In recent years, social networking sites have increased in popularity among people of all ages. Users can create their own personal profile, post and share pictures, stories, blogs, news articles, and share their opinions with their loved ones. Most have a private messaging feature that allows two people or a specified group of people to discuss things away from the public eye. SNSs (social networking sites) offer a great way to keep in touch with family and friends, especially for those who may live too far away to maintain regular contact. Although the ability to keep in touch with granny or share a picture from your vacation with your friends is a great feature to have, dangers loom for those who aren’t …show more content…
This generation is socializing more than ever before online, and because of this, a large part of their social and emotional development is occurring while logged in to social networking sites. Kids are connecting with family, their school friends, and meeting new friends with compatible interests and diverse backgrounds. They are learning how to communicate with people from different countries, learning about new religions and traditions, and different cultures. The ability to post about their interests, create blogs or podcasts, share art and literature, share pictures, and comment on others creative projects allows them to expand socially and creatively. “Creative content sharing practices (such as blogs, animations, videos, photos and digital collages) form an increasingly integral part of young people’s communicative exchange and play a significant role in young people’s developing sense of identity and community.” (Collin et al., 2011, p. 15). Kids are learning who they are and who they want to be at a quicker pace then later generations. They are able to share their talents and uniqueness with the world, and sometimes the outside world can really help to shape and influence in positive ways, especially for children who don’t receive the support they need in their own …show more content…
It is our job as educators, parents, pediatricians, etc. to educate children on the possible dangers associated with being online, how to recognize these dangers when they present themselves, and the importance of creating a positive online identity to aid them in the future. With the proper education, resources, and support, children have opportunities to advance and grow in new and exciting ways on social media. They have opportunities to meet children of other cultures, religions, and backgrounds. They are able to share their talent and creativity with other children that may share the same talents and creativity in individualized groups and social spaces. Teaching them how to network and reach others positively at a young age is not only beneficial to them in the future, but its beneficial now in so many ways. It is no longer acceptable to keep them hidden from the online communities that they want so desperately to be a part