March 13, 2006 | Sex & Society

MySpace predator paranoia

You've heard the argument countless times before: The Internet is a dangerous place for children. But so are streets and stove tops, according to Andrew Kantor, who argues in his latest Cyberspeak column for USA Today that the cure for the country's persistent online phobia is education.

The media is to blame, Kantor says, for the American obsession with Internet safety. The country's latest target  is MySpace.com, an enormous community site catering to young people which lets users post public profiles, send e-mails and write blogs in order to connect with friends online.

The site has been criticized in a host of recent news reports as a breeding ground for Internet stalkers and potential predators. And yet, Kantor points out, "No cases of rape, abduction, robbery or any other crimes linked to the site have been reported."

So what's the fuss about? According to Kantor, it's about what makes a sexy headline. The virtual world only mimics the real world, he points out, and there's nothing online -- including violence, fraud and pornography -- that isn't already an issue offline. It's just that technology makes for a convenient scapegoat.

"You can call a busy street a 'very unsafe environment,' but that's only true if you don't teach your kids to watch for cars," Kantor writes. "A stove top is unsafe, but that doesn't mean you never cook. Ignorance isn't strength."

Kantor adds that there needs to be a line drawn between caution and paranoia, and that we need to educate ourselves about potential misuses of technology without condemning it.

All of which makes sense to us, even if it doesn't sell newspapers.

• It's good to remember that online life only reflects online reality [USA Today]