Back on May 1, 2008 a new law was passed raising the legal age of sexual consent from 14 to 16. While that's good news on all fronts, it still amazes me how many parents didn't realize the age of legal sexual consent in Canada was 14. But many adults online knew it to the letter.
Nexopia.com is definitely NOT the only social networking site out there but it is the best example of what kids are doing these days. It's basically the Canadian equivalent to the American myspace.com and we've all seen the news stories about the dangers of that site. There is no affiliation between the two sites but they are very much alike in layout and registration ages of 14 and up. There are many Canadians that have profiles and use myspace.com, young teens included, so therefore the information contained within can be used as education for either site.
This is just one reply I had read on nexopia, and i'll never forget it, it's what prompted my first web site. This is a 32 year old male member of
http://www.nexopia.com in a discussion on their sex forum about young teen mothers and how one member knows "they put out":
"when i search users i always look for ages 14 - 18 that either have a slutty tag line or have stuff about their son or daughter on their page then i try to work my magic
"
Creeped out yet? We're not even getting warmed up yet. If you really want some interesting reading, head over to
http://www.nexopia.com/forumthreads.php?fid=3 and have a gander at the discussions that your son or daughter can participate in. Keep in mind that you'll be reading the forums WITHOUT registering or logging in. It's full access to anyone.
It seems the big popularity with Nex is with younger teens and preteens. If your son or daughter has a computer with an internet connection, the chances are good they have a "nex" account. But keep in mind that nex isn't the only place they'll frequent, it's just one example.
The nexopia registration process is typical for many internet sites. Anybody 18 and over can legally sign up, but anyone between the ages of 14 to 17 require parental permission. Unfortunately there is no real way to police the actual age of the users, and I know for a fact that many parents don't know nexopia exists, let alone give their child permission to sign up. On the other side, users can have mulitple nex accounts simply by having multiple email accounts, and there is nothing to stop a 50 year old man from registering as a 14 year old girl. There is also the option of becoming a "plus" member that allows certain benefits for $30.00 a year. It seems many kids now have the option of buying a prepaid "visa" type credit card from local bell mobility stores. These cards are pre-loaded with specific amounts and can be used in place of a credit card. As well, this information is pushed on nexopia.
Parents, if you know your child is on Nex, don't buy into the "plus" option, it's not any safer because your child can see who's browsing their profiles. It's the information your child is listing on nex that is where the danger lies... Many members search profiles for hours on end, it doesn't make these members safe or not.
Once registered, users can set up a profile stating location, age and whatever else they wish. There is a section for comments from any other users be they friends or not. They can also keep a list of friends that is publicly viewable by anybody. Picture uploads are also an option that many people of all ages are using.
Blogging or web logging, like an online diary, is another feature of nexopia but is common to a lot of sites and is very popular among all ages.
Parents, if you are unaware of nexopia, register for an account and start browsing. I know you'll be shocked at the information and pictures some of these kids are providing.
Thank you.
Management - Internetempowered.com
When it comes to Internet Safety - knowledge really is power.
Nexopia.com - The Definitive Example