Post: Who Are Your Teens Talking to Online?
Who Are Your Teens Talking to Online?
Just how many online teens are using social networking sites, such as MySpace? Over half, according to a new poll from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. This number goes up to 70 percent for teen girls ages 15-17.
The good news? Over 90 percent of social networking teens say they are talking to good friends that they know in their offline world. And most are taking steps to protect their identity.
"There is a widespread notion that every American teenager is using social networks, and that they’re plastering personal information over their profiles for anyone and everyone to read," says senior research specialist Amanda Lenhart. "These findings add nuance to that story -- not every teenager is using a social networking website, and of those that do, more than half of them have in some way restricted access to their profile."
Parents, this doesn't really let you off the hook -- but this study might help assuage some of your panic, and change the conversations you have with your teens from being hysterical, to being thoughtful. You might want to start by asking your teens which sites they use, what they use them for, and what they've done to protect their identity. You may even convince them to let you see their profiles.
You need to help kids learn about safe and appropriate behavior, not just safe and appropriate sites. This means talking to you teens about everything from cyberbullying to protecting their identities (more than just not using last names!).
Download our free Internet Safety Guide here.
There are 1 replies to this post
Date: January 22, 2007
Did you know that on pre-teen and children's websites there are LINKS to Myspace?! I was shocked to find it on a website our pre-teen was visiting. Once again, age INAPPROPRIATE material is being pushed on our innocent young. First with tv and now with the internet. What a sad country we are when $$$ (greed) wins over common decency and concern for our youth.