Raising a child in the age of the Information Super Highway is harder than it seems. The more ease there seems to be for navigating your life online, the harder it is to keep your child away from some of the dangers that the internet provides. One of these possible issues is your child and the idea of social networking.
Social networking is as big as anything online today, such as the new Direct TV packages that has gathered several consumers. Millions and millions of people are getting more and more involved in sites where they can connect and reconnect with the people from their past and present. This might seem like a fun idea and activity for most adults but for children it poses a possible problem. There are more than a few traps to be careful of when dealing with your child and their entrance into the world of social networking.
The first is online sexual predators. You have seen the television specials about them and there are sites dedicated to stopping these online predators but you have to know that your kids are at risk by using social networking sites. These predators take the identity of someone younger to engage in online cyber sex or appear as a version of themselves offering money and anything else that might entice to kids in exchange for sexual favors. Everyone is at risk but kids are at severe risks for these sort of sexual predators.
The other problem kids face is more of a social issue as there is quite a bit of harassment that goes on through social networking sites. Kids, most specifically middle school children and high school age kids that are often the victims of online harassment. This is a continual and difficult problem for kids are there is also a social stigma attached to being a “snitch” so kids don’t feel comfortable telling figures of authority. However, it’s the constant harassment through messages and online postings that can cause kids to enter into a depression or in extreme situations commit suicide. These issues continue to be problematic as social networking continues to grow.









