Social Networking, Web 2.0 is it Dangerous for School Children

Social Networking, Web 2.0 is it Dangerous for School Children (0)

| 10/08/2007

A recent article on techdirt Shocker: School Boards Notice That The Internet Isn’t Dangerous outline that much of the political hype and the passing of the new Deleting Online Predators Action (DOPA) is an exaggeration of the threat the internet poses on school children.

There are obviously legitimate concerns that there are predators out there preying on vulnerable children, though this vulnerability is just apparent as it is on the streets and online. Survey results outline in Schoolboards: net dangers over-rated; bring social networks to school reveled that school children has experience limited negative experience through social networking.

Furthermore, school children using online social networking websites commonly acknowledge the dangers of revealing personal information and only 1 out 1,277 surveyed students have met a stranger from the Internet.

This indicates that school children are very much aware of  ‘stranger danger’ and apply the use of commonsense in both physical situations and those experiences online. Social networking will continue to prosper and restricting school children access on social networking websites will not resolve the true underlying concerns. It may even be a disadvantage to school children who don’t have access to such tools which allow them to learn and communicate effectively.

What is important is to educate and advise children that social networking is a powerful tool when used in the right way, however commonsense and awareness needs to be apply just the same as the good old days where you would communicate with people face to face.

tags: Web 2.0 ,  Online Trends ,  Common Sense ,  Media