Comment Number: OL-100007
Received: 11/9/2004 12:33:01 AM
Organization: WiredSafety.org
Commenter: Parry Aftab
State: NJ
Agency: Federal Trade Commission
Rule: Notice Announcing Public Workshop and Requesting Public Comment and Participation
Docket ID: Not yet available
No Attachments

Comments:

In Fall 2003 I appeared on the Today Show to explain about kids and music downloading for parents. I wrote a guide for parents in talking to their kids about music downloading. Given the workshop and attention given to these issues, I have decided to share it here, in part. WiredSafety.org, the world’s largest online safety and help group Talking to Your Children About Downloading Music – A Parent’s Guide By Parry Aftab, Esq. Parenting is tough enough. We need to balance work, home and parenting. We need to be the math tutor, grammar expert and able to paint the backdrops for the school play. We have to bake (or fake it by buying ) cookies and cupcakes, and do science projects last minute. We also need to be up-to-date on technology, the Internet and safe surfing, when we can’t even set the clock on our VCRs. And now, we are facing subpoenas and lawsuits from the RIAA for what our children are doing online…for what everyone’s doing online! Without hiring copyright lawyers, how do we address the issues with our children? How do we figure out what our kids can and can’t do with music online? And how do we answer their questions. Or our own? Hopefully, this guide will help. It’s not easy, but our job as parents to teach our children the difference between right and wrong. Even if we disagree with the RIAA’s tactics, piracy is wrong. And downloading and sharing music online is piracy. This guide is designed to help you understand the issues, and how to talk with your kids about downloading music. You may have additional questions we haven’t addressed. If so, visit WiredSafety.org for updates to this guide at “Ask Parry” or if you still haven’t found an answer to your question, ask Parry yourself (at askparry@wiredsafety.org). You can read the guide from start to finish, or just review the sections you need. Click on the section headings below to go straight to the section. • First, Figure out What Your Kids are Doing Online • What to Expect and How to Address the Issue • Explaining the Underlying Reasoning to Your Kids • Understanding Music and the Internet • What is this RIAA thing all about? • What should you do if you receive a letter or subpoena from the RIAA? • How can the RIAA figure out who is downloading and sharing music online when all they have is a screen name? • So, what can you do to stay on the right side of the law and off the RIAA’s subpoena list? • What Problems Exist with the RIAA’s Tactics? • And Now for the Really Boring Stuff…the Law • Criminal Copyright Infringement and Children • A message form Jennifer, age 14, New Jersey First, Figure out What Your Kids are Doing Online Are your kids downloading music online? Ask them. It’s amazing how many people write Parry asking her how to find out what their kids are doing online. It’s sad that they feel they need technology or special advice to find out what’s going on in their own homes, by their own children. It’s up to you to get them to open up. Let them know you will not over-react or punish them for doing it. This is too important for them to be afraid to be honest with you. Explain to them that you know that everyone is downloading music without paying for it. But make sure they understand that some things are wrong, even if everyone is doing them. It should be your values that become their family values. Your voice should be the one they hear. You should be the one they turn to with questions and for help. The fact that they understand more about technology than we do doesn’t change the fact that we are still the parents. And as parents we need to make sure that we load the filter between our children’s ears with what it takes to make the right decisions in life. This is just another right decision. {the remainder of the guide can be viewed at wiredsafety.org/}