Re: [WikiEN-l] sent to the NYTimes Magazine

I just sent this to the NYT Magazine Letters to the Editor. I doubt it will be published, but it's a discussion I'd like to have, so here it is: In response to: Virginia Heffernan's *My Wired Youth* <http://www.nytimes.com/glogin?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/magazine/03wwln-medium-t.html&OQ=_rQ3D1Q26refQ3Dmagazine&OP=cc19fd9Q2FQ22dSQ3AQ22rHRCeHHv5Q225Q7CQ7CfQ22Q7C5Q22Q7CJQ22i,_,yQ25tSQ22Q7CJddWtNiSrQ25%29iNvFMviW> in the Sunday, Feb 3rd edition of the magazine. Virginia Heffernan's response to the PBS Documentary "Growing Up Online" immediately made me consider the impact of the community surrounding the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. On Wikipedia, unlike so much of the web, youth are simultaneously welcomed, protected and encouraged to contribute in equal measure with adults. The accounts of predatory adults are blocked indefinitely and without question. The site's founder, Jimmy Wales, has been quoted as saying,"I don't care if they're a high school kid or a Harvard professor; it's the work that matters." In contributing content, the voices of minors are given equal weight with adults, and age discrimination is considered inappropriate. This is exactly the kind of "growing up online" that needs to be recognized as wholly beneficial. It amazes me that whenever the media speaks on child participation in online communities, they neglect one that is 75,000 members strong. - VanTucky