Indigo, of the comic-book fanfic community:

Many of the younger writers in the community remind the older members of the community of their own uncomfortable or awkward youths. On top of that, we are a close-knit group -- and we will close ranks around any young member who seems to be threatened by the seedy element of the internet. But the fact remains that a chat room is not the only place online a person can be subjected to materials parents should be worried about. There is spam mail, and the web -- and then there's the natural curiosity of kids who are still developing their intellects and interests. It is important to try to communicate with your child/spouse/whomever, and understand *why* they feel this is an important outlet or hobby for them.

Positive reinforcement is another approach to be considered. Perhaps rather than "get off the net! it's no good!" you would consider incentive. "Do all your homework by 9:00 pm and you get an extra hour on weekend nights," or something similar. "Get your grades up, and you get another 30 minutes on one night during the week."

There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to discipline a child -- it shows love and allows the child to know limits. But the fact is -- the internet honestly and truly *cannot* harm anyone in the real world without them supplying the information to make that so. Until and unless internet people exchange phone numbers or addresses, all they are -- in the literal sense -- is words on the screen. No more harmful than reading the newspaper.

A final note: Any concerned parent is always welcome to stop by in the #subcafe chatroom [IRC, Dalnet]. There are a great many people willing to allay fears and do a "question and answer" session for anyone who would like to know more or have their concerns addressed. This offer, in some cases, extends to telephone conversations and to real-life meetings wherever possible.

Addendum:

This year, at the second annual DexCon (the fanfic convention on the East Coast), one of our younger fanfic writers, Tapestry, came -- and was accompanied by her mother. Her mother got a chance to meet and greet over 25 fanficcers and their families, and to speak with them in person on a one-to-one level. She feels much more confident about her daughter spending time online now, and is far more willing to permit Tapestry to spend time online, provided she keeps her grades up and attends to her responsibilities.