To print: Click here or Select File and then Print from your browser's menu

This story was printed from silicon.com, located at http://www.silicon.com/

Story URL: http://management.silicon.com/government/0,39024677,39117878,00.htm

Best of Reader Comments: Nationwide's offshoring snub and internet blame game
Readers react to two controversial stories from the past week...

By silicon.com

Published: Tuesday 20 January 2004

A number of stories from the past week have caused an influx of emails and reader comments. Here we bring you a selection of the best, the most thought-provoking and the most contentious.

First up is the story about the Nationwide building society shunning the trend to offshore call centre operations to India in favour of protecting UK jobs.

The issue of offshoring is one which always courts controversy, from outspoken opponents of the practice to those who argue about the sound business case that underpins the almost 'inevitable globalisation' of all industries.

Most silicon.com readers appear to be right behind the Nationwide though. Many will even let it govern who they bank with.

"I applaud Nationwide's decision, and will be looking at Nationwide products to transfer to, following Lloyds TSB's decision to outsource to India," wrote Steve Cheek from Cambridge.

Other readers echoed intentions to make the same or similar switches, while Mike Barrett from Essex added: "At last a company not just interested in the short-term bottom line, but in the continuance and expansion of the service industry in the UK."

Another controversial subject, which brought feedback flooding in, was the accusation that the internet has caused a 1,500 per cent increase in child-porn related offences and a subsequent rise in actual instances of abuse. This was a subject silicon.com was quick to address, heaping criticism on the survey and its findings. We also suggested that parents, schools and other organisations should be shouldering the blame that has so wrongly been levelled at the 'internet'.

A number of readers also took a similar stance to our own, many of them parents who agreed that the internet is being used as a scapegoat.

One reader wrote: "As a parent of two teenage girls, I agree entirely that it is my responsibility to ensure that they are 'safe' on the internet. As a family, we talk about the dangers of chatrooms, in the same way we would discuss why a film/television programme may or may not be suitable for them to view. Presumably the parents who blame 'the internet' are also those who blame the teachers if their children have learning or behavioural problems. They are our children - it is up to us to guide them to become adults."

Another reader, Brian Burkhill from Stevenage, added: "They are our children, we are responsible for them and their upbringing. Too many lazy parents are too quick to blame technology for porn... Basically, anyone but themselves."

Another reader wrote: "People will always blame things they don't understand - witches from the medieval age, etc. The internet is no different - thanks for this piece! I agree it may be a good thing that the numbers [of offenders charged with child porn related offences] are up - it probably demonstrates improvements in detection and prosecution rates."

You can read far more feedback to these stories in the Reader Comments section at the bottom of the articles.

Keep your comments coming in on all subjects and make sure you have your say.