ASL? The USB Age and Gender Token

Nothing could possibly go wrong with this. The year isn't over yet, but here comes what just might the worst idea and waste of resources for 2004. VeriSign and a "children's safety group" are making the "i-Stick" token which will verify a child's age and gender to make it easier for children to avoid online predators on the web and in chat rooms. Says Montana Republican Sen. Conrad Burn: "This doesn't guarantee everything, but at least it cuts the field down." Senator, don't listen to the greedy folks with the buckets of cash. They're hijacking good intentions and taking advantage of parents and politicians. A USB device will only do one thing: verify the information on the USB device. Expect these to be lost, stolen, hacked, sold on eBay, encourage age and gender targeted ads—all in the same day these are put in your kids hands.