Online or on the prowl?

Yep, the Internet has now become so integrated into daily existence many wonder how they once lived without it. Like microwaves, cable, cellular phones and air conditioning, going online is a way of life. Now it's not a question of whether you are on the Internet; the question is how fast your connection is and if your hook-up is wireless.

The lingering subjective question since the birth of the World Wide Web, aside from who truly invented the system, is whether the propensity for good - research anything, anytime, anywhere - outweighs the possibility of abuse. When a Cupertino sex offender used the Megan's Law database to contact another registered offender in Redwood City, the issue really moved to the forefront. The Internet has long been the domain of personal ads and chat rooms but "Single White Sex Offender Seeks Same" was not the motivation of the registry.

Much has been made about the database's loopholes and, now, the possibility that convicted criminals can use it to track down like-minded individuals. That is no reason to shut it down, though, or limit the availability of such information. The Internet and database may make it easier for these individuals to congregate but it is not the only method. The good of knowing who is lurking in one's neighborhood is far stronger than the sad attempts by offenders to hijack the database for their own dark motives.

Sex offenders aren't the only ones logging on and pairing up in frightening fashion. Recently, some news reports note an increase in eating disorder Web sites where sufferers exchanging helpful tips to curb appetites (try ice chips) and encourage each other that food is unnecessary (something I'll never buy). Anorexics can even seek "ana buddies" to help with fasting and post photos of their progress wasting away.

Budding anarchists can download instructions to build napalm and bomb recipes. Recently, a Reno man called 911 for uncontrollable bleeding after trying an at-home castration to curb his libido. He told authorities he found directions on the Internet.

While disturbing, is the easily availability of such sites and information also reason to limit the seemingly endless content available on the Internet? No.

Like every aspect of the big, scary world, the Internet is just another place where trouble can be found if it is sought. If it's not online, it will be at the corner, in the back of magazines, through word of mouth. Limits don't erase dangers, they just move them to a new location. The goal for everybody else - particularly parents and other quasi-responsible adult figures - is to help the younger set navigate potential cyber-minefields. Those responsible for databases like Megan's Law must also be diligent to ensure the information is correct and not abused.

There is a lot of useless and potentially treacherous debris floating around cyber-space but it is not worth cutting off future exploration.

Michelle Durand's column "Off the Beat" runs Monday and Thursday. She can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 104. What do you think of this column? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.