Like Pictochat? You're a pedophile.

[Kroogah]

http://www.myfoxmilwaukee.com/myfox/...Y&pageId=1.1.1

Wow, this is a hilariously baseless mess of shock value. Got to love a headline like "Nintendo DS Attractive To Molesters".

Note that there is no evidence of anyone preying on children with Pictochat, it's merely a suggestion that Pictochat could be used by child rapists. Truly fantastic journalism.

[jajaja]

I agree that the headline is a very bold statement, but its just to attract people's attention. Alot of kids got a DS these days and if the range is 300 feet, any pedo can go to a nearby school and start sending messages to kids. Its a very easy way to get in contact with kids. If it have ever happend is one thing, but it wouldnt suprise me if it has. This article is just a warning to parents tho.

[Technosis]

I get the bad feeling that the so called benefit from "warning" parents about this potential threat is outweighed by the 9 out of 10 molesters who read this and think "good idea...I never thought of this before". Sadly, almost any form of technology can be misused by people.

[jajaja]

I get the bad feeling that the so called benefit from "warning" parents about this potential threat is outweighed by the 9 out of 10 molesters who read this and think "good idea...I never thought of this before". Sadly, almost any form of technology can be misused by people.

Ye, or that parents says "no, you cant get a DS, its dangerous!" hehe.

[YoshiM]

But really....how many kids actively chat on Pictochat? To me the article reeks of fear mongering with no real research of how common Pictochat communication is. It's more like "Hey, I can chat with other people. How can I (Brad Hicks, the reporter, who I believe had the series "the Mind of a Sexual Predator"-or something like that) get people to stay interested in my stories?"

[Technosis]

But really....how many kids actively chat on Pictochat? To me the article reeks of fear mongering with no real research of how common Pictochat communication is. It's more like "Hey, I can chat with other people. How can I (Brad Hicks, the reporter, who I believe had the series "the Mind of a Sexual Predator"-or something like that) get people to stay interested in my stories?"

The theme of sexual predators sure gets a ton of press coverage these days. Dateline has had an ongoing TV show where they catch people seeking relations with minors. Not to minimize the impact of this problem, but there certainly are other pertinent social issues of the day that get eclipsed by coverage like this.

[icbrkr]

That's a little odd. How hard would it be to find the person sending the chat 65 feet to 300 feet away. Hmm... is it Jill in the pigtails or the creepy looking dude in a trench coat tapping away on the DS?

[Kroogah]

But really....how many kids actively chat on Pictochat? To me the article reeks of fear mongering with no real research of how common Pictochat communication is.

Yup, first thought that popped in my head when reading the article......well, after "you've gotta be shitting me"

[Gamereviewgod]

The best part is when they're in the car. What predator is going to be driving on the highway, DS in hand, actively looking for some kid with a DS? On top of that, they have to be in PictoChat mode and the predator needs to write while doing at least 50 mph. Brilliant observation.

[joshnickerson]

Gotta love sweeps month.

[diskoboy]

Hey media - what ever happened to checking out the facts before you run a story?

This is nothing short of a scare tactic.

I'll also say this - no local FOX affiliate really has dependable news.

[norkusa]

I'll also say this - no local FOX affiliate really has dependable news.

They're no less dependable than any other network affiliate.

[Wavelflack]

That's a little odd. How hard would it be to find the person sending the chat 65 feet to 300 feet away. Hmm... is it Jill in the pigtails or the creepy looking dude in a trench coat tapping away on the DS?

...because child molesters always wear trench coats and look creepy? Because WiFi only works with a visual line of sight?

[7th lutz]

They are just creating news or create something that is not a problem unlike chatrooms or going my space websites.

What do you expect? My local fox affiliate is trying to outdo my local NBC affiliate for stories on sex predators. Both sations have warned again the myspace websiste. My NBC affiliate even helped the cops arrest online sex predators by reports going on chartrooms.

That fox affiliate in the past has done stuff in the past like encouraging people to smoke cigars because they were doing coverage on a cigar tour bus were their tv station is located. They did on their morning show on that day, I went to the station for the weather in the morning only. They also claimed there no health risks to cigar smoking unlike smoking cigarettes. They didn't do any research on that one either.

I don't watch my fox affiliate for news alot. I watch my nbc affiliate for news instead.

[Half Japanese]

Here's the real, underlying question: who the fuck uses pictochat? It's sort of like using AIM with no one in your buddy list 99% of the time.

My local Fox affiliate is a joke, and they've only been doing news for the past 10 years or so. The only reason anyone watches them is that they shoehorn in their news at 10 instead of the usual 11. Either way, local news is almost always 100% worthless, full of fluff feel-good stories or some controversy some yokel with a Bible got worked up over. Shit, I'll just stick with the Guardian and Google News (with the occasional trip to IndyMedia).

[lendelin]

This news-"article" is neither a fair warning to parents, nor is it grounded in real life experience, it is the product of a news channel trying to gain more readers by putting up sensational headlines.

It is blatant sensationalism, plain and simple. If I put every possible missue of every tool, likely or unlikely, in a headline, it is sensationalism exploiting abstract concerns contributing to hysteria; and hysteria about sex crimes and child molestation certainly exists in this country.

