Perhaps more dangerous and pertinent than SMS and voice-calls on cell phones is the world-wide communication provided to children by the internet. On popular sites like Facebook and Twitter, children of all ages are able to communicate with school friends and any other person registered to the websites. Because of the long-term and extreme impact these interactions have, it is extremely important that guardians protect their children on these sites.
The presence of these social sites is extremely large in children's lives and promises to only increase. It was recently announced that "Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is willing to alter the site's regulations to permit children under 13 to join, he said recently" (Roge). This decision will open the door for children who were incapable morally or skillfully from joining the site before. With the surge in child membership, social interactions will continue to transition to the cyber world for our kids. And, for "minors who lack the experience or judgment to use a social network, this raises the scary potential of sexual predators tracking down kids who reveal their age in an online chat, cyberbullying and more" (Roge).
Parents are much better off teaching their kids how to use these sites rather than trying to prevent them from using it. Hoping that the fad dissipates isn't a wise strategy because "Facebook and social networks aren't going away anytime soon, and the better parents understand this, the more they'll be able to help their kids comprehend the medium" (Barseghian). Kids should learn how to deal with bullying and public insults to avoid extreme acts (suicides are becoming more typical for minors using social websites, as reported by Barseghian) and depression. Students should learn how the average person makes use of this site, and also learn to balance their cyber world with the real world.
For ambitious families, the most important thing we can teach our kids is the long-term impact of their cyber interactions. At a young age (seemingly well beyond that!), posts can be instinctual and impetuous, but these posts will last as long as plastics in the Pacific Ocean. Although they are not mature enough to represent themselves strategically to the public, children need to learn "that their digital footprint is born from the moment they start posting on each other's walls and create their first online avatar. They'll have to figure out that every YouTube video they upload will be a reflection of themselves as the public sees them. With guidance from parents and educators, they can figure out what the world knows about them" (Barseghian). Hopefully, this message will make kids think twice about who they interact with and what they say.
When all else fails, hire a spy on your children. Whether it's a family member, friend, friend of a friend, or yourself, someone should monitor the child's page from time to time to ensure nothing bizarre is taking place. But, don't jump on small things! Doing so will have the child creatively hide what they are doing, which doesn't help. Address minor issues in calculated conversations that should occur anyway. Don't wait until issues flare to talk to your child. Consistently show interest in the lives and make sure no one is monitoring them more than you.
Always,
Dwight
Barseghian, Tina, "Children and Facebook: the promise and pitfalls for social media" (5.20.2011),
http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2011/05/children-and-facebook-the-promise-and-pitfalls-for-social-media140.htmlRoge, Thierry, Foxnews.com, "Facebook founder welcomes kids under 13 on site" (5.23.2011),
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/05/23/facebook-founder-welcomes-kids-13-site/#ixzz1NDnVbink
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