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There's something very disturbing about any parent who encourages their kids to be there and this notion that the parents or kids can have 50, 100, 200, a thousand "friends" is absolutely preposterous. That's giving all these kids some kind of warped concept of friendship.
Why would any parent advocate their kids spend time on Facebook instead of encouraging their kids to spend time productively, creatively, and constructively? And I'm NOT talking about school activities overload. I mean teaching kids about things that really matter in life, letting them have their own fun, letting them BE KIDS. I guess if a parent wants their son or daughter to become a mindless drone, staring into a computer screen for hours a day, losing their ability to think as individuals, then Facebook is just the thing.
My children don't have FB yet because they are young. Not in diapers, but not in middle school either. That being said, I'll use a young cousin of mine. She is 17. She has had FB since she was 12 or 13. She is on numerous clubs at school, has already won a full ride to the college of her choice, very active in her community, has friends, attends school dances, loves to read and paint and is socially awesome, funny person.
I know probably 30 other teens and early 20 somethings that are all just as well rounded, healthy, good hearted people who do NOT stare at the screen all day.
You are taking the actions of a few and applying them to all. Not good.
My kids have accounts (they're 13 and 16 and have had them for over a year). I require that I have the password. I also use a software program that enables me to set times and time limits on internet usage and will record keystrokes.
Facebook is how my kids and I know what's going on. Their friends all post on facebook.
What is that software and how do you get it? thanks!
My children don't have FB yet because they are young. Not in diapers, but not in middle school either. That being said, I'll use a young cousin of mine. She is 17. She has had FB since she was 12 or 13. She is on numerous clubs at school, has already won a full ride to the college of her choice, very active in her community, has friends, attends school dances, loves to read and paint and is socially awesome, funny person.
I know probably 30 other teens and early 20 somethings that are all just as well rounded, healthy, good hearted people who do NOT stare at the screen all day.
You are taking the actions of a few and applying them to all. Not good.
But aren't you taking the actions of some and applying them to the overall, while ignoring the dangers of FB? The risks are not just to kids, but to every user AND to people who have never even been to Facebook.
I think that's one thing I find most disturbing about Facebook - how it's being used by lowlifes to threaten or defame innocent people against whom they may have a grudge or disagree with for whatever reasons.
What's "not good" is Facebook and that ultra-jerk Zuckerberg.
As a parent, take the time to do the research, there are abundant sources out there that very adequately explain what FB is all about, the risks, all the negative ways it's being used, etc.
I've read a lot lately by people defending FB, many completely oblivious to what it's about, and I recommend that they educate themselves and make more responsible decisions for themselves and their kids.
Look, the internet itself is a risk - if you email, make online payments, check your bank account, even using message boards. Truth is, the internet is kind of a "must have" these days, but really, you have to ask yourself WHY you would intentionally and willingly participate in and support an entity that is so blatantly data-mining, spying, places kids at risk, has so many potentially harmful security gaps and risks, and provides a venue for creeps and vindictive people to use innocent people's real names fraudulently and then subjects those innocent people to attacks on their reputations and character. Then you have to further ask yourself why you would want your own kids to be anywhere near it.
My kids (9 & 11) have FB accounts. I monitor their usage, limit their computer time. They spend most of their time on there playing games, very little of it posting. Sometimes they use it to IM with cousins that live far away. I have their passwords and don't need to 'login' - they usually leave it up so that when I come to the computer, I can just look around. Once in awhile I post things to their status like, "My mom is so awesome. I left my profile logged in and she didn't change my profile picture to one of me as a baby - naked." - under their name, of course. It usually gets SEVERAL likes.
At first, their 'friends list' was family, and a few of my close friends, some of their friends from places we moved from - now it includes former teachers, our pastor and his wife, several folks (older and younger) from church - very few of their 'friends' are from school. They know they need to ask me before adding someone - and if I don't know them, I have to see their account, know it's secured, etc. Once they accept them, I check the stuff the friend has posted, to ensure it's appropriate. The majority of the younger set just play FB games, in my experience, and do very little FB posting.
Look, the internet itself is a risk - if you email, make online payments, check your bank account, even using message boards. Truth is, the internet is kind of a "must have" these days, but really, you have to ask yourself WHY you would intentionally and willingly participate in and support an entity that is so blatantly data-mining, spying, places kids at risk, has so many potentially harmful security gaps and risks, and provides a venue for creeps and vindictive people to use innocent people's real names fraudulently and then subjects those innocent people to attacks on their reputations and character. Then you have to further ask yourself why you would want your own kids to be anywhere near it.
Just sayin' . . .
The world is a dangerous place. Electing not to participate in it is not the answer. Same goes for things like facebook. You take the bad with the good, I suppose. And used responsibly, it's like any other tool.
But aren't you taking the actions of some and applying them to the overall, while ignoring the dangers of FB? The risks are not just to kids, but to every user AND to people who have never even been to Facebook.
I think that's one thing I find most disturbing about Facebook - how it's being used by lowlifes to threaten or defame innocent people against whom they may have a grudge or disagree with for whatever reasons.
What's "not good" is Facebook and that ultra-jerk Zuckerberg.
As a parent, take the time to do the research, there are abundant sources out there that very adequately explain what FB is all about, the risks, all the negative ways it's being used, etc.
I've read a lot lately by people defending FB, many completely oblivious to what it's about, and I recommend that they educate themselves and make more responsible decisions for themselves and their kids.
Look, the internet itself is a risk - if you email, make online payments, check your bank account, even using message boards. Truth is, the internet is kind of a "must have" these days, but really, you have to ask yourself WHY you would intentionally and willingly participate in and support an entity that is so blatantly data-mining, spying, places kids at risk, has so many potentially harmful security gaps and risks, and provides a venue for creeps and vindictive people to use innocent people's real names fraudulently and then subjects those innocent people to attacks on their reputations and character. Then you have to further ask yourself why you would want your own kids to be anywhere near it.
Just sayin' . . .
I think FB is largely innocuous. I think the people who are on it are largely good people. I realize that there are dangerous people on the site. I also realize that people have gotten hurt using the site.
But I think the intensity of the danger is sensationalized by people who don't us it and by the media.
For the most part, it's not the other users I worry about. It's the corporation itself and the way they play fast and loose with their users' privacy.
That has been happening for decades. It is certainly not the sole province of FB.
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It usually gets SEVERAL likes.
