Pro Social Media: Perspectives worth our “Likes”

Many of us engage in social media and enjoy our usage. However it is a common area of concern and dispute for parents and carers when contemplating young people and children using social media…. Are they being safe online? Are they bullying others or being bullied online? Will they be targeted by a predator? Are they exposing too much of themselves in such a public forum? Do they know data collected about them by social media sites is being sold on to advertising companies and cooperations?

These concerns are relevant and important. The impact of things on social media going wrong for young people can be devastating and the impact long lasting. Being aware of your online presence and your “digital footprint” is a key element of online safety. However, does this mean that teaching our kids only about the negative outcomes that social media can bring is the best way to promote safety?

These presentations give some convincing arguments around how we can better adjust our attitudes towards children and social media. Majority of upper primary children and young people are using social media, and as written in the previous newsletter, the number one past time for children and young people is now spending time on the internet. Most of this internet usage is via social media sites. The unavoidable truth is that whether we think that children and young people should be using social media or not, they are!