MySpace - Friendster - Facebook

[KatieBee]

What do you all think of these social networking sites? Seems like they are *everywhere* lately - they're all teens talk about!

I actually know some older people on them that really enjoy the sites, so they clearly provide a new means by which people can stay connected - but there are some obvious dangers that I'm sure we've all heard about. Teens posting inappropriate pictures, some even getting harassed by sexual predators looking to chat or meet up. Very scary stuff.

Do your students use these sites? Do you talk to them about being safe online, and on these sites especially? At the very least I think schools should make mention of sites like Cybertipline.com so they can report anything fishy, or anyONE fishy...

[Unregistered]

These sorts of sites are very popular. I can see why kids like the communications, but the sites are so untrustworthy and unpredictable. They can lead to addictions (of the Internet) and persuasion to inappropriateness. I, as a parent, am concerned and my middle school age children are restricted from those sites.

[KatieBee]

I agree - it's hard to figure out where the happy medium is in letting kids use advancing technology and what's too much. Here's an interesting article on monitoring your kids online:
http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2006/03/20/news/casper/047d7278fd0b4c4687257136007c7698.txt

[Anesthesiologist]

I am not a parent, and seeing as how I have many more years of medical school to go, I will not be for quite some time. However, I understand your concern. I think complete restriction of a teen to all of these sites is a bit irrational. Communication (of any form) is widely underestimated in a child's emotional and mental growth.

It's very easy to see the "bad" in the newer communication technology but it's important that you, as a parent, understand this technology before labelling it and creating a parenting protocol based off of what you've heard or what the news says. I'm sure every parent out there can think of something 'taboo' from their childhood that has become mainstream in today's society.

Either way, make sure you explain to your child WHY you are not allowing them on one or more of these sites beyond, "because it's dangerous!" Search through the sites they want to become a part of, perhaps sign-up yourself, and see how they work. This way you can make an educated decision based off your own experience, rather than just following what the media says about these sites. Ask him/her/them to describe the pros and cons to each site and which would be the smarter choice; Chances are your child knows more about these sites than you. This shows a willingness to earn their right to regsiter to one of these sites and it also teaches them the importance of balancing the positives and negatives and concluding with a rationally thoughout choice.

Whatever you do, do NOT ban him/her/them from any of these sites (or anything else for that matter) with the argument, "...because I said so/...because I know best/...because I'm the parent." Not only does that show ignorance, apathy and stupidity on your part, but also conditions your children to think similarly.

Also, in response to a portion of the article KatieBee posted:

"On Saturday, Feb. 25, Luckow's daughter went out with a friend and promised to be back home by 9 p.m. Instead, she came in around 11, and Karla grounded her. On Monday night, her daughter wanted to go out again.

'What part of 'grounded' don't you understand?' Karla asked her that night, and the next morning she was missing."

This is a classic cause and effect fallacy regarding behavior in relation to parenting. This article is quick to bias the dangers of the internet as a cause, yet if you read and understand what I've underlined, you will find the parental background, lack of communication and ultimately, the true catalyst to this incident.

[anaiza torres]

I am not a parent, and seeing as how I have many more years of medical school to go, I will not be for quite some time. However, I understand your concern. I think complete restriction of a teen to all of these sites is a bit irrational. Communication (of any form) is widely underestimated in a child's emotional and mental growth.

It's very easy to see the "bad" in the newer communication technology but it's important that you, as a parent, understand this technology before labelling it and creating a parenting protocol based off of what you've heard or what the news says. I'm sure every parent out there can think of something 'taboo' from their childhood that has become mainstream in today's society.

Either way, make sure you explain to your child WHY you are not allowing them on one or more of these sites beyond, "because it's dangerous!" Search through the sites they want to become a part of, perhaps sign-up yourself, and see how they work. This way you can make an educated decision based off your own experience, rather than just following what the media says about these sites. Ask him/her/them to describe the pros and cons to each site and which would be the smarter choice; Chances are your child knows more about these sites than you. This shows a willingness to earn their right to regsiter to one of these sites and it also teaches them the importance of balancing the positives and negatives and concluding with a rationally thoughout choice.

