Todays society offers a tremendous amount of social networking opportunities. Is it really necessary for young kids? Many of us may have no clue that there is a legal age limit to create a Facebook account. Even though there is an age limit of 13 years old, I see many kids much younger who have facebook pages. Even my 3 and 5 year old cousins have one. Due to the amount of people using social networking sites, parents and educators see a reason to train the younger generations. There have been a few companies that have designed some sites to help kids as young as 5 learn to use these sites. Is it really helping them be aware of their future network surroundings? Or will this enable some young students to better navigate around social networking sites as future predators?
http://www.forbes.com/2010/09/01/pitfalls-children-social-networking-technology-facebook.html
I understand wanting kids to be aware of their social surroundings, but I feel like five is way too young. Facebook is going to go the same route chat rooms went. Everyone is allowed on now. Even the creeps. And when some little kid gets contacted via Facebook by some psychopath for the first time, everyone is going to go into an uproar and blame the website because the protection and privacy is too lax. When in reality, children just don't know any better and nobody is paying attention because Facebook is supposed to be 'safe'. If children at such a young age are going to be using social networks, then someone has to take responsibility for being the watchdog.
ReplyDeleteTechnology has become and inseparable part of our society and especially our children’s lives. I have a one year old that already knows that my iPhone plays Dinosaur Train. When I was one I was barely watching TV. In twenty more years were will technology be? Ten years ago Facebook was not around and now look where it is. Where will social networking be in twenty years? That is a loaded question. But should it be accessible to children who cannot even read? I think most will agree not. I have a seven year old that I could not imagine having a Facebook. Of course this is all in the mind frame of today’s technology. Maybe tomorrow’s technology will be better suited for a younger generation.
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction is that kids should not be on the internet in chat rooms, facebook, etc. I've watched 'To Catch a Predator' once but that's all I can think about. The truth is ultimately, who can stop kids from getting on the internet when they watch their parents do the same thing? I believe the answer is always to lie in the parents ultimately guiding kids and giving them rules and boundaries to always make the correct decisions, and always checking over them to prevent bad things from happening. Otherwise kids will just do as they please as always has been done, and suffer the consequences.
ReplyDeleteWow... Three and five year olds on Facebook is way too young! I believe these ages are too young to be learning about their future network surroundings. At five years old, kids should be outside playing and socializing face-to-face instead of online. If this starts to become a tread with very young kids, they will never learn how to socialize normally. I totally agree with Danny that it is in the end up to the parents to monitor their children's computer time. It is so scary how easily and closely (maybe not in physical space) predators can get to our children. But if you teach your children correctly, they will know to ignore the Facebook message or IM from hottboy32... since he may really be 32.
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