When should kids be allowed to get on social networks? Is there a “safe age?”
CNN.com recently reported that more and more kids are getting on social networks. Their socialization went from playing in the yard with the next door neighbor to chatting online and playing virtual games with mystery “friends” from all over the world. The concern in question is if all this online socializing will have lasting negative affects on children. Will face to face communication become extinct as kids mature and prefer online dialogue?
What will the future of children be with social networks becoming such a rampant way of communicating?
Below are some stats from the article that are worth pointing out:
- Facebook and Myspace require users to be at least 13 years old, but have no way of verifying this.
- Parents approve of their kids lying about their ages to get on a social network
- However parents are still concerned about their child’s privacy online
- 38% of teens ages 12 to14 said they had an online profile of some sort
- 61% of teens aged 12 to 17 said they use social-networking to message their friends
- 42% said they use this way of communication every day
What are your thoughts?
Photo by 10ch
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