This article is also posted on Transparently Teaching.
Social Media (the devices by which we interact online) and Social Networks (the network of people connected by Social Media) are redefining parenting in the 21st Century.
Having been involved in Educational Technology for 14 years, I have a unique perspective with social media. On the whole, I am a fan, and use social media as a teaching-device whenever possible. As a parent, I have concerns. I do not believe that our children are adequately-prepared to deal in a mature fashion, with the technology that they have at their disposal.
My vision is to empower teens and their parents with the necessary tools to navigate this technology safely, effectively and harness its power to enhance life.
Let me begin with one of the primary concerns of all parents: Facebook. During the past few years, I have conducted many surveys of my students. The data regarding Facebook in particular were very enlightening.
Profile-accessibility:
When I first began teaching the proper use of Facebook, most of my students assured me that their Facebook profiles are secure. Using one of my surveys, 64 of my students were sure that their profiles were closed to public viewing; the 118 students remaining , were to varying degrees unsure. After teaching my students how to lock down their profiles, I discovered more than 85% of my students’ profiles were viewable to the public. Many of these profiles contained phone numbers, pictures and addresses. Consequently, even when a student is painstaking about profile security, he/she can be endangered by her less scrupulous friends. I often see pictures of teens on Facebook with identifying school-logos and store/street-names in the background. This--coupled with lax profile-security can be prime fodder for predators and bullies.
What comes next shocked my students: Whenever someone plays any Facebook-game, takes a poll, or even passes along peace plants (this is all third-party software): complete access has been given to the author of that program to all of your profile information. Third-party software is a serious concern when dealing with Facebook, my advice would be not to use any third-party software and advise your child to do the same. At the very least, be aware of the risks inherent with third party software and have your child ask permission before allowing access to it. In Facebook’s exact word’s:
“Remember that these games, applications and websites are created and maintained by other businesses
and developers who are not part of Facebook, so you should always make sure to read their terms of
service and privacy policies.”
Pictures on Facebook
What is more distressing is that, in the “Facebook Terms of Service”, there is language that indicates that anything that is uploaded on Facebook can be used by in it in any fashion, as long as the content is viewable to others:
For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos (IP content), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (IP License). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it.
More-clearly-stated, any picture or video that is made available for others to see can be legally used by Facebook for as long as that piece of media is viewable to others.
For example I told a true story to my students. I read an article in which a journalist recounted seeing her friend's picture on a plastic-surgery advertisement on Facebook. The journalist's friend had no idea that a picture that she had posted was being used in such a fashion. Even if Facebook does not use the picture other third party sites may use them. Try Googling “Facebook picture used ad”, the first result will be from Facebook “debunking” this sad trend, just read on. Whether Facebook uses the media or not, the language in the TOS gives them full reign.
Lastly, when asked how my students had gotten their Facebook accounts. Some parents allowed their children who are under 18 to lie about their age. And some kids just went ahead and created one with out their parents knowing.
What to do?
1. Seriously reconsider allowing your child to have a Facebook, what is done online is written in ink, and can effect the possibility of college and job acceptance later. Not to mention the potential of damaging one’s reputation.
2. If you allow your child to have a Facebook, do not let them lie about their age. There are certain precautions Facebook does take to protect the young. For example, any member under 18 will automatically be exempt from public directory information, and Facebook will restrict what adults can contact them.
3. Friending your child does not work! It is easy for all teens to restrict their parents from seeing their posts, relationship status and friends that they should not be associating with. You must have your child’s password and use it often! Please refer to my Blog for a screencast “How to check Facebook security & how your child my block you”. Other topics on social media parenting will be addressed.
*Remember until brain growth (pre-frontal cortex) stops in the early twenties teens have little risk assessment. Risky behavior does not come from irresponsible kids, but from kids.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|