Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with littlebrother

Big Brother wants to watch my 6-year old.

QuantumMeruit — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:28:03 -0800

My son’s elementary school Internet policy has some fairly objectionable provisions. How common are these terms, and can/should anything be done about it? My son’s new elementary school has an “Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy” that must be signed by both the parent and the student. The policy purports to be “in accordance” with CIPA, the Children’s Internet Protection Act. However, the policy seems to go way beyond what’s required by CIPA.

Most objectionably, the policy states that students “should make available for inspection by an administrator or teacher upon request any messages or files sent or received at any Internet location.” As a parent, I understand why a school administrator might want the authority to snoop into a troublemaker’s personal email to track down threats of violence or disruption, etc. As a card-carrying member of the EFF, this policy offends me.

I know that if a private employer tried to enforce such a provision, there would be huge problems. I want to know how common similar hamfisted Internet usage policies are in schools. (And I realize that I’m getting extra points for absurdity since my kid is all of six years old.)

Finally, I will probably donate a copy of Cory Doctorow’s “Little Brother” to the school library (even though my 6-year old is not old enough to “get” it yet). Besides that, I’d like to know what the Hive Mind has to say regarding ways to promote awareness of why policies like this one are problematic.

Like an iPhone, only scarier

adamrice — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:27:26 -0800

Name that science-fiction story (yes, another one): I recall reading an SF short story in which everyone carries around a little gadget that always tells them what to do, which everyone willingly obeys, and without which everyone is helpless. I think the gadgets were called "little brother." The story probably dates back to the 50s or 60s (I read it in the 80s—this has nothing to do with Cory Doctorow's "Little Brother," which I have not read).

My little brother is a furry?

Anonymous — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:49:33 -0800

So it turns out my kid brother might be a furry. Is this normal? My 17 year old brother and I are the only ones who share a computer here at my parent's house. Recently I discovered that his google search history contains a lot of "furry" search strings, including several for "vore", which is a kind of furry sex fetish that involves eating other creatures.

I try to be pretty open-minded about all things, but this has me a little freaked out. Is this kind of sexuality normal for 17 year olds? Is this healthy? If not, is there anything I can do to broach the subject with him or otherwise dissuade him from getting involved in such a strange fetish?

You can reach me at AskMe.Brother@gmail.com for private communication. Thanks.