Whatever you do, do NOT ban him/her/them from any of these sites (or anything else for that matter) with the argument, "...because I said so/...because I know best/...because I'm the parent." Not only does that show ignorance, apathy and stupidity on your part, but also conditions your children to think similarly.

Also, in response to a portion of the article KatieBee posted:

"On Saturday, Feb. 25, Luckow's daughter went out with a friend and promised to be back home by 9 p.m. Instead, she came in around 11, and Karla grounded her. On Monday night, her daughter wanted to go out again.

'What part of 'grounded' don't you understand?' Karla asked her that night, and the next morning she was missing."

This is a classic cause and effect fallacy regarding behavior in relation to parenting. This article is quick to bias the dangers of the internet as a cause, yet if you read and understand what I've underlined, you will find the parental background, lack of communication and ultimately, the true catalyst to this incident.
why do u enjoy getting on myspace and how does it feel to chat with other people 4rm around the world and u do need to be carefuol to who u give info too.

[KOOLDUDE123]

the reason why i dont really agree with you cause i am not a myspace dude! Im sorry KATIEBEE!!!!!!

[annettemcd]

I became concerned when my teenage daughter was spending time on MySpace.com, so I got on it myself. I found that my daughter was posting inappropriate things in her profile as were some of her friends and classmates. I think that part of it was trying on different roles, but it resulted in giving out the message that they were interested in sex and parties and looking for a good time. The language used was not what those same teenagers would use in public, but they do not see those internet sites as being public. The photos were too sexual, especially for young, underage girls. They would never post those pictures where everyone could see them, but they are not thinking that by posting them on MySpace.com, they are posting them where ANYONE in the world could see them.

I did tell my daughter to change her own profile including the photos which were posted and told some other parents that they might want to do the same. I talked to people at the school about limits to access from the school's computers and/or advice to students about information on the sites.

One young woman posted a entire conversation between herself and her boyfriend when they were breaking up. (I think so that their friends would understand her point of view on the break-up.) She was oblivious to the fact that it was PUBLIC and available for anyone to see, not just her friends. Then she was incensed when her mother and the boy's mother found out about it.

One of the great benefits of me going onto MySpace.com is that my daughter didn't want me to be able to see her site. She said that it was CREEPY that I would go there and read what the local kids had written. So she made her pages and profile private. She also told her friends to make their sites private so that I can not read them and find out about her indirectly.

THE RESULT IS THAT MOST OF THE LOCAL TEENAGERS HAVE MADE THEIR PAGES PRIVATE which is exactly what I wanted. To keep me off, they have kept others, except for their chosen friends, from seeing their pages.

Better than banning a child from the sites is to have them make his/her pages private and only accessible to friends. If the child will not do it, read the site and talk about it. Soon your child or student will make it private to keep you out.

Since the goal is to communicate with their friends, making their pages private does not block them from doing that, but it does protect them from ANYONE being able to read it and possibly find them. (I found that many gave enough information, some of it intimate, for someone to find them and convince the young person that they were a friend of a friend.)

Privacy settings are the way to go! (One more step is to be sure that the friends that they are letting in are truly people that they know.)

[PolishSpring]

Actually, I have my students on a site called Junior U (juniorU.com). It's similar to facebook / myspace. It's basically 3 social networks in one for students, parents, and teachers. I was skeptical after watching all of the "to catch a predator" :eek: shows but it seems really safe for the students and I'm able to post assignments and grades. Definitely recommend checking it out lol even though i've been on here for one day.:rolleyes:

[Unregistered]

One of the worst issues with the social networking sites, is the fact that students are now using them to bully others. Email harrasments, the spreading of rumors, and the posting of angry comments are just a few circumstances that take place. Also, the students who are commiting the harrassment do not realize that having the evidence of it in writing makes it much more likely they will suffer a consequence. They do not realize the ramifications of what they are using these sites for.