"Nintendo DS Attractive To Molesters"? I propose:
"Knives and axes attractive to murderers"
"Snow attractive to thieves"
"Cars attarctive to wife beaters"

The sad news is that the only fair and true headline over this masterpiece of journalism should read:

"Sensational Headlines Attractive to FoxNews Milwaukee"

Sex crimes are attarctive to viewers and readers, crime in general and among them sex crimes became the #1 entertainment on TV in the last ten years in this country, and the media in their greedy viewing-grabbing attempts create hysteria which is the fertile ground for ridiculous headlines as this.

[jajaja]

As i said, they headline is crazy, but is this really something totaly unrealistic? I mean, many kids does have a DS today and if they suddently get a message from a unknown guy they might be curious like most kids are. It could happend, right?

[Berserker]

As i said, they headline is crazy, but is this really something totaly unrealistic? I mean, many kids does have a DS today and if they suddently get a message from a unknown guy they might be curious like most kids are. It could happend, right?

Said unknown guy could also kick down your door, shoot you in the kneecap, and snatch your kid. Just because it could happen, doesn't mean it will.

Of course there are cases of probable threat, that you should take notice to. Letting your kid access the internet unsupervised for extended periods of time, for example. Don't do that.

But this story is just typical local news fear-fluff horseshit. It serves the double-purpose of filling time while also rousing unwarranted alarm in parents and viewers who don't know any better, increasing viewer attention and numbers.

It's not news. It's just crap.

[icbrkr]

...because child molesters always wear trench coats and look creepy? Because WiFi only works with a visual line of sight?

Did you really take that seriously?

[dethink]

Since when are kids allowed to take DS's/etc. TO SCHOOL?!

Seriously, I'm only 26 and this sounds absolutely ludicrous to me. Want to solve the problem? Don't let kids take toys to school. Duh.

[jajaja]

Said unknown guy could also kick down your door, shoot you in the kneecap, and snatch your kid. Just because it could happen, doesn't mean it will.

Well.. i would say the DS issue is much more realstic than this example. A guy can also go amok in the street with a gun and shoot ur kid too, but the chaces for that are microscopical. Therefor i sat a question, how unrealistic is this DS issue?

[heybtbm]

[7th lutz]

Since when are kids allowed to take DS's/etc. TO SCHOOL?!

Seriously, I'm only 26 and this sounds absolutely ludicrous to me. Want to solve the problem? Don't let kids take toys to school. Duh.

I agree with it being the parents and the schools job to ame sure the ds and etc to be taken to school. As far as Pictochat goes, I don't think many students are. Students have computers and online services at home something I didn't have. The media should be looking at stuff like chatrooms online from your labtop or computer, not from your ds. Students brought brought stuff to school and get away with it for years like bringing bring sega genesis games to school. I remember a classmate doing that by me seeing the games in that students desk when I was in 5th grade. When I was in high school (1993-1997), Once in a while, staff members looked in back packs, etc. in the front entrence of the school or looked in lockers once in a while. The backpack checks took forever.

As bad as the ds are to bring in schools, there were worse stuff that I heard like students brag about into their lockers like illegal stuff such as bongs back in my days in high school. While I gradurate from high school in 1997, I don't think students changed that much. The way to fix this from the schools end is to check the lockers in middle and high school once a week.

[Berserker]

Well.. i would say the DS issue is much more realstic than this example. A guy can also go amok in the street with a gun and shoot ur kid too, but the chaces for that are microscopical. Therefor i sat a question, how unrealistic is this DS issue?

You're still confusing the concepts of realistic and likely. Is this realistically possible? Yeah. So is spontaneous combustion. So are a zillion other things that rely on several coincidental circumstances. It doesn't mean they're likely.

Kids shouldn't be taking a DS to school in the first place. But this situation just relies on so many factors that are unlikely to coincide with one another to justify this sensationalist crap.


At this point, it's clear that either:

A) You still just don't get it, or

B) You get it, but you're just playing devil's advocate for the hell of it.

In either case, it makes no sense attempting to explain any further to you why this is stupid, so I won't.

[jajaja]

You're still confusing the concepts of realistic and likely. Is this realistically possible? Yeah. So is spontaneous combustion. So are a zillion other things that rely on several coincidental circumstances. It doesn't mean they're likely.

Kids shouldn't be taking a DS to school in the first place. But this situation just relies on so many factors that are unlikely to coincide with one another to justify this sensationalist crap.


At this point, it's clear that either:

A) You still just don't get it, or

B) You get it, but you're just playing devil's advocate for the hell of it.

In either case, it makes no sense attempting to explain any further to you why this is stupid, so I won't.

lol nah, you're the one who doesnt understand what im saying. There is nothing to explain. You can come up with 1 million things that can go wrong, i know all about that stuff, i think everyone does. Sup with your attitude by the way?

All im doing is asking a question IF this picochat is a real threat or if its just "fictional" like the example you gave with random person kicking down your door. I mean, what are the chances for pedos to really use this method to get in contact with children? Its more of a retorical question since i cant expect anyone here to come up with facts around it of course.