Pink Poogle Toy Forum

Though I am sure that it is very, very hush hush, I do remember hearing about a predator on Neopets. A few years ago. An older man got close to a young boy and convinced him to meet him at a park--or something like that. The details are a bit hazy. I can't remember the whole story, but I don't think the kid and the guy ever met. Kids are impressionable. And it is very easy for them to lie about their age in order to get the adult privileges on Neopets. Sure, it is extremely important for parents to watch over and guide their kids. But, in some dysfunctional households, my guess is that the parents fall down on the job. I just think it would be so much easier for a "bad" person to press a kid if they knew exactly when the kid was online. And sure it might be a rare occurrence, but if there is even a possibility of it happening, Neopets should be on top of it--and ensuring that it can't happen on their site.

I don't really have a huge problem with the module, but I would love to have an invisible option. I always have 400 tabs open to different things, so it's kind of misleading when it says I've been on neo for 4 hours and I've really been studying or forum-ing or whatever.

Not to mention the module itself seems to have issues: I use Firefox for my main account and IE for my side. I brought up IE an hour ago to drop my Hissi off for free training and then closed out IE. My main account's module says the account's still signed on, and has been for that whole hour.

Metal, I had a friend ribbing me a few days ago. Supposedly I had been online for 21 hours. He wanted to know if I ever slept. I swear I logged off much earlier, but I don't close Firefox and keep all of the tabs intact-- for the next day. So much easier than having to figure them all out again (most of them are my competitors' shops ) So, who knows what happened there? All I know that is that my friends are getting the idea that I am playing all of the time. lol. I do play alot. But a girl has to sleep sometime.

I ended up deleting all of my neofriends. Most of them were random requests, or people I helped out a few times, but I really dont care to be watched.

I admit, sometimes I sign out of MSN claiming to be busy or tired, and then just go play Meerca Chase or something. I dont want my MSN friends to get on Neopets and see me there! I just want some undistracted time on the site. I use the 'Appear Offline' feature on MSN, I used stealth when I had Premium, I stay hidden on Gaia, and so on.

Im also an internet junkie. The other day, I signed into my side account on a different browser, and saw my main account in the module with 9hr | 45mins under it. Nobody but me needs to know that stuff! It does tend to show misleading times too. Just because I left my Neopets tab open doesnt mean Im actively doing something on the site.

Cerise, I agree. I lead a guild. And so everyone in the guild is my neofriend. But there are times when I just don't want to talk--to anyone. Believe it or not, but I get like that at times. I have a lot of nasty crud happening in my real life right now. Stuff that I really don't want to divulge to every person asking how I am doing today. When I am up and happy, I love to talk. But when I am down, I don't want to talk to anyone. Maybe one or two extremely close friends who understand me so very well. But during those times, I don't want bright, happy people from my guild poking at me asking me what's wrong or why haven't I posted on the guild board. And honest, I love my guild. I love my guild members. But there are those times in life when I just don't want to share. As Greta Garbo once said: "I VANT TO BE ALONE." And unfortunately, we aren't given that option anymore with Neopets--unless we pay for it.

YAY for stealth being back. I kept thinking...why bother pay for premium when I can't even use a basic feature?

Hmm, I didn't realize how broadly others might define 'Neofriend'. Seems to me that like a good middle ground would probably be to let only your "VIP" Neofriends see you online? Would that work better? (If it would, maybe we should all poke TNT with that suggestion. :p )

I agree. Limiting it to VIP would be great. I wouldn't mind a few of my close friends seeing when I was online. But not everyone I have neofriended.

I'm so glad stealth mode is back! I was getting tired of being hit with neomails every time I tried to do something on neopets. It was just sort of aggravating because I feel like I SHOULD reply, even though I really don't feel like it, or don't have the time. Stealth is much easier.

Actually, IIRC there was a reasonably well publicized incident where an American guy stalked a 12-year-old British girl he found on Neopets and then ended up taking her off to France to do things that are illegal to do with a 12-year-old, if you get my drift.

You'd think Neo would be more concerned about these things.

While I have lots of friends on Neo via forums, I've realized none of them are actually Neofriended. If this Neofriends module doesn't go away I may go ahead and de-Neofriend everyone else.

My only comment to the neo stalkers as you all are talking about is this:

You are telling about things that happened in the past. If it can already happen. Which it WOULDN'T if the neo rules where followed where you are not to give out personal info like aim names and such anyhow. I don't see how this feature would help or hinder a 'bad' person.

I think it's a feature that has been needing to come around for quite some time. I LOVE seeing when my neofriends are online. Now mind you I only have a few neofriends and most of those are people I met on other sites and we found out we both play on neo, so it's fun for me to see them. Now if I was a person who added any random person/most people who messaged me i might be a little more upset. And I do think it would be much nicer for those people if it was made so only VIP's could see you (as I mentioned way back somewhere) and if we could change our status if not to 'invisible' to 'busy' or something at least, would be nice.

I don't really mind it, nobody comes on and bothers me.

I don't know, all of this talk of stalkers and such seems rather extreme. When I'm going through crappy periods I'm worried more about my real life friends and my co-workers and the effect they can have, or the effect I can have on them or our relationships.

As for kids, particularly high/middle schoolers.... Well, if you went to my high school the last thing you need to worry about is someone harassing them online. Sure, internet predators are a worry, but messenger programs are much more effective for doing that creepy stuff. Outside of that, the NF module doesn't really make it any easy for them to paint their target, so to speak, and them home in on it.

This argument falls into the "lets invade Iraq" category. Instead of focusing on the real issue you're blaming it what the issue leads to, or completely ignoring the real issue by shifting focus to something else.

If the parents dropped the ball, don't blame what happens afterwards, blame it on the parents for dropping the ball. The problem will never get better until you stop looking at everything else and start dealing with the root cause.

If your kid can't be online without catching the focus of a predator, whether it's their fault or not, then don't let them online. Or better yet, monitor it, not with some crappy program, be in the same room as them. Make them turn off MSN, take a peek at their browser every once in awhile. There's the solution.

Ew, I got really off-topic.

I, for one, kind of liked it, and am sad now people are getting their privacy back, hehe. I've been neomailing a few of my old friends. It's been refreshing and nice to get back into contact after however many months. Maybe it annoys them... but I'm always happy to be chatty. It's not like it's primarily myself making contact, I do receive neomails, too, on occasion.

Pure and simple - it is an invasion of privacy! I don't see the benefit of it. What possible benefit could there be?

If you don't have premium, your lookup still lets people know if you have been on that day or not. Why take it further and let Neofriends know the exact time and for how long you are online?

I agree with Morningstar. I also have 'quiet' times and those closest to me in the guild know I go through my quiet times, so they don't bug me about it. But when that sidebar says you are online for 6, 8, 12 hours, then all the nmails and such start up. I also leave my computer on all day, even if I am not online. It gives a false impression, which isn't doing anyone any good.

nates1984 - I don't even know where to begin - I feel your whole statement is demeaning and to compare it to "lets invade Iraq", is simply a lack of understanding of the issue.

I am a parent and I worry about ALL the things that could harm my children. It is neither over critical or extreme to want our children as safe as possible, but not all parents are as careful. I know I can't blame Neo but we should be able to have an 'invisible' mode so we can control that aspect of it.

But leaving all that aside - we don't need a 'big brother' style arrangement while we are online playing games. I for one come on Neo to get away from the real world for a while. Yes, I do have N'Fs, but they are all in my guild and it is a matter of only allowing NF's to contact or send items. This keeps away those I don't want to contact me. After all, it is my choice who I choose to interact with - not Neo's.