Tips for safe social networking

January 10, 2010

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With over one billion Facebook users worldwide (as of October 2012) it looks like social networks are here to stay. And as of September 2012, the majority of American teens (58%), ages 13-17, now own a smartphone, so they are able to access the internet and social networks 24/7, wherever they are. And summer vacation means a lot of free time for your kids, no doubt a lot of it will be spent on social networks!

Although the jury is still “out” on the positive vs. negative influences of social networks on teens, tweens or even younger kids, there are certainly dangers involving their use. Cyberbullying, the posting of private information or images, and other online safety issues should concern you as parents. But the good news is that there are quite a few things you can do to provide a safer social networking experience for your kids:

Talk to your kids: probably the most important tip on this list, it’s very important that you keep an open dialogue with your kids and discuss the possible dangers of using social networks, such as sharing private information or pictures for the world to see, or cyberbullying. Try to be approachable and not judgmental and explain that they should always let you know if someone or something is making them feel uncomfortable.Set ground rules Allow a limited time for social networking per day and try to make sure that your kids engage in other activities such as “real life” socializing and physical activities outdoors. It may be a good idea to sign a family online safety contract with your kids outlining the rules for using social networks such as the amount of hours per day or the times of day during which your child can use social networks.Set a good example: If you yourself use social networks, try to set a good example by limiting the amount of time you spend there, befriending only people you know and sharing very little private information.Be skeptical: Explain to your kids that they shouldn’t believe everything they read online. People may post false or misleading information about various topics, including their own identities. This is not necessarily done with malicious intent, but is still something to watch out for.Customize your kids’ privacy options: Make sure your kids don’t share information such as their last name, school, home address, cell phone number, email and IM addresses. Check out the settings, configuration and privacy sections of the social networking programs to see what options you have to limit who and what groups can see various aspects of their personal information. On Facebook, for example, you control whether no one, friends, friends and networks, or everyone can see basic info, personal info, photos, friends and postings.Enable content filtering / parental control: For starters, you can set up parental controls in Windows by selecting that option from the control panel. Or you can go ahead and install an online child safety program such as PureSight.Know your child’s password:. So you’ll be able to log into his/her account any time and see what’s going on. If you’re just “friends,” your child can configure his/her privacy settings to prevent you from seeing certain things, or even set up a separate account where you are not listed as a friend.Keep your child’s physical location private:. Disable Facebook Places and photo geo-tagging, and configure privacy settings for photo tagging on Facebook.Know their friends: . For younger children, their online friends should be friends that you know in real life. For teens, have them explain how they know each friend.Instruct your kids not to use third party applications (apps) shared within the network. Using these apps involves allowing them to access your kids’ private information.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/number-active-users-facebook-over-years-214600186–finance.html http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/newswire/2012/young-adults-and-teens-lead-growth-among-smartphone-owners.html

Tags: Facebook, online child safety, safe internet use, safe social networking

The Pros and Cons of Facebook

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Launched in February 2004, Facebook has recently announced that it has 1 billion active users worldwide1 (about 3 times the population of the United States!)
Although buried and eulogized many times over, Facebook’s popularity is still very much on the rise. Love it, hate it, there is absolutely no getting away from it. And it doesn’t look as if Facebook is going away in the near future.

So is it a good thing? How does it affect your kids? What are the advantages? What are the disadvantages? Here’s a look at some of the many ways in which this ever popular social networking site affects your kids’ lives in some good, and some not-so-good ways.

Pros

It’s easy! Setting up a profile is a smooth process, and the relatively uncluttered UI of the site is easy to navigate and use. It’s free and all you need is an internet connection and any device that can connect to the internet, mobile phones included.Beyond boundaries: Facebook transcends all physical boundaries, and lets your kids connect with far away friends and distant family. Your kids can easily be informed about what goes in the lives of people who are physically distant.Your child decides who to share with. Your child can choose who they would like to share their status updates, photos or check-ins with.A place to share thoughts, causes and ideas. Your child can interact with kids with similar interests and ideas across the globe. They can join groups and support fan pages, and find out what other kids are interested in.Enhances social skills. Facebook allows kids to keep up with current friends and make new ones. When used in the right way, social media can increase a child’s self-esteem and help them feel less isolated, as if they belong to a group. Facebook also allows those who are shy or have trouble making friends to socialize more easily. And let’s face it – everybody’s on it…It’s educational! A majority of tweens and teens use social networking to discuss school work and share discussions about school assignments.Kids can be mean:cyberbullying can be a real problem. There are even some documented cases of kids who committed suicide after being bullied on social networks!Things aren’t always what they seem There are many fake Facebook accounts, information that is misrepresented – your child could be exposed to these.

