Doug Johnson

Scenario 9 (Appropriate use)
Penelope has found a Web site that has “gross jokes” on it. She prints the pages out and shares them with her friends.

Questions:

• What is the inappropriate action?
• Who committed it?
• What danger or discomfort might the unethical action cause?
• Is there a parallel in the physical world to this scenario?
• How do you help children know the boundaries of tastelessness? To what extent does such a judgment depend on family values?
• Can you think of other incidents that would fall into this category?

Comments:
A good deal of Internet content, if not obscene, is certainly tasteless, offensive, and lacking in educational value. Parents should define and help their children understand the qualities and conditions under which an item becomes inappropriate for use. Children need to understand the concepts of pornography, racism, and sexism.

Children may access information produced by hate groups and political extremists. Such experiences may be springboards to meaningful discussions about propaganda and free speech issues.