When the parents think about their children's safety, the last thing he or she thinks about is the dangers that may be lurking on Internet social network sites. Today's children can navigate social network sites such as, FaceBook and My Space with much more ease than most adults. I know of at least three times just this week alone that I had to ask my twelve year old son how to work the privacy setting on my FaceBook account.
According to ten parents that I surveyed this week, most children spend an abundant amount of hours each week on these social network sites, talking to others that he or she believe are the same age and have similar interest such as, going to the same school or various other places around town. The truth is, most times the child is talking to who their supposed to be, however, there are cases where children may be talking to strangers, and the child may feel safe and willing to answer any questions they may be asked, no matter how personal the question may be. For example, Tina, one of the parents I surveyed, twelve year old daughter was instant messaging (IM) on FaceBook, who she believed to be her friend, and later found out it was his mother trying to get information about her son.
This is one situation that workout safely in the end, but it could have had a very different ending if she would have been talking to a pedophile, kidnapper or murder. Parents are almost always aware of where their children go, and with whom, when he or she leaves home. As parents we should also take the same approach with our children when he or she are on any Internet social network sites.
According to ten parents that I surveyed this week, most children spend an abundant amount of hours each week on these social network sites, talking to others that he or she believe are the same age and have similar interest such as, going to the same school or various other places around town. The truth is, most times the child is talking to who their supposed to be, however, there are cases where children may be talking to strangers, and the child may feel safe and willing to answer any questions they may be asked, no matter how personal the question may be. For example, Tina, one of the parents I surveyed, twelve year old daughter was instant messaging (IM) on FaceBook, who she believed to be her friend, and later found out it was his mother trying to get information about her son.
This is one situation that workout safely in the end, but it could have had a very different ending if she would have been talking to a pedophile, kidnapper or murder. Parents are almost always aware of where their children go, and with whom, when he or she leaves home. As parents we should also take the same approach with our children when he or she are on any Internet social network sites.
Sources
B, Doug. Personal Interview. 26 October 2010.
C, john. Personal Interview. 30 October 2010.
C, Virginia. Personal Interview. 30 October 2010.
E, Debbie. Personal Interview. 28 October 2010.
E, Phyllis. Personal Interview. 30 October 2010.
H, Amy. Personal Interview. 28 October 2010.
L, Tina. Personal Interview. 26 October 2010.
P, Jennifer. Personal Interview. 28 October 2010.
P, Jimmy. Personal Interview. 28 October 2010.
Picture Source
Balaraman, Arvind. School Kid. Web. 31 October 2010. http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Children_g112-School_Kid_p12098.html
