TV shrink Tanya Byron blamed over-protective parents for keeping “bubble wrap” kids away from real social interaction and tethered to technology such as the internet, we reported yesterday.

The government is hiring Byron to tout a “Live Consultation”, soliciting views on how the internet might affect children. That’s your taxes at work, Part One.

How odd then that the BBC, while making deep cuts in real current affairs coverage, is investing heavily in “virtual worlds”. That’s your taxes at work, Part Two.

Yesterday one of the Beeb’s champions of Sadville hit back.

“The social footprint of kids is diminishing year on year,” said Marc Goodchild [real name]. “They are allowed less distance from the front gate all the time.” The Duke of Sadville, the BBC reports, defended virtual worlds by saying that they allowed children to play with their existing friends, “and have some of those shared experiences they would otherwise miss”.

Experiences such as… being attacked by a squadron of flying penises.

That’s great news for pervs everywhere, who’ll no doubt be renewing their TV licenses with renewed enthusiasm, while looking forward to seeking out children in their (now) virtual allergy isolation wards.

But we merely note the observation that at the BBC today, as if you hadn’t already noticed, that the answer to every question is “Technology!!!“. Now what are the odds of some bright spark in the Cabinet Office engaging in some “joined-up” thinking – and actually noticing the contradiction?