Something that has been bothering me

[aly]

I know a ton of you will get mad at me for posting this, but it is really bugging me and I sort of need to get it off my chest.

I know the Dog House is for controversial topics, but I don't think it is a place for complete vulgarness. This is still a family site, and quite frankly, from what I've seen in this section, I would never let my own child on to this site.

I'm not prude by any means and I'm sure worse things have come out of my mouth than what I've read here. However, I would never say anything remotely close to any of that here on a public forum and in front of young children.

I know some of you will tell me to just not read the topics here, but its not myself I'm worried about. I feel bad that kids have access and are reading it. Trust me, I am not easily offended.

So I guess this is a plea to tone down the crudeness for our youngins' sakes.

[Aspen and Misty]

So true Aly! I'm worried to invite my friends here because PT has become such a adult based web page.

Verry well said Aly! I agree 100%


Ash

[micki76]

Have to agree. I was reading the “Where did it go” thread and if my kids were on here I’d be ticked off about some of the stuff in there.

Sorry guys, but maybe we should take it down a notch.

[Kater]

I agree!

Don't forget this....

By clicking the Agree button, you warrant that you will not post any messages that are obscene, vulgar, sexually-orientated, hateful, threatening, or otherwise violative of any laws.

[G.P.girl]

i disagree. i am a kid and i have no problem
reading that stuff. the doghouse is actually
my favorite forum. i like being able to have
contraversial discussions because i like to
agrue. just because i read something sex-oriented that doesn't mean that i am going to go out and have sex the second i get off the computer. adults are too protective of us kids *innocent minds* .
if it bothers anyone they dont have to read it.

but i can se how adults think that it is bad for kids to read "bad" things on the internet.

[Kfamr]

I agree with you Aly....

What really makes me sick is when alcohol is being spoken about.
Probably the number 1 thing I hate, alcohol.

[micki76]

Thanks for posting that Kate. This is a Family site and I know it can't be completely G rated or we couldn't have such great debates, let's try to keep it so that my niece can check out PT when she's at my house. She's only 9.

[Karen]

Good topic, Aly. As I posted in the other thread, please always keep in mind that children visit our website. We work hard to keep Pet of the Day, Dog of the Day and Cat of the Day family-friendly websites. Younger children may not be allowed to register for Pet Talk, but they can certainly read it, and we know some do. And most of Pet Talk is perfectly fine. We are mainly a community of kind, friendly, knowledgeable, pet-loving folks. Any "questionable" "humor" would best be kept to Private Messages, in my humble opinion.

[Tonya]

I guess I don't read the Dog House often enough, or I'm crude because I haven't noticed.

[Tonya]

BTW, Aly, good subject. I agree. Sometimes I forget how young some of our members are. But we do need to remember the younger crowd.

[G.P.girl]

i've been reading some of the older posts and i guess you're right. we have gotten worse. but not too much worse.i guess i just forget that younger kids use this site too.

[jenluckenbach]

Reading this makes me GLAD that I stay (mostly) away from the dog house. I have been know to look at the first post of a dog house thread, but hardly ever venture deeper. I repeat.......I am GLAD that I do not.

[2kitties]

I have to respectfully disagree. I haven't seen anything I would categorize as vulgar. Have you guys watched prime time TV lately? I do not see talk of alcohol as offensive at all and the sexual inuendo- well again, perfectly innocent.

We ask that people not be so thin-skinned here in the dog house because we discuss controversial topics. We allow teenagers to completely trash talk their parents, we allow religious arguements, discussions that sometimes get outright mean. It's all life, folks. Learn to deal. If it gets so sensored that we can't even have a real debate or if we completely lose our sense of humor- well, then it's lost its appeal as far as I'm concerned.

Edit: and here is a Dog House idea: if someone is too immature to read very veiled, mostly innocent sexual joking, then are they really mature enough to be surfing internet message boards? Probably not. It's most likely a situation where parents should be better monitoring their child's internet usage. I can't imagine a child under the age of 12 being allowed to use the internet without supervision. I am sure that supervision isn't happening as it should, but it is not my responsiblity to parent cyberspace.

[micki76]

Originally posted by 2kitties
I have to respectfully disagree. I haven't seen anything I would categorize as vulgar. Have you guys watched prime time TV lately? I do not see talk of alcohol as offensive at all and the sexual inuendo- well again, perfectly innocent.

We ask that people not be so thin-skinned here in the dog house because we discuss controversial topics. We allow teenagers to completely trash talk their parents, we allow religious arguements, discussions that sometimes get outright mean. It's all life, folks. Learn to deal. If it gets so sensored that we can't even have a real debate or if we completely lose our sense of humor- well, then it's lost its appeal as far as I'm concerned.

Edit: and here is a Dog House idea: if someone is too immature to read very veiled, mostly innocent sexual joking, then are they really mature enough to be surfing internet message boards? Probably not. It's most likely a situation where parents should be better monitoring their child's internet usage. I can't imagine a child under the age of 12 being allowed to use the internet without supervision. I am sure that supervision isn't happening as it should, but it is not my responsiblity to parent cyberspace.

My nine year old niece doesn’t watch much prime time TV. She’s busy with homework and (gasp) chores, but she does like to come to my house on the weekend and read pet talk and look at all the animals. She’s not exposed to the vulgar stuff on TV that IMO kids shouldn’t be viewing. (Don’t they all have the amount of homework she has?)

I let her get on PT and that’s the only site she visits other than radio Disney. She thought the doghouse was about dogs, but I told her some of the stuff that’s written here is for more grown up people. She took that fine and stays out, but not all kids do. By promoting Pet Talk as a family friendly site, many parents and guardians wouldn’t think twice about allowing their kids free access to it, just like Nickelodeon and the radio Disney site.

And I don’t think talking about pasties and sliding down a pole are innuendos, especially when kids ask their parents what that means. If Taylor asked I’d have to explain it to her, and while she understands about sex and has had the talk with her mother, I think there’s a lot of info she doesn’t need just yet.

[Cataholic]

I must jump on board with 2Kitties, once again.

While I don't want this to become some soft porn site, or anything, I don't, either, want this to become some PC site, too. The fun of the internet is 'meeting' all walks, types, etc. Threads about controversial subjects should be welcomed for the thought process.

Harmless 'adult' banter is just that- harmless ADULT banter. Topics about sex, drugs, alcohol, politics, religion, whatever are not bad, in and of themselves.

Micki76, I will pick on you(because I would hope you know I am not really PICKING on you, but, using your situation as an example)

Your 9 year old neice shouldn't be reading the dog house....The other sections? Yes. Dog House? No. It isn't age appropriate. She shouldn't be watching certain cable tv stations (if you have cable), seeing certain mainstream publications (if you receive mags in home)...I don't really mean this about YOU, specifically, but, in general....My point is, there are certain things, as a youngin, that shouldn't be seen. That doesn't mean one bans ALL from their home, but, that there are limitations.

As an adult, on this site, I don't think my 'rights' should be subservient to the non adults...but, that certain limits should be imposed. Namely, that all 'lewd' topics are confined to the DH, and that our younger members should NOT read the DH...nor, should anyone that feels offended by the topic.