Social networking sites like Facebook keep growing in popularity,
especially among teens. But they can also be used for online bullying.
Here are 10 tips to get parents up to speed and help them be aware of
their teen's social networking activity.
Social networking sites provide tools for adults and kids to connect and communicate. They allow you to create a profile, chat with friends, post photos, and share with the world what you had for breakfast and your philosophies on life.
These sites give kids a way to connect with people they know, but they also allow easy access from people they don’t know. Strangers can use a student’s profile to figure out where she goes to school, where she lives, what activities she participates in, and other personal information. Predators can use fake identities to give children a false sense of security and lure them into a meeting in person.
Yet networking sites, if used responsibly, can provide an outlet for kids to do what comes naturally to them: socialize. They serve as a creative outlet and can even improve written communication skills, says Ross Ellis, founder and CEO of Love Our Children USA, an organization to prevent child violence. Such sites also make it possible for kids to reconnect with friends they met at summer camp or classmates who have moved away.
Parents may be tempted to forbid their children to go near social networking sites—but doing so may prompt curious kids to explore them unassisted and unsupervised. Instead, help your child safely navigate the world of online social networking.
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Talk to your child about Facebook, Tumblr, Foursquare and other
sites. Don’t wait for your child to bring it up; he probably already
knows about them.
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Get savvy. Many parents have heard of Facebook, but they have no idea
what it is. Go online and set up profiles on Facebook, Tumblr, and
Foursquare, just to name a few. Learn how the different sites operate.
Familiarize yourself with the language and culture on each site. Try the
Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe). In an effort to combat online- or cyber-bullying, the CEO of iKeepSafe recently participated in the second annual Federal Partners in Bullying Summit in Washington DC., hosted by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
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Check the rules for each site. If your child wants to set up a
profile and is old enough under the site’s rules, help her establish a
page without revealing personal information.
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Sites allow users to post a photo or personalized graphic (known as
an avatar). Encourage your child to find an avatar that he feels
reflects his personality, rather than a photograph. If he really wants
to use a photo, choose one taken at a distance and make sure he’s not
wearing a team jersey or anything else that could reveal his location.
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Some sites allow users to set privacy settings, allowing access only
to select friends or those with a password. Such password-protected
features may allow your child to post photos that only her friends can
view.
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Warn your child of the real dangers of ignoring safety precautions on
Facebook and other sites—for example, someone finding out which school
they go to or posting information about them in other places, such as
pornography sites. “Parents shouldn’t be afraid to broach the subject,”
Ellis says. “Children need to learn the consequences of their actions.
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As further motivation for keeping children from posting photos on
public sites, let them know that others may be able to download the
photo, doctor it, and repost it elsewhere.
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Users build an online profile on Facebook and other sites by inviting
others via email to be their “friend.” Instruct your child to always
ask classmates in person whether they sent a friend invitation. It’s not
hard for a stranger to pose as a friend to gain access.
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Just like video games or television, social networking sites can be a
drain on a child’s free time and a serious distraction. Limit the time
your child spends on the computer, and only allow recreational use after
homework is done.
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Embrace the benefits of social networking technology. Set up your own
profile and see how many classmates, coworkers, and friends you can
find. Show your child the correct way to use online networking tools.
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