Teletext reported findings that children aged between 11 and 16 have admitted to talking about sex on the internet. Some have even admitted to making friends with strangers via the internet.

I seem to recall that when I was aged between 11 and 16 all of my peers were talking about sex because at that age we were curious about it. I also recall that all of the new friends I made had previously been strangers.

My conclusion ... kids are doing the same stuff online as they do offline. The internet is just an extension of normal life. Why are some people freaking out about this?

my conspiracy theory-if the "establishment" can frighten everyone enough, especially about their children then they can introduce so-called laws that are meant to "protect" us ie: give up more of our freedoms.

How many kids have been picked up on-line by a predator than have in a real-life situation ?.

I bet the statistics would actually show that it's far far less but the media beats up the on-line assaults with rediculous US shows like To Catch A Predator were in fact no child is on-line, but idiots are talking to some 35 year old FBI bird.

Add that to talk of a "2 tier" internet where you pay for fast or slow service with attempts by private companies to "own" the internet via gateways-which Bush / Brown and others would be more than happy to allow ( with News Ltd trying to get in on the act already) and thus-there is the conspiracy to terrify folk about what their kids are doing naturally-talking dirty to their friends.

Statistically you are more likely to be chatted up illegally on the internet by a Law Enforcement person than someone wanting sex.

I work on the computer all day. I have never been propositioned in the over ten years.

I agree that this is once again a "media created" event to take more liberty away from us all.

You are statistically more likely to get stabbed to death on the streets of London from someone if you are a teenager than asked to meet for sex with an undesirable on the internet.

Over 7,000 people were stabbed in just London last year. 27 teenagers died. 21 have died this year.

Puts the "terrorist" "freedom and stranger danger" message into context.

Fact is most kids are abused by blood relatives. That is a fact. The "stranger danger" accounts for the occasional weirdo - but even Huntley knew his victims well.

The demonisation of the internet is because the authorities FEAR free speech. They want to control us all and stop us from talking.

1,000s of sites like this exist where millions are now expressing their disatisfaction with the way in which the media led by Government/finance is basically telling porkies to us all most of the time.

When kids start attacking Police on the streets like last night you know that people have had enough of "control" in their lives. Those kids reacted in an honest way to an authority that sadly has lost everyone's respect.

As THE WHO once said - THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT - and I feel we should all start treating the kids of our country as human beings and our future rather than demonising them and trying to make them afraid.

"To catch a predator" highlights the incredible number of adults willing to participate in sexual activity with those under the age of legal consent. I don't think thats tedious. Its irrelevant what age the supposed child is. Do you honestly think they would expose a minor to this kind of behaviour? Wouldn't that be abuse??

I gather 'To catch a predator' was an American TV show running sting operations to lure people into compromising positions. My original post has little to do with that but was a comment on how pointless and 'un-shocking' the report was on childrens internet activity. Mainly what they discuss on the net is no different to what they discuss off the net. Children of that age are curious about sex and so they talk about it. It didn't need a full investigation to reach that conclusion.

I think the various authorities realise that they can never properly control the internet and so they, instead, attempt to control the people who use it. The easiest way to control people is through fear, so they bring out reports which, while merely stating the bloody obvious, are worded in such a way that they can spook the less discerning reader, most of whom don't get beyond the headline.

To Catch A Predator just shows how many dopes there are out there..but it's still a TV company trying to induce people into commiting a crime. No different than plotting and luring them into a bank robbery or burglary.

The problem with a show like this is (a) it's profit driven and therefore that makes it incredibly immoral and (b) it's luring people into commiting what may well be a fantasy crime that they wouldn't normally do-but when it's made so easy they go along.

It may show that there are a lot out there ( but not so many when you consider there are 300 million people in the USA and the "girls" they think they are going to meet are meant to be 14 or 15 (in some countries that's the legal age).

And it's true-the vast majority of abuse is by family members against one of their own kids. I'd still like to know just how many people really pick up children on the net-why don't the authorities gives us the fugures ?.

And why don't they do something about the appaling real life abuse that happens every day to children-physical, mental and sexual..instead of putting all their resources into "fantasy" crime.