[AppyPappy]

The parents handed their child the gun when they gave her private access to a computer. I know a LOT of parents who have repeated the same mistake. They can’t blame themselves but they can warn other parents.

My daughter has been asking for a laptop since the Earth cooled. Not a chance.

[newgeezer]

The parents handed their child the gun when they gave her private access to a computer.

Exactly.

The beginning of the end of the story was in the two words, "Tina relented." When a parent chooses the path of least resistance, it's just a matter of time.

[Sender]

On the one hand, I think it's a shame to deprive a teenager of the vast communication network that is the internet. They need it; they own it. They are in their element. On the other hand, teenagers need to be educated about what is out there. There are frauds and there are predators and there are scam artists. There are innocent-looking ringtone ads that can add hundreds of dollars to their cell phone bill. There are people who take pleasure in crushing the life out of others. There are wolves out there.

I think a good balance is to let them have at least SOME internet access, but the parents need to control it and monitor it, and they need to have "the talk". It used to be about sex; now it's about online dangers.