Actually I have spoken to mods and others and dont have a disagreement with most Ive spoken too. I have mentioned the issue in public exactly twice in maybe a month or so - not exactly trend. I don't find anything hurtful about saying I think its wrong for a forum with so many very young people who are often vulnerable from abuse and neglect etc to be linking them to sex themed chats and forums where site people are even offering to meet people.
Its a peculiar place that can have teddy bear threads and also links to a place whose motto is "We stand at the crossroads of gender balanced on the sharp edge of a knife" and have fetish forums/chats (coss dressing etc).
No responsible site would do that imo and experts say those are the worst sites to send people too
David Finkelhor, Ph.D. is Director, Crimes against Children Research Center, Professor of Sociology, University of New Hampshire. In an interview he says:
"What puts kids at risk?
FINKELHOR: That’s a good question. It’s not primarily having a social networking profile or giving out personal information that puts kids at risk. What puts kids at risk are things like having a lot of conflict with your parents, being depressed and socially isolated, being hyper, communicating with a lot of people online who you don’t know, being willing to talk about sex online with people that you don’t know. I think also, for example, having sexual orientation questions probably puts kids at risk
MAGID: Being in doubt about your sexual orientation?
FINKELHOR: Yeah, cause kids are online kind of looking for help on that and that makes them vulnerable. These are kids who have encountered trouble and are having difficulties in various places in their lives, probably because they don’t have good relationships, or they are in conflict, don’t have people to confide in. They’re out there and more vulnerable to these sexual exploitations."
http://www.safekids.com/?s=predators
Yet this sort of risk and exposure is exactly what RYL does. I also know of a lot of complaints about other linked teen sites where even members are complaining about the amount people in chats soliciting teens and asking for photos. Its a pretty warped situation really
I dont think RYL needs to be steering young people to sex themed forums and chats (and most links lead to exactly that). I see threads with photos of street signs locked up but then send vulnerable young people to forums full of strangers to talk about sex, or getting their bits cut off, or where the site even offers to meet people.
One 'teen" site says:
"We will arrange to meet up with you, have a chat, find out a little about you and help ease any concerns you have about coming to the group for the first time. We understand it is a nerve-wrecking first step, especially for those who aren't out to anyone. We would like to make it as easy as possible for you. And when you get here, one of our expert tea/coffee makers will make a cuppa especially for you... just because it's you!"
Yay - "just because its you" indeed.
That's from a website which RYL leads to.
I cant think of any responsble school or parent who would want their student or child coming to RYL and getting linked to strangers wanting to meet them to discuss their sex lives.
Now I can say there are mods and others who absolutey get the fact that this sort of thing is irresponsible. Most mods I have to say are very good and I have no issue with them but they cant make the larger decisons. I can understand people might not like talking about such things publicly but if they can allow them publicly then I have no sympathy. I could be having more fun doing other things rather than getting into debates about things that should be matters of common sense but somehow aren't.