I was researching social networking for this weeks post and come upon this article about age restrictions for social media sites.
Now knowing that kids can have a social media account at who knows what age makes it kind of scary. The Internet is a great device, but it is also filled with horrible websites and awful people. I found several articles discussing cyber-bullying, which is harassment and directly attacking the person online. One in five kids are bullied while online and teen suicide can be a direct result of the bullying.
My advice is to keep our younger brothers and sisters safe from dangerous sites online. Be attentive of the social media they are involved in and what is being said on these sites. Social media sites such as Facebook and Myspace are not always bad for kids, but they need to be using it properly. Keep privacy settings updated, be their “friend” and know their passwords are little pieces of advice these websites were giving to keep parents and older siblings up to date.
Lastly, I saw a TV show the other day about a 14 or 15-year-old girl who killed herself because a “boy” she liked started bullying her on Myspace. Come to find out the “boy” was a grown women whose daughter was being bullied by the young girl who killed herself. The women made herself seem like a “cute boy” so she could get back at the girl for being mean to her daughter. After seeing this show I was in complete shock. I could not believe a grown woman would do such a thing. This example gives even more reason for parents to be aware of their child’s use of social media.
I agree when you said, "The Internet is a great device, but it is also filled with horrible websites and awful people." The truth is there are creepy people out there that will target these children. I work at an after school program where I watch kids with ages ranging from 5-12. There have been 7 year olds asking me for my full name so they can add me on Facebook. Hello? 7 YEARS OLD! Remembering that you have to be 13 to have either a Myspace or Facebook, obviously kids are lying about their ages in order to get into social media. I wonder if parents know that these kids have these sites? If so, do they monitor them? Just 4 years ago when I was a senior in high school I remember when Facebook was only for college students. In just a short 4 years, 2nd and 3rd graders are getting Facebooks it's just insane. I believe that social media will continue to reach these younger children.
ReplyDeleteI followed that story about the mom who posed as the girl's friend! It was awful. I honestly think even 13 is too young to be using social media sites. What do you need them for at that age? I babysit a little girl who is in first grade and she has a Facebook. What on earth could she need it for? If parents are going to allow their kids to have access to these sites, they should have the family computer in a central location in the home like the kitchen for family room where parents can keep an eye on their online activity. I just think there is more harm than good if younger children are using Facebook, Twitter, etc. It's better to be safe than sorry.
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