Social Networking And Children

Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and etc are harmful to children. According to children psychologist, Dr Richard Woolfson, he believes that social networking sites are harmful to children because the social networking sites has removed the barriers between a children’s public and private self in which lead them being vulnerable and exposed to dangerous consequences by compulsive sharing online with the strangers that they met online. Additionally, Dr Woolfson also added that when children are gaining access to social networking sites at a younger age, it would expose them to inappriorate content, people or situations that are out of their control and which they are not psychologically prepared for. Thus, the social …show more content…
Chau (2010), mentioned that there are many ways social networking sites can be used by children positively in which it is not just for socializing but then children can express their ideas or thoughts on learning creatively and intercatively. The positive impacts of social networking sites such as Facebook and Flickr are enhanced learning opportunities and a platform for socilization and communication. According to Larry D. Rosen, PhD, professor of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills, a new research has also found that social networking sites can provide tools for learning in compelling ways that engage young students, children paticularly. During these days, social networking sites has imporved learning outcomes as schools often use social networking sites. For instance, VoiceThread. VoiceThread is an audio based tool that allows children to create multimedia slideshows of text, images, video, drawing and audio that definitely capture students' interest in learning. VoiceThread is also interesting because it helps in discussion as students can comment within the post made by teachers that help with homework and group projects (Clark-Pearson, O’Keeffe,2011). This is an indirect motivation toward getting the students to communicate in English more and it could also enhance their listening skills. The usage of social networking sites provide the …show more content…
Social networking sites allow children to stay connected with their friends and family, making new friends from another country, sharing pictures as well as exchanging ideas. Besides, social networking sites also offer children benefits that extend into their view of self, community, and the world. For example, opportunities to engage through raising money for charity and volunteering for local events surround them. The children’s involvement in such charity event could benefit the children in a sense of connection and belonging to family, friends, peers and community. Rosen (2011), notes that through social networking sites the children are developing their ability to express their virtual empathy for their online friends and that empathy is well-welcomed by their friends and it will influencing their mood positively such as remember a friend’s birthday on Facebook. A part from that, this virtual empathy that the children expressed can spill over into the real world on teaching them to feel empathy with others or unfortunate in everyday life. Nevertheless, social networking sites also help an introvert children to socialize behind the screen. This is because when the children exploring and experimenting on social networking sites it actually helps the child to build and enhance their knowledge and skills on