Search:  

 
 
   News
newer
story category The Nintendo DS Pedophile Nightmare
Or, how local news affiliates sell fear to boost ratings...
(old news - 03:54PM Thursday Feb 08 2007)
tags: wireless · gaming
Early last year an ABC affiliate in Philly ran with a scare-mongering report that suggested pedophiles were targeting kids with Nintendo DS's via Wi-Fi, though they intentionally got most of their facts wrong to make the story scarier. Then there was the report we mentioned which suggested the Wii was a bastion of smut, with the reporter in that instance taking adult quotes and pretending they were made by children. Now, Kotaku points to this Milwaukee Fox affiliate video report which is vaguely more accurate, but still demonizes the device's wireless capability for the sake of ratings.

Related:
  1. Nintendo & Broadband
  2. 850,000 Nintendo Wi-Fi Users
  3. Pedo-DS Scare-Mongering
  4. Nintendo DS, PSP: Bastions of Smut
  5. Nintendo Wi-Fi: 2 Million Users
  6. Xbox 360, a Jeep, and Google-Fi
  7. Christian Group Focuses on 'Wii Smut'
  8. Get GPS and VoIP with your PSP
Forums » The Nintendo DS Pedophile Nightmare
view: topics flat text 
Post a:
brianiscool

join:2000-08-16
Miami, FL

edit:
February 8th, @03:32PM

Wow

Those are some imaginative scare tactics.

Doctor Four
My other vehicle is a TARDIS
Premium
join:2000-09-05
Dallas, TX

Re: Wow

It's sweeps month. What did you expect?

Chiyo
Save Me Konata-Chan
Premium
join:2003-02-20
Minneapolis, MN
clubs:
·Comcast

Re: Wow

Yeah everyone just rolls around with picto chat open, don't you have to have the DS open and in pic to chat to "chat"? sems dumb like the rest of the stories that have blown the wifi thing out of proportion.
--
"Sure there have been injuries and deaths in boxing - but none of them serious."- Alan Minter, Boxer"I get to go to lots of overseas places, like Canada."- Britney Spears, Pop Singer

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Re: Wow

DS has to be on, Pictochat has to be open, evil pedophile has to be within 300 yards, and then I think there's some degree of the kid having to authorize him as a buddy....
Battousai1

join:2006-02-16
Nashville, TN

Re: Wow

300 feet actually . They were in a pretty open area for testing though, through walls or moving cars I imagine it'd be cut down from that.

Pictochat doesn't use the friend code system from what I understand, but even then it's a 1-in-a-million shot that a pedophile happens to have a DS, kid(s) have a ds with pictochat open (not playing a game), and they're in range.

I highly doubt most of the kids that have a DS even care about pictochat. Their comment about a pedo seeing a kid from their moving car and typing to them is stupid as well, how are you supposed to drive and do that at the same time?

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Re: Wow

Feet, yeah sorry...my bad. That was my though too -- kids probably got bored with Pictochat on day two....

DHRacer
Fire Survivor

join:2000-10-10
Lake Arrowhead, CA
·Verizon west (ex G..
·Charter Pipeline

Well, the news media has certainly gone from: "We report the facts." to "We make up the facts in the absence of same because there's nothing else to report.".

Another reason why I take my 8:00 news with a 5 pound block of salt, and don't beleive a word they say.

--
"No one will believe you solved this problem in one day! We've been working on it for months. Now, go act busy for a few weeks and I'll let you know when it's time to tell them." (R&D Supervisor, Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing /3M Corp.)

Dr Demento
I Vant Blud

join:2002-01-02
Denville, NJ
·Optimum Online

Re: Wow

said by DHRacer See Profile :

Well, the news media has certainly gone from: "We report the facts." to "We make up the facts in the absence of same because there's nothing else to report.".

Another reason why I take my 8:00 news with a 5 pound block of salt, and don't beleive a word they say.

Then why do you continue to watch. The best way to stop someone is stupid banter if you do not have the power to physically stop is just to not listen to the point of not even re-iterating it to others.

Do you want make the major media outlets smarter so they can come up with more sophisticated ways to lie?

DHRacer
Fire Survivor

join:2000-10-10
Lake Arrowhead, CA
·Verizon west (ex G..
·Charter Pipeline

Re: Wow

I continue to watch because I just want some idea of what's going on in the world. I want to hear about the EVENTS. The "analysis" part of newscasts I just tune out.

Also, I pick my newscasts carefully. For example, I won't watch CNN, Fox, MSNBC and I try to avoid the other big three (CBS, NBC, ABC). Unfortunately, SeeBS just bought the independent channel I was enjoying for news.

