What Parents Ought To Know About Social Networking Sites?
In the short space of time since being launched in mid 90s, internet has been an online supplement of most people whether it is for searching what they want, business or just connecting with family, friends and relatives. Initially it was just major search engines like Google, MSN and Yahoo but now with internet in advanced stages, it was social networking sites such as Youtube, Twitter, Squidoo, MySpace, Hubpages and Facebook.
They now became primary source whereby people searched for answers to different questions of how to like troubleshoot your PC, improve memory skills especially in studies, swim, speak with confidence in front of audience, play golf, date women, cook, bake cakes etc. It was also this reason that libaries and bookstores' businesses are severely affected over the years.
The reasons are simple.
1. People want solutions and
2. They want them fast.
The ones who benefited the most from social networking sites are introverts like myself. They do not feel comfortable mixing and sharing with too many people face-to-face. They prefer to share privately when and where they prefer. They find typing their thoughts so much easier than expressing them verbally.
Social networking sites now became a global community whereby people from all walks of life and countries would gather and exchange ideas. They can even scout for their ideal dating partners, qualifying them before meeting them in person.
I from Singapore can make friends with another person from US, UK, Australia or China easily. With this, Penpal was no longer applicable as it used to in the pre internet days. I can have access to their friends, hobbies, interests, photos and even videos if they allow me to. All these without having to spend money on stamps, pens, paper and envelopes.
Those who are born when or after internet was launched are far more fortunate. They are able to make friends everywhere and learn everything at a click of a button.
However there are pros and cons as to how children develop in the internet age.
Therefore it is necessary for parents to be vigilant and know how to protect their children – especially daughters - from those who are not what they claimed online. These online sex predators usually prey on unsuspecting victims and can be the real threats if parents do not keep an eye on their children or worse still, continue to pamper them.
Apart from online sex, there are information hackers and scammers who have the ability to trick children into giving their parents' credit card information, bank account details and addresses. If children listen and do what they are told, they can get themselves and their parents into a lot of trouble.
If parents think children are ignorant of these just because they are too young to understand, they are sadly mistaken. What used to be in the 50s to the 90s may no longer be the case in the 21st century especially when information is easily accessible with the rise of internet. Moreover recent statistics have indiciated that children are able to learn three or four times faster than we in our childhood days.
Forbidding children from surfing the internet just because of these is not the best solution. It is a temporary solution yes but not permanent as it is just a matter of time before they started going online again at cyber cafes or friends' homes even when deprived of PCs and internet access.
The way I see it, internet is a great place to learn and communicate effectively especially social networking sites. To make it a win-win situation, schools should add subjects on social networking basics and guidelines That way, both parents and their children will have a better idea of what they should and should not do.