Whether we like it or not, the U.S. Government is hell bent to protect us from the bogeyman. From head to toe, food, drink and other enjoyable vice is under incessant attack from foundations and organizations to keep us safe. Smoking (and you thought it was sex?) is the most prevalent evil of all times, vilified for the last 40 years, and the sustained epitome of warning labels.
Warning labels are thought to be effective, maybe most effective in stopping a perceived well-being transgression, safety hazard or health risk. No matter if this is true or not, labels continue to be the trusted means of halting sin. With this in mind, I find it outrageous that computers and computer related products do not have warning labels.
Consider people who use computers, from the seasoned IT professional to the proverbial one-foot-on-a-banana-peel and the other in the grave, and the range of security knowledge about computers and the Internet. The only people who understand the importance of Internet security and identity theft protection are those who work in the field of Internet security.
If you think your child understands security by virtue of “all kids are de facto techno geniuses”, why do parental controls exist? Kids are less safe on the Internet than many adults. Adults are not safe because, in the words of Ron White, “you can’t fix stupid.”
Internet risks include identity theft, job loss, total loss of privacy, scamming, theft of personal documents and acne on the low end. For the absolute tech-challenged ham-handed dweeb, risks could be stalking, murder, rape, suicide and addiction. There is hardly anything in the real world that cannot be duplicated in the virtual world, in fact exacerbated online.
If this household item was a lawnmower it would be illegal. If it was thought to drive up the cost of your insurance, there would be outrage, and demand for government intervention. Yet priorities are set with little thought to the most dangerous appliance in the home.
Questions:
Like CNN, FOX and The Comedy Channel we want to know what you think. And like them, no particular reason, we just like comments.
- Should computers have warning labels?
- Should a license be required to operate a computer?
- Should a safety class be mandatory before buying a computer?
- Should safty glasses and hearing protection be required to operate a computer?
Please, practice safe computing. Tweet this, DIGG it, Facebook it, email it to everyone you know. Stop the carnage. Stop ruining my computer experience and costing me money. Call the president of the U.S. The number is 202-456-1414 This is a real phone number for the White House. They will listen to what you have to say. Keep this in mind before you call.
