Social networking platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, have changed the way we interact, source news, conduct business and express ourselves. People across the world and of all ages are using these platforms on a daily basis, and having access to your Facebook or Twitter account on your phone is, if anything, as trendy as it is convenient.
Kids are starting to find their way around social networking platforms younger and younger these days...
There are now hundreds of major social networks in existence, some with hundreds of millions of users. On average, more than 250-million photos are uploaded to Facebook each day. At the end of 2011, Twitter recorded an average of around 230-million tweets sent out on a daily basis, while photo sharing website Flickr currently hosts in excess of 6-billion images. E-encyclopedia Wikipedia boasts over 26-million articles, and new blogs are born every day. If your children are using social networking platforms, it’s only natural to worry about what they are being exposed to.
From inappropriate images and language, to the risk of strangers attempting to make contact, the world of social media can seem like a dangerous minefield for any parent. So how does one navigate such a tricky landscape? It’s clear that social media isn’t a fad but a phenomenon that’s here to stay, and cutting your children off from it won’t do them any favours.
Rather than ban, educate and become educated. Getting to grips with what the web is able to accomplish, if used for good, has become an important part of growing up. However, that doesn’t mean you should remain completely in the dark when it comes to regulating and keeping an eye on your children’s various online activities.
Here are a few tips to help you gain some peace of mind:
Get involved. The best way to better understand the social networking world is to join it yourself. Learn more about your children’s favourite social networking pastimes, keep an eye on the information they share and do your research on the latest trends and updates. Read and understand the privacy policies of the websites your children are visiting.
Set boundaries. Make it very clear that befriending strangers online is out of bounds (for younger kids especially, in some instances, such as on Twitter, this may be ok for older kids), and that agreeing to meet up with someone who comes across as a friend online, but isn’t really one in real life, is extremely dangerous. Set rules in place about the types of social networking websites your children are allowed to join, and the ways in which they are allowed to use them (some websites encourage users to spend money, or provide personal information, which you should be wary of).
Have access. Have access to younger children’s log-in details, and check in on their accounts.
Limit time spent online. Homework is very rarely as pleasant as flicking through a friend’s photos or spending hours thinking up a witty new Facebook status. Set some rules in place to make sure your children aren’t spending too much time online.
Talk about it. Initiate open discussions around issues such as what is and isn’t appropriate sharing material, the effect words can have on others, why sexually explicit content is problematic and the dangers of cyber-bullying. This will help your children to better engage with what they are being confronted with online.
Ask your children who they are corresponding with, and what kind of information they are making available. Remind them that information they make available online can’t be “taken back” and that they need to be very careful about what they share. Explain that certain information, such as a phone number or home address, is private.
Are you struggling to find your way around the world of social networking? Why not sign up for a Flow School course? Click here for more information, and to register for our next session which is set to take place on Tuesday, February 7.
Sources
Facebook
Time Techland
Softpedia
Wikipedia