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Username: kidsurf
Date/Time: Mon, October 23, 2000 at 11:44 PM GMT
Browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer V5.0 using Windows 98
Score: 5
Subject: KidSurf Online supports this Application

Message: 		 

 
I run one of the oldest kids sites on the Net which orginally started as a regional ISP specifically for kids and teens called KidSurf Online. I am also the father of two sons who surf the Net frequently. From our 5 year experience with kids online, I have seen and heard way too many horror stories from the kids themselves about their frustrating experiences online. Even today, thousands of kids innocently type in whitehouse.com thinking they are going to the official government site only to be confronted with blatent pornography. Teens rarely are able to type "teen" in a search engine and not have thousands of pornography sites presented as choices.

We have allowed the so called freedoms of the Internet to go too far and it is time to reclaim a portion of it as a safe place for our kids to play, communicate, and learn. I often advise our visitors that the surfing the Internet is like going into a large city at night. There are some places in the city that are well lighted and safe, but there are others that may be dark and dangerous. Out of all of the applications for the .kid TLD, I believe this one has much promise in expanding those safe, well lighted places online for kids and teens. Therefore, KidSurf Online supports this application and rejects the others due to their non-restrictive nature. If there are not policies and an approval process, then we will find whitehouse.kids just another mirror of whitehouse.com

I question the motives of those who make applications for .kids without policies in place to assure the safety of our kids. Is the interest only in exploiting the TLD for monetary gain or is it truly in the best interest of our children? I submit that we can do better and rise to provide safe cyberplaygrounds and learning places and encourage ICANN to approve this application.

Darrell Williams
KidSurf Online

     
 

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