I like Google News online, but it doesn't cover much local stuff.

I think the news should be limited to the FACTS and small words, and that sensationalist reporting be outlawed. Not to mention, any news reporter with an opinion ought to keep it to themselves because I'd like to make up my own mind, not listen to theirs.

There is this one channel in L.A. called Channel 5, and the one newscast guy does a good job. He reports the news (FACTS), and then later has a "Commentary" section where he gives his opinion of the news, and they are very clear it's a Commentary because they announce it as such. Too bad its only one station that does this.

--
"No one will believe you solved this problem in one day! We've been working on it for months. Now, go act busy for a few weeks and I'll let you know when it's time to tell them." (R&D Supervisor, Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing /3M Corp.)
Nightwchtr

join:2001-09-10
Falls Church, VA
Agreed I smell lawsuit

MysticGogeta
The Robot Devil
Premium
join:2005-03-14
League City, TX
clubs:
Getting popular Wii for porn DS for picking up kids

hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium
join:2005-06-29
clubs:

edit:
February 8th, @03:54PM

sounds about right.



I guess it was a slow news day for Fox then or someone up there was wanting to get there hands on a Wii still.

edit n/m on one part

Dagda1175

join:2001-06-17
Goleta, CA

Re: sounds about right.

"slow news day for FoxABC" fixed that for ya.

hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium
join:2005-06-29
clubs:

Re: sounds about right.

opps i was talk about the video. thx for fix.

batterup
I Can Not Tell A Lie.
Premium
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ
clubs:

Can we afford to take chances?

Remember 9/11.
kaila

join:2000-10-11
Lincolnshire, IL
clubs:

I'm sure glad we.....

have ISP log retention laws coming. That will surely save us from this menace...... /sarcasm
mr weather
Premium
join:2002-02-27
Mississauga, ON

Breaking news!

Anna Nicole Smith just died.

Now THERE'S a news story for them to jump on.
--
"It's all coming down!!" - Mike Holmes

RadioDoc
Sortofadog
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
Chicago, IL
·AT&T Midwest

Re: Breaking news!

Well, actually, she died yesterday. Pedophiles make much better sweeps "news" stories than dead adults.

Now, if some blond 9 year old beauty pageant contestant should turn up dead...

Seriously, if you're tired of this kind of crap, call the station doing the "reporting" and let 'em have it.
--
Toolmaster of La Grange.
For "Pompous Windbag", see 419381

Mchart
Super Joe

join:2004-01-21
Gurnee, IL
·RoadRunner Cable
·AT&T Yahoo


edit:
February 8th, @05:37PM

Re: Breaking news!

I bet pedophiles killed the 9 year old beauty pageant contestant using a DS from 300' away, 15 years into the future. Remember kids, pedophiles can molest you in any space-time continuum.

Of course, they won't report that thousands of children just died from starvation in Africa, or that another soldier died in Iraq. Them pedophiles are much worse.

DaMaGeINC
The Lan Man
Premium
join:2002-06-08
Greenville, SC
clubs:
Good ridence to a piece of shit. I lost all respect for when she married that 90yr old. Well, Ive never had respect for her. hahaha great news!!

thender
Glamour Profession
Premium
join:2004-05-16
Staten Island, NY

No fun for Thasp

When I was a kid, I had a game boy with the yellowish screen, and a link cable.

The chances of finding someone else who had a game boy on them and the same game as you in 1996 was as high as FUCK SHIT CUNT getting through post watch right now.

Now there are all sorts of games you can play, tons of other kids with a DS, and even pedos around if no kids are. It's more fun today.

Time to be serious, though - this is is a communication medium. If you want to bash the DS, bash cellphones, bash web browsing, bash the internet, bash having your kid socialize in the schoolyard basketball court after school. There comes a point where you have to stop being a sick paranoid freak and let your kid enjoy a fucking video game without yelling TERRORISM AND PEDOPHILES ARE EVERYWHERE AND THEY'RE COMING TO KILL YOUR CHILDREN! You don't realize you sound like Wade in Garfield.

I can't imagine living in a world where parents shield their kids from video games, NOT because it prevents them from getting good grades/going outside, but because of pedos.
--
The Problem With Music.


Our Rationale


Time to rewrite the DMCA.

Mchart
Super Joe

join:2004-01-21
Gurnee, IL

Re: No fun for Thasp

Yeah. I love how the news isn't reporting on how pedophiles could just as easily call up your kid on their cellphone (Yes, sadly for some reason parents are buying their kids cellphones..).

StumpMan
Premium
join:2001-07-26
Clinton, NC

ratings...pure ratings

WON'T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!!

Seriously though, I think more damage often winds up being done when someone goes to lengths to protect children.

