Regarding Mitnick: not.

[Information Security <guy@panix.com>]

ZDnet just sent out a newsletter promoting a series of stories,
including this one:

#   IS YOUR KID A HACKER? 
#   Is your teen hacking the Pentagon instead of doing homework?
#   How to tell -- and how to handle it. Convicted hacker Kevin 
#   Mitnick gives his views. 
#   
#   http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/zdnu98102501/www.zdnet.com/familypc/content/9810/columns/parental.html

No mention of Mitnick.

They apparently meant to name the article author 'Kevin Poulsen'.

#   It happened to my family 15 years ago, in one of the first hacker raids in the
#   country. At that time, I was the teenage miscreant who was illegally accessing
#   federal computers. Now, in my early thirties, I've begun to wonder how I would
#   protect a kid of my own from becoming a poster child for computer crime. I believe
#   the best approach is to stay informed and to communicate with your potential
#   cyberpunks.

That reminds me. For those who haven't seen it, there is a commercial
showing a little girl (about 8?) walking into an airport, dizzied by
all the destination choices. The narrative turns to ~"and the Internet
too has many destinations, not all of which she is ready for. Travel
together..."

All things considered, better than the Federales approach.
---guy

   When your only tool is a hammer...all brains look like Gallagher's watermelons.