Protecting adults from children online
The year 2006 was full of politicians and special interests protecting children from the evils of gaming -- but what about protecting adults from the children of the internet? In this recording (absolutely, positively NSFW!) an apparent 11-year-old named Hobbs says some of the most funny/disturbing/cringe inducing things during a World of Warcraft raid. Your initial instinct will be to think it's all fake, but over the 52 minutes worth of audio the realization that it's all real starts to bubble up as a possibility. The adults find Hobbs amusing at the beginning, but the novelty wanes by the end with people saying they'll quit the guild if he joins.
It's moments like this where an age restricted guild might be in order, especially when they start messing with Hobbs and talk about sending the kid pornography. As gaming continues its demographic spread, what can adults do to protect themselves from dealing with children? Do you automatically leave a game on Xbox Live once you hear the shrill voice of a 10-year-old? Would you pay extra to have an "adults only" section on Xbox Live? Parents buy children their consoles, games and allow them to roam free on the internet; maybe it's time to protect adults who just want to have a good time.
