Your Kid, But Not Your Responsibility?

I read a story a day or two ago about these parents who are trying to sue MySpace for 30 million freakin' bucks. The first judge -- apparently a more logical and rational adult -- threw out the case, but Mom and Dad are now trying to get a federal appeals court to reinstate it.

The story as reported: a thirteen-year-old girl sets up a MySpace account. Remember, you have to be at least fourteen to have such an account, but the girl lies and says she's eighteen.

A year or so later: girl meets guy on MySpace. They chat, then agree to meet in person. Girl alleges guy sexually assaulted her. Parents sue MySpace for $30 million.

Gregory Coleman, Mom and Dad's lawyer, is quoted as saying, "It [MySpace] has a responsibility to (protect) children."

Is this guy for real??? Are these parents for real???

WHOSE child set up a MySpace account? WHOSE child lied about her age? WHOSE child was reckless enough to meet with a total stranger? WHOSE responsibility was it to protect her?

Okay, so she was fourteen when she allegedly got assaulted. Fourteen-year-olds don't make the smartest decisions. But you'd just about have to be brain-dead to not realize that meeting a total stranger (who thinks you're the same age as he is) is SOOO not a good idea. For the better part of this girl's life, people have been hammering home: never give out personal information on the Internet, never meet in person with anyone you've met on the Internet, bad people are out there on the Internet. Did she never hear it? Did she not understand it, or did she just think it could never happen to her?

But, setting her actions aside . . . where were Mom and Dad when she was lying about her age on the computer? Where were they when she was spending her time chatting with the guy who allegedly assaulted her? Where were they when she took off to meet with this guy?

We know where they are now: holding out their hands, demanding that MySpace pay $30million for failing in its responsibility to THEIR child.

What about THEIR failure in THEIR responsibility to THEIR child? Who's paying for that?

Besides the child? Rachel10:24 AM