WEBSITE AIMED AT CANADIAN TEENS PULLS NO PUNCHES

More Than A Million Of Its Users Discuss Everything From Sex To Favourite
Drugs

EDMONTON -- It's late Tuesday night and two teenage boys are comparing
bongs in Nexopia's drugs forum.

"Nice collection, man," writes one, referring to a photo of the
colourfully painted glass pipes used to smoke marijuana.

For a website targeting youth, Nexopia is staggeringly
explicit.

Users post photos of vaporizers alongside Ziploc bags of weed;
describe their highs in "trip reports," and nonchalantly discuss the
advantages of one stimulant over another.

"We have far less censorship in terms of allowing members to broadcast
themselves online, but we do have checks and balances like any other
website," says Chris Webster, Nexopia's communications director. "Less
censorship is definitely the mandate here."

That mandate is part of the reason why Edmonton-based Nexopia is one
of the Internet's most popular destinations for Canadian teens. Since
it was launched in 2003, the community has grown to more than 1.2
million users, 75 per cent of whom are between the ages of 13 and 19.

Similar to fellow social-networking websites Facebook and MySpace,
Nexopia is an online community where users chat, share photos and
write about their interests. But while its more structured competitors
tend to attract adults, Nexopia allows anything within legal limits,
spotlighting angst-fuelled essays and forums centred on relationships,
drugs, and sexual orientation.

By contrast, religion and politics is about as racy as the MySpace
forums get.

"Anyone can say whatever they want," says longtime member Robert
Mulder, who joined Nexopia six years ago. He was 11 at the time, and
used the site to chat with friends.

"There's obviously going to be some false information out there, but I
definitely think it's a good outlet for teens and [a place to] talk to
- -- hopefully -- people their own age.

"Everyone used it so there was always somebody to talk to," says
Mulder, now 17 and a high school senior. "I used to probably check it
at least twice a day."

Nexopia's forums are a reliable source of information, he says. Mulder
has visited the drug forum before, and says moderators post factual,
"unbiased information" about suggested dosages and what to expect from
certain narcotics.

That worries Edmonton psychologist Dr. Joan Neehall.

"It's good that the children have a site to interact with each other
and discuss all of their insecurities. ... What I'm more concerned
about as a psychologist is that they pool their information together
- -- 'Yeah, this is great. This is really good stuff.'"

They should question everything they see online, Neehall says. "I'm
very concerned ... that their values get skewed because they haven't
double-checked or just processed [what they read] with someone that
they respect."

That's why adults also need to be aware of what's happening online,
she adds.

But part of the reason Nexopia is so attractive to youth is that
adults aren't surfing the site, Webster says.

"Nexopia is a place that your mom and dad and your teacher aren't
going to have profiles and they're not going to try to 'friend' you on
a daily basis. It's a place by teens, for teens.

"Does it surprise me that [the drug] forum exists? No, it doesn't.
Anything that exists outside the realm of the Internet and exists as
hot topics in the community, they will find their way online and into
the lives of anyone online," Webster says.

"There are certain forums that are created that we have to keep tabs
on more than others. Nothing is allowed that wouldn't be allowed on
the street."

Nexopia members recognized as "positive, highly active and visible"
are asked to act as one of thousands of volunteer moderators who,
along with Nexopia's 10 staff members, are responsible for enforcing
rules. Censorship is rare, but they do delete offensive posts and bar
users who exhibit bigotry, racism and sexual abuse.

"It's like recess," Webster says. "There's very limited moderating
going on, but many of the kids are able to moderate
themselves."

Webster says Nexopia has hardly ever encountered "serious issues" that
stem from the forums, but the company does keep in close contact with
police and counselling services.

"If someone is telling a story about trying a drug or posting a
picture of themselves with drugs, then we will reach out to them,"
Webster says. Moderators may report suspicious posts to police, for
example, or refer troubled members to the Kids Help Phone.

"But you have to remember," Webster adds, "that there's often
storytelling going on as well. It's very difficult for us to know if
that person is telling the truth or if they're looking for attention."

Although he's always felt safe on Nexopia, Mulder warns that every
website has its risks.

"It's user-beware and I think honestly, true information is much more
helpful than trying to deter people -- 'Don't talk about that' and
'don't find out about that' -- because when they do [discover it],
that's when they get into trouble because they don't know anything
about it.

"If you want to find out about drugs, you're going to find out about
drugs. You're going to go on the Internet and ask your friends. Kids
are going to do whatever they want, and Nexopia isn't putting anything
out there that people aren't already talking about."