It is not safe for children at all. But it is certainly getting better, you can see admins stepping up their game, more people are reporting rule-breakers, I guess it should be fine soon.
Interesting
I'm not sure I agree at all. while I think chess.com is relatively "safe" for kids. I think there is a lot of trolling, and a lot of rule breaking.
I use chesskid.com extensively for my for managing my current group of students and allowing them access to puzzles and games.
I am planning to introduce accounts for some of them on chess.com because they clearly demonstrate a higher potential than typically that of the average rating on chesskid.com.
I am concerned though because these kids are below 10 and I don't want them to be victim to any inappropriate chat or receive unwanted messages to their inbox. What can be done to prevent these instances?
I dont think it is worth it. for mainly two reasons
1) you are their coach/teacher, not parent...so in either case, the parent should choose
2) you say they are higher than average rating then on chesskid....well so are half of the kids on chesskids. They will find plenty of decent competition there, and no worse then they will have on chess.com.
I use chesskid.com extensively for my for managing my current group of students and allowing them access to puzzles and games.
I am planning to introduce accounts for some of them on chess.com because they clearly demonstrate a higher potential than typically that of the average rating on chesskid.com.
I am concerned though because these kids are below 10 and I don't want them to be victim to any inappropriate chat or receive unwanted messages to their inbox. What can be done to prevent these instances?
I dont think it is worth it. for mainly two reasons
1) you are their coach/teacher, not parent...so in either case, the parent should choose
2) you say they are higher than average rating then on chesskid....well so are half of the kids on chesskids. They will find plenty of decent competition there, and no worse then they will have on chess.com.
I use chesskid.com extensively for my for managing my current group of students and allowing them access to puzzles and games.
I am planning to introduce accounts for some of them on chess.com because they clearly demonstrate a higher potential than typically that of the average rating on chesskid.com.
I am concerned though because these kids are below 10 and I don't want them to be victim to any inappropriate chat or receive unwanted messages to their inbox. What can be done to prevent these instances?
I dont think it is worth it. for mainly two reasons
1) you are their coach/teacher, not parent...so in either case, the parent should choose
2) you say they are higher than average rating then on chesskid....well so are half of the kids on chesskids. They will find plenty of decent competition there, and no worse then they will have on chess.com.
Chess.com is not safe for pre-adolescent children unless they have continuous adult supervision, which is not really practical. Stay with chesskids.com instead. If they find the top players there too weak, it's time to start organizing OTB scholastic matches against nearby schools, or even taking them to USCF-rated tournaments (both these alternatives being much more fun than playing online).
ok, so
I don't understand
what is the danger, exactly?
why isn't blocking people from a kids wall good enough??
ok, so
I don't understand
what is the danger, exactly?
why isn't blocking people from a kids wall good enough??
I'm surprised that you need to ask. The #1 reason is sexual predators. #2 Cyber bullies. #3 Hate-speech. #4 Obscene words and images. #5 Phishing for parents' credit card numbers.
(By "obscene" I mean words or images that glorify cruelty or promiscuity.)
At this point someone usually asks "why shield children from reality?". The answer: to allow them to remain innocent for a little while longer (they will have plenty of "opportunities" to be corrupted and demeaned in high school). Remember, I'm talking about pre-adolescent children, not 16-year-olds. I think preserving young childrens' innocence for a few more years is well worth the effort.
ok, so
I don't understand
what is the danger, exactly?
why isn't blocking people from a kids wall good enough??
I'm surprised that you need to ask. The #1 reason is sexual predators. #2 Cyber bullies. #3 Hate-speech. #4 Obscene words and images. #5 Phishing for parents' credit card numbers.
Ok, but if it's not possible to send them a message then how is any of that possible?
I assume there is still a setting so that only friends can send messages and another setting for not accepting friend requests.
I know there is a setting to auto disable live chat.
Sure they could come on the forums and see bad stuff... but they an do that with or without an account.
I mean, the internet probably isn't a place of kids of that age anyway, but maybe I sound like an old person to say that haha. I know my niece was getting on my brother's tablet at age 2 or 3.
ok, so
I don't understand
what is the danger, exactly?
why isn't blocking people from a kids wall good enough??
I'm surprised that you need to ask. The #1 reason is sexual predators. #2 Cyber bullies. #3 Hate-speech. #4 Obscene words and images. #5 Phishing for parents' credit card numbers.
(By "obscene" I mean words or images that glorify cruelty or promiscuity.)
At this point someone usually asks "why shield children from reality?". The answer: to allow them to remain innocent for a little while longer (they will have plenty of "opportunities" to be corrupted and demeaned in high school). Remember, I'm talking about pre-adolescent children, not 16-year-olds. I think preserving young childrens' innocence for a few more years is well worth the effort.
#1 solid rule for anyone under 12, Do not talk to strangers
#2 blocking means no one can write anything on a persons wall or chat during a game, and I believe there is a setting where you can restrict pms from friends
#3 blocking.
#4 blocking.
#5 blocking and no talking to strangers
in short, if you have taught the kid to Note talk to strangers and no one can talk to them because of account settings...
as I see it , chess.com is as safe as chesskid.com
Of course disabling chat and blocking contact would be prudent. But the problem with relying totally on these measures (without adult supervision) is that many children will be tempted (due to their natural curiosity) to visit the forum, maybe be attracted to cute/cool avatars and images, or seductive words, and initiate contact with strangers on their own. To avoid this scenario perhaps there could be a version of the chess.com site that has no forum?
I assume there is software you can install that blocks sites. The adult responsible for the kid could block the forum.
I still think Silman is directly responsible for promoting tiddly winks and am SHOCKED, shocked he could be so disloyal to our sport.
after all if he wanted to suggest a games for the braniac "tic-tac-toe" is a real mind game...
I diagree COMPLETELY! Kids should be able to do what they want here on the site and play chess as they want to. i LOVE chess and want to be WC. And anyway, checkers is WAY more boring than chess.
Chess.com IS safe for your kids, but! If THIS guy pulls up to a thread and ask your kids to get in; Tell them to run SCREAMING, STRANGER DANGER!!
Clowns are the only one's that can be expected to act as adults if they are told to act as old as their shoe size.
There are also extremely scammy ads here, I am sure you have seen them. Although I doubt any kid would be dumb enough to click on a 'how many triangles are there win an iPad 2' ad, it is not impossible.
I use chesskid.com extensively for my for managing my current group of students and allowing them access to puzzles and games.
I am planning to introduce accounts for some of them on chess.com because they clearly demonstrate a higher potential than typically that of the average rating on chesskid.com.
I am concerned though because these kids are below 10 and I don't want them to be victim to any inappropriate chat or receive unwanted messages to their inbox. What can be done to prevent these instances?
I dont think it is worth it. for mainly two reasons
1) you are their coach/teacher, not parent...so in either case, the parent should choose
2) you say they are higher than average rating then on chesskid....well so are half of the kids on chesskids. They will find plenty of decent competition there, and no worse then they will have on chess.com.
Your math is a but wrong in your last statement
Sure bud, but my point isnt
You can be proud, we even have plenty of Ben Gunn's type of loonies on the site. :D