Cons

Privacy: Privacy is a major concern for most Facebook users, and it’s really important to understand the site’s privacy settings and set them accordingly. And even though a lot has been done to improve the site’s security, it can still be confusing. As a result, hackers can have access to- and misuse- personal information.Time consuming Facebook is a real time guzzler – your kid could be playing outdoors, doing homework or doing other more meaningful things.Freedom of expression? Other kids (or even your own for that matter) on Facebook could misuse that freedom and post offensive or inappropriate content, which your kids will see! And this leads us to the next point:It’s addictive! Besides all the social features there are games on Facebook that can be very addictive. Did anyone mention Farmville?Whose image is it anyway? Once your child uploads an image to Facebook, it becomes public and anyone can download and misuse that image.
Its anti-social? For your kids online interaction could become a replacement for face-to-face meetings. This can hurt social development and isolate your kids.It can hurt their future: kids can post regrettable information or photos that will be discovered by college admissions or potential employers in the future. Once information goes online, it never goes away.

So does the good outweigh the bad? It’s hard to tell. Either way you probably won’t be able to completely block your kids from using it. So it’s important to remember that if your kids are on Facebook, they should be aware of the dangers, and they should take steps to protect themselves, such as adjusting the privacy settings. It’s your job as a parent to explain the dangers and help them protect themselves, but also to be there for them, to listen and help, if they experience something that makes them feel uncomfortable or scared.

PureSight provides protection from cyberbullying and suspicious contacts on Facebook and you don’t even have to be “friends” with your child.

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http://finance.yahoo.com/news/number-active-users-facebook-over-years-214600186–finance.html

Tags: advantages, disadvantages, Facebook, online child safety, social media

Is my child ready for Facebook?

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“Mom, don’t you know that ALL my friends have Facebook accounts!! Can I have one?”

“Dad, how will I know what’s going on with my friends if I’m not on Facebook?!?”

Let’s face it – social media has become a major part of the way we all communicate, children included. It offers a way to stay in touch with family and friends who live far away. And with the increasing availability and use of smart phones, tablets, computers and the Internet along with the popularity of social media sites, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Foursquare, Pinterest, Twitter and more—we can access almost anyone, anywhere.

We all know that social media sites are great for building existing relationships and creating new ones – that’s on the positive side. But along with the benefits come the concerns – your children could be unknowingly putting themselves in harm’s way by posting personal information or compromising images, by agreeing to interact with potentially harmful contacts and worst of all, they could potentially be exposing themselves to cyberbullying – online bullying, which according to recent studies, most often happens between friends!

So, probably a lot sooner than you expected , you are facing yet another parenting dilemma – should you allow your child to have a Facebook or (any other social media) account?

Is your child under the age of 13?

You should be aware that if your child is under the age of 13, if they create a Facebook account, it is in direct violation of the Facebook Terms and Conditions, which clearly state “you will not use Facebook if you are under the age of 13.” The only way to actually create a Facebook account is to lie about your child’s age, if you do so, you are teaching them a lesson – lying is OK.

So how will I know if it’s time?

These basic points will help you decide if your children are ready for social networking, and if you are ready for them to be there.

Computer literacy: Most kids are more knowledgeable about computers than their parents, but for those who aren’t – make sure they know their way around a computer and the internet before opening an account. Ask yourself – do you know enough to be able to guide them?
Social Networking proficiency: Are you yourself familiar enough with social networking sites to be able to teach your kids how to safely use them?
Time and energy: Are you ready to be actively involved? You need to be there, hovering over their shoulders, so to speak, guiding, explaining, monitoring. That’s quite a commitment. Are you ready to invest the time and energy needed? (And get used to seeing POS written in their chat – it means Parent Over Shoulder).
Danger awareness: Are you ready to help your kids understand the potential risks and dangers, such as cyberbullying and sexting, so they are well informed and prepared?
Open communication: Do you have a good relationship with your kids? Are you able to maintain open, honest, and frequent communication with your children? This is critical as your children should feel comfortable enough to talk to you about any problem or discomfort they experience.
Right vs. wrong: Are your kids emotionally mature and responsible enough? Can they understand the difference between appropriate and destructive on line behavior? Are they capable of practicing Facebook and internet etiquette?

You’ve decided the time has come, your kids are ready…

Once you decide your kids are ready to handle the world of social media, it is important to set up guidelines or rules for use. Will there be set times for Facebook use? Will you have to approve new friends? What types of things are appropriate to include on a status update? Are children allowed to upload photos? Should parents approve first? Will parents have the password to the Facebook account? At what point will Facebook use be suspended?

And for some basic Facebook safety rules check out the following infographic:

PureSight helps you keep your kids safe!

With PureSight you can easily limit your kids’ online time, and create separate age-appropriate profiles for each one of your children.

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Tags: Facebook, online child safety, social media

Tag: Facebook

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