Jodokast96
R.I.P Bassman442
Premium
join:2005-11-23
Erial, NJ

Here's a novel idea...

READ THE F***ING MANUAL!!

woody7
Premium
join:2000-10-13
Torrance, CA
·DSL EXTREME

hmmm......

"FUD" always seems to work.......with the "Fudders" and the "Fudees" You would think that the newstypes would do their homework before they do a story. They know that a good % are clueless especially parents, and run with it....If they really had a clue, they would know that this isn't the problem it is made out to be....also if the parents monitored their childrens habits like they should, this would be a non issue...JMT
--
BlooMe

DivineDark

join:2001-08-30
Oklahoma City, OK
clubs:


edit:
February 8th, @05:38PM

oh no

This also makes Bluetooth cell phones a tool of possible pedophiles because they can send them pornographic photos within 100ft. You know younger and younger kids are getting cell phones. We need to stop the cell phone manufacturers because they are promoting the exploitation of children!! /sarcasm

Mchart
Super Joe

join:2004-01-21
Gurnee, IL

Re: oh no

Back in the day the popular news topic for slow news days would have been -

REPORT - How a pedophile can rape or molest your child through the newspaper.

NyQuil Kid
8f The Nyquil Kid

join:2001-01-06
Brick, NJ

Blinding glimpse of the obvious...

Is it being suggested that the mainstream media shapes its reports without resorting to facts? Be still my heart :-p

[8F] The NyQuil Kid

TScheisskopf
World News Trust

join:2005-02-13
Belvidere, NJ
·Sprint Broadband D..

Let's see:

Sweeps? Check. Popular Game Platform? Check. Wireless "Internet"? A two-fer. Child Porn? Pedophiles? You just knew that this was gonna be in there.

Fox News?

I don't think I will belabor the obvious.

Ok, let's everybody get in a circle, hold hands and jump up and down, screaming in our most terrified manner, "CHILD PORN! Child porn! Child porn!".

There. You are now good, receptive and well-educated citizens.

This has been your Two Minutes of Hate. We have always been at war with Child Porn. Or was that drugs?

Middieman
Eschew Obfuscation

join:2001-02-05
Elkins Park, PA

child porn?

Must have been a slow news day. (I saw the actual story on my local ABC station. Knew it was BS. What else is new?)

Usually we have much more interesting things going on. For instance: »abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?secti···=5012770

Yep. Head coach of the Philly Eagles' kids are into drugs and guns with a little road rage mixed in. Oh my.

The station didn't need to manufacture that one. (This week ABC 6 is investigating mattress manufacturers refurbishing used mattresses and selling them as new. Evil! ...and possibly true. Yawn.)

-=[Middie]=-
--
All your base are belong to DSL Reports!

viperpa33s
Why Me?
Premium
join:2002-12-20
Bradenton, FL
·Bright House

Just keeping parent's informed

I seen the video and though they may have gone a little overboard, I think they were just keeping parent's informed. Not that this issue could happen but it may happen. Basically telling parents just to keep an eye out for it. The news story never said to never buy a Nintendo DS because of this.

belawrence
It's All About The Games

join:2000-08-06
Santee, CA
·Cox HSI

this is why

This is why online play on Nintendo's systems is inferior to everything else. Because they're seen as the 'Disney' of videogames they came up with that convoluted 'friend code' system that only allows you to play with people you exchange a ridiculously long multi-digit code with, the exception being a few DS games where you can play with anyone, but there's no chat or any other type of communication between players-just a avatar, if that. And every time one of these FUD stories about little Timmy being sent text messages from from the 'net on his DS from some pedophile just makes Nintendo think that they're doing the right thing, even though what is being reported is about as likely as being struck by lightning.
--
Obviously you're not a golfer - Jeffery "the dude" Lebowski

Chivalry
Premium
join:2005-02-10
Chula Vista, CA
·AT&T DSL Service

We should be scared of words.

Since they're talking about the possibility of the DS's Wi-Fi capability being used by pedophiles to target children, let's disregard the range limitations, the fact that the kid has to add them as a buddy, and so forth for a moment. Yes, I suppose in some imaginative world it could be used by pedophiles to target children.

Hey, I just thought of something else pedophiles could use to communicate to children: Words! Why, if they were in the 300 feet range the DS has on its Wi-Fi, they could use words to communicate evil things to children. We should sew everyone's mouth shut just to be safe.
Forums » The Nintendo DS Pedophile Nightmare


Friday, 21-Nov 20:25:40 Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Hosting by www.nac.net - DSL,Hosting & Co-lo | feedback | contact
over 9 years online! © 1999-2008 dslreports.com.