Nowadays, more than 90% of teenagers are online using social networks to update their profiles, upload videos, and share new pictures and so forth. This is something unavoidable. The majority of them, not to say all of them, have a computer at home. Youths use these social networks in order to communicate with their friends and be updated about what is going on in their lives even if they have not seen each other for a long time.
However, as everything, it also has its down side. When they put their information online, they are letting people in their lives. Sometimes, it might be dangerous since it is hard to control who can see your information and who cannot. This is something alarming for parents. It is almost impossible for them to control what their children do online; their children know more about this subject than their parents.
What do you think are some ways parents can get more involved in this whole new world in order to help their children to be more aware of the risks of social networking?
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I definitely agree that there are risks involved with social networking sites and kids and teens spending so much time online and posting so much of their information. I think that there are different ways that parents can get involved and I think that each kid and each circumstance is different. My 13 year old niece wants a Facebook page (I’m not even sure if 13 year olds are technically allowed on Facebook) but my sister keeps telling her no. My niece is very upset about this because apparently she is the only person out of all of her friends who doesn’t have a Facebook page, and I believe she is telling the truth. If my sister ever does allow her to have a Facebook page, I think that one way she could get involved is to have my niece’s password since she is so young (I don’t think it would be ok for a parent to have a kid’s password it they were 18 but 13 is still very young), or to set up her own Facebook page and friend request my niece so that she can closely monitor her activity. One good way that my sister is monitoring my niece’s online activity right now is that the computer is in the family room and everything my niece is doing online can easily be seen by my sister and brother-in -law.
ReplyDeleteI really think that parents should talk to their kids and make sure that their kids are fully aware of the risks associated with social network sites and having such a large amount of information online.
I agree with you and I think for one thing, parents should be on these social networking sites as well as having access to their childrens profiles. I know my cousins parents do that, and as annoyed as he seems to be from it, they are very respectful, but they do check up on who he is friends with, just to make sure that he isn't forming online relationships with, or being approached by strangers.
ReplyDeleteAnother, simpler approach would be to simply speak to your children and be very strightforard about your fears and concerns. A child will not understand why a parent is being over protective if the parent does not explain why he or she is doing what they are doing. Children are smarter than we give them credit for and if we bring them proof, or actual examples, then we may be suprised at their rections. No one acutally wants to endnger themselves.