 |
Pros and Cons of Social Networking for Kids
Social networking has hit the Internet in a big way over the last 5 years. The Internet always was a convenient place to meet new people with common interests, but the networking aspect of it has become big business in recent times. Many social networking sites have bloomed in the last few years. Almost everyone online has a public profile on some site. This is especially true for teenagers and pre-teens, as social networking has become a very popular pastime.
Let's see how a few safety measures can make social networking sites safe for your child.
What is Social Networking?
Social networking refers to the interaction of different individuals with a common interest. When different people who share a hobby, passion or even business interests come together, it is referred to as a social network. On the internet, there are many websites that promote such social interactions. Social networking websites allow you to create a profile and post information about yourself. Profiles can be kept private or public and you can choose what information your friends can see and what other site visitors can see.
On these sites, you can find people who have things in common with you. People form groups on such websites and many discussions take place in these groups. You can even add friends to your friends list and regularly interact with them. Adding a person to your friends list gives him or her access to your personal profile, photographs, contact information, etc.
The Advantages of Internet Social Networking For Kids
Joining a social network online is a great way to meet new people, learn about new things and find communities that encourage a hobby or passion. You may learn a vast amount of new things about your passions if you join a community. Talking to people on a common subject can be a lot of fun, as different or opposing viewpoints encourage further discussion.
As for children, there is a lot for them to do on social networking sites. There are many games, puzzles, quizzes and team activities that they could try out. They can add friends and see what they are up to. A lot of intelligent discussion takes place on social networking sites as well. Joining these debate groups can be really advantageous for your child as he gains a different perspective and learns how to approach issues differently.
Many learning tools are available on social networking sites, so that your child constantly learns something each day. For example, a 'History' tool may post one interesting historic fact daily, thus teaching your child something new. An 'art' tool that posts user-submitted art may get your child interested in artistic pursuits.
The Risks of Social Networking for Kids
With all things good come its evils. Even though social networking is a great concept, there are many precautionary measures that you should take to ensure it is a safe experience. Though adults today are quite comfortable with website settings and preferences, children are not as familiar with privacy settings. Therefore, a profile which does not have adequate privacy settings can be easily accessed by any user who logs on to such sites.
Most social networking sites put all user-submitted information on public view by default. This is to promote normal interaction. But this also means that people with malicious intentions can also access the profile. This is harmful as they have direct access to contact information and photographs as well.
Another disadvantage of social networking sites is the fact that there is no verification procedure for people who wish to join the site. Almost the entire Internet allows you to remain anonymous if you choose to. But because of this there is no assurance that the person may actually be who he claims to be online. For example, a man can easily create a profile of a woman and befriend people. Similarly, an older person can pretend to be a child and indulge in immoral activities.
Censorship is another issue which has not been tackled effectively on social networking websites. Explicit language is not censored in groups and discussion boards. It is also possible to post expletives on somebody's profile page. There have even been cases where pornographic pictures were posted on certain photo albums. Often such cases go undetected until somebody reports it. There is also a lot of racist, violent, and sexist material that exists on social networking sites.
Though social networking sites today do offer security and privacy options, activating and operating those options can get a bit complicated. Therefore, it is important that you understand a site's privacy settings completely before you let your child log on.
Safe Social Networking for Children
As children are generally unaware of the repercussions of inadequately protecting their identity online, it becomes your responsibility to ensure that they do not face a difficult situation. It is common knowledge that there are many unscrupulous people online who try to prey on young children on social networking sites. It is also possible that your child may be exposed to explicit content through a site.
Here is a list of things you can do to make sure your child is safe on a social networking website:
1) Visit the site yourself and browse through it. Check for loopholes.
2) Check the site for privacy settings. Make an alternate profile and check how effective those privacy settings are.
3) Enquire with your friends and relatives if they know anything about security issues on those social sites. If they are regular users of the site, they should be able to guide you well.
4) Preferably avoid posting photographs in the photo albums. If you do decide to add photos, ensure that appropriate privacy settings are applied.
5) Join the site yourself and add your child to your friends list. This way you can also keep an eye on your child's activities.
6) Educate your child about social networking and safety. Preferably avoid letting him register on a site if he is not old enough to understand the risks.
7) Installing security software is also a good idea. This way, you can prevent your child from accidentally accessing links that have been classified as adult content.
8) Make sure you and your child discuss online interactions regularly. Keeping an open relationship is always a good idea, as your child will inform you if he plans to meet anybody he met online, or if somebody said something inappropriate to him.
9) Regulate the amount of time your child spends online. It is possible that he may get addicted to social networking and adopt negative traits.
Social networking is a boon but only if enjoyed responsibly. So make sure you make that extra effort to secure your child while he surfs the Internet.
Do you think social networking sites are safe for kids? Would you let your child register on a social networking website? Have you reviewed safety options on these sites? To share your tips views and experiences, click here.
Back to Previous Page
More on Raising Children Index
Email this Article to a Friend
|
|
|
