The internet has a ‘dark side’ that requires care

Readers discuss how to cope with the internet's dark side. Other topics: animal welfare, school fees, Opec role and airline comfort.

Readers discuss the issue of people who dump unwanted pets on the streets. Silvia Razgova / The National

Your news story, Dubai mother whose daughter fell for online predator warns against unattended internet use (February 15), shows the need for parents to be aware of the risks.

My children often get random people sending them friend requests on Skype. The internet is wonderful but it also has a dark side and we need to educate our children about the risks.

Zoe Shephard, Oman

There is a myth that computers make children more isolated and antisocial. Computers don’t do that – we adults do, by giving children access to the internet alone in their rooms with these devices.

This is asking for trouble. I recommend only allowing your children to access the internet on a computer sited in the living room, with a big, high-definition monitor that everyone can see.

Trying to put up a firewall to prevent access to some websites is counterproductive. A child confronted with a firewall will desperately want to know what is behind it.

Similarly, children should not be given tiny tablet computers or smartphones. If you get rid of the privacy, you have done a lot to get rid of the danger.

Name withheld by request

Accountability for pet dumpers

With regard to your editorial suggesting pet owners be held accountable if they abandon their pets (Animal welfare must be ensured, February 15), this problem is not solely an issue of expatriates not taking their animals with them when they leave the UAE.

It is also caused by those people who buy puppies for their children and once they are no longer as cute and cuddly or they have started nipping, they are thrown out.

Wendy Dickson, Al Ain

While expatriates often get blamed for abandoning their pets when they leave, it doesn’t take much research to realise that an awful lot of expatriates are also behind the animal charities on Facebook. They give their time freely, collecting abandoned dogs and cats off the streets of the UAE.

They provide a free and often unacknowledged service.

I take my hat off to those volunteers who do this unpaid heartbreaking work, year in year out, and I also say shame on all those who dump pets.

Ali McDonald, Abu Dhabi

I think every pet should be registered or licensed and electronically tagged, stating who owns it. Then when it’s dumped, the tag will identify the owner so they can be held accountable.

If the owners have already left the country then they’ll get nabbed the next time they pass through the UAE.

Rob Firkins, Abu Dhabi

School fees are causing pain

In relation to your article, Dubai private schools to increase fees by at least 3.2 per cent (January 14), the high cost of education and the lack of quality you get for that money has to be the number one reason why expatriates with children choose to leave the UAE.

Name withheld by request

Don’t put all the blame on Opec

When it comes to oil prices, I think we need to stop thinking of Opec as a cartel (UAE Minister of Energy expects oil market supply to 'stabilise' as Brent surges 11 per cent, February 14).

The dynamics of the oil and gas industry have changed over the past few years with the unprecedented output by non-Opec countries like the United States and Russia.

Opec has claimed – and rightly so – that it does not set the price. The market does that, based on fundamentals of supply and demand. At the moment, it is very difficult to forecast where oil prices will go and there appears to be more speculative market sentiment, which is influencing the price.

The issue now is the growing inventories and how long before it’s consumed, given a slowdown in growth in China, India and OECD countries.

US production has begun to fall and I predict it will take at least six to eight months before the market reacts, sending prices up to $50. However there is still money to be made by investing in discounted assets.

Randall Mohammed, Dubai

‘Sardine’ airlines are the problem

Your editorial (Neighbours up high, February 15) asks how passengers should act to make flying more pleasant.

This is the wrong question. It should ask what the airline should do because it’s their fault we are packed in like sardines.

Name withheld by request