SOLOS Thoughts and Roadshows

OUR Blog.......

2008-08-29T19:03:00.000-07:00

Please go to to see our current blog @ http://www.merlynhorton.com

this is a blog post!

2008-08-21T00:28:00.001-07:00

tthis is a blog post trying to sort out what i'm doing

Movies of Interest

2006-08-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

There are quite of few movies that touch on the topic of child pornography, pedophilia and the use of technology. They are offered here as resources. If you have any suggestions for other movies, please feel free to comment.

A Stranger in Our Home,

Secrets: A Parents Guide to the Teenage Sexual Revolution

O.com (CBC Passionate Eye documentary)

Capturing the Freidmans,

Me and You and Everyone We Know,

Tarnation,

The Woodsman,

Born into Brothels

Hooked

Less Enforcement and More Education. PLEASE!

2006-08-03T19:05:00.000-07:00

This summer might be referred to as the summer of misdirected online awareness.

First was the case of Mark Gary Bedford, the 21 year old charged with multiple offenses associated with exploiting over 100 youth in Canada and Britain via MSN.

The second comes today; the case of a Georgia man charged with similar crimes.

Hot on the heels of these horrific scenarios, the Ontario government has announced a $5 million dollar strategy to address the online exploitation of children.

Additionally, the U.S. government has been working on new legislation, namely Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA, 2006).

All these resources are being directed toward the response that is least likely to make a long-term impact. The long term solution to online sexual exploitation will not be found in beefing up legislation but in coming to terms with the fundamental changes the Web is causing in our culture, education systems and everyday lives. Predator-focused responses such as tiplines, investigations and criminal charges are only addressing one narrow aspect of the issue.

Glaringly absent from these responses to predators exploiting children, is a screamingly insistent proclamation that we get smarter and focus on educating all Internet users. We need to increase the resilience of young Internet users far more than we need to increase policing measures. We need to get past the alarmist headlines and deal with the Internet as a new singularity inflating amid the next generation’s universe while we wring our hands and act horrified.

The Internet is a hall of mirrors; it reflects back to us our real world and our inner worlds, and everything that entails. In spite of some of its alarming facets, the majority of Internet use is positive. But we’re dealing with a largely undeveloped landscape and youth have no online role models to help them navigate. Tragically, there is no relevant curriculum in our province’s schools to prepare youth for the realities of life that is lived physically and constructed virtually from birth onwards, no real twenty-first century blueprint.

We’re not going to stop predators from virtually molesting our children until those children are equipped to deal with their advances. Granted, there will be new cases of online sexual exploitation – predator organizations online will see to that – and our children will not always make the right choices, sometimes putting themselves in harm’s way. But until we prioritize balanced, comprehensive education for everyone (not just kids) about the majestic peaks and dim canyons of this undiscovered landscape, we’ll not only lose our way, but we won’t even have a map

Springing into Action

2006-04-06T22:51:00.000-07:00

Hi All!
Well, we had a great trip to Vancouver Island at the end of last month. Thanks to Lee, Elaine and Ellie for their help in hosting five successful presentations. It was great to meet the youth in Courtney and in Victoria. (Feel free to add a comment if you were at any of these presentations.)
As you can see the website is growing in leap and bounds these days. We're constantly adding more links and resources so check back often.

Thanks,
Merlyn

Welcome to our new SOLOS blog!

2006-03-06T23:42:00.000-08:00

The issue of how to integrate the implications of the internet into our parenting and professional lives is going to be long standing. We all have much work to do.

I'm hoping that here, on the SOLOS blog, in the comments sections on the articles and through the bcseyelist, we can create an inclusive online space to talk about that work.

An electronic space if you will, for those concerned about sexual exploition, online culture, and youth issues to exchange information, ideas and resources and more importantly to develop relationships with each other. To exchange our ideas, to share our challenges and support each other's work, to celebrate our successes as well as honour where we've been on this journey and the work of those who came before us.

Me, the SOLOS Board, and all the other volunteers who have kept this idea going for the last five years offer you our sincerest welcome.