (Score:3, Funny)
The FCC thoroughly investigated Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction because when it happened, the skies darkened, thunderous roars of a hundred thousand demons echoed across the countryside, a rain of blood flooded the land, and the most unspeakable horrors imaginable swept the United States into the most ridiculous debacle of overreaction in recorded history. What was the FCC supposed to do, just ignore the millions of Americans crying foul about their psychologically damaged children? No, we -demanded- they do something about it, because Janet Jackson's apocalyptic misdeed was more important than Clear Channel or SiriusXM.
The FCC is making smart moves with this and, recently, the net neutrality topic as well. They're asking for opinions, because they ultimately serve the American people. If they are indeed "useless", it's through no fault of their own, it's because the people they serve made them that way.
Re:Opinions? (Score:4, Funny)
Ok, I've been looking but I don't see anywhere on the FCC website to actually give them feedback.
That's because they're in control of their own Electronic Media.
Re:The FCC is useless. (Score:3, Funny)
Yeah, that was one ugly saggy tit that's for sure!!!
Man, for some reason I'd expected Janet to have kept her 'rack' in much better condition!!
That was then. This is now. (Score:1, Funny)
Before government control the internet for the kids was bad. Now it is good.
Anyone who can't see this obvious truth is clearly racist.
Re:Just say no to FCC censorship (Score:3, Funny)
Yes young brains learn fast. My 6-year-old niece surprised me when she lifted my T-shirt and said, "Your chest is hairy. That's because you're a MAN. And mommmy has boobs because she's a WOman." I just said, "Uhh... yep that's right." I don't know where she picked that up, but apparently her brain's developed enough to recognize the key differences between boys, girls, men, and women.
She's also really good at using the computer. She's learning faster than my adult brother, and I've been trying to teach him almost ten years now! "Which icon do I click to start internet?" "The one that says Internet Explorer." "Oh yeah." No I am not exaggerating.
In contrast my niece hops on my laptop, types disney.com, and then says, "You need a faster modum. This one takes too long downloading." She got that from me.
Re:Just say no to FCC censorship (Score:3, Funny)
>>>You've lost me here. We are talking about children, so why would anyone in their right mind "adopt a more-adult attitude"? Let kids be kids. I think it's totally unfair to make them grow up any faster than they already have to.
>>>
Because.
When my 8-year-old asked, "Where do babies come from?" I told him the answer straight up - "When a married man and woman are sleeping together in bed, the man puts his penis into her. Then a baby grows inside." He went "ewww" and that was the end of it. He was no more traumatized by that info then he was traumatized about wiping poo off his bottom. And I think your idea that kids should be kept in the dark or lied to ("babies come from the stork") is akin to mental child abuse.
Ahh. I guess it makes a difference once you specify an age. My daughter first asked us about this at 2.5 years. My wife and I chose to tell her that it was something that we felt should be discussed when she was older. And no, we did not tell her some dumb ass lie about storks or baby fairies. I agree that lying to your children is akin to child abuse, however I think in many cases withholding some things until they are old enough to process and understand it is important. While we didn't tell her about the baby making aspects of a penis and vagina, she did know what they were and which gender had which. I think all of the baby talk and stupid terms parents come up with are developmentally horrible for children.
Okay granted YOU didn't say you lie to your kids, but I know a lot of parents who do. Then later the kid gets pregnant or knocks-up a girl at age 13, and they wonder how that happened. Duh. It's because they never TAUGHT the kid how their bodies work, that's why. I don't see any reason to withhold knowledge. Better they learn it from me under my supervision, then on their own or from someone else.
I totally agree with you as you put the age into context. Anyone who has not discussed this with their child by the time they have entered puberty should have never been allowed to breed in the first place. I remember seeing a news interview in the late 70's or early 80's with a women in one of the southern states who just gave birth to her 18th baby. She had absolutely no clue as to why she kept getting pregnant.