Online Social Networking Called a "Mixed Blessing"
The washingtonpost.com makes a good point when it refers to the myspace phenomenon as a "mixed blessing."
Certainly we've heard a great deal about the dangers of kids spending time online in social networking sites like myspace, xanga, and facebook.
And the fears that parents have of Internet predators, Internet stalkers, and cyber bullying are completely valid.
And yet, myspace has also been touted as a great space for young people to express themselves, meet with friends, and interact with their peers.
It's "the mall" of previous decades, where kids go to meet other kids, but on a global level.
And like any scene where kids will be found, there will also be dangers; after all, an Internet predator isn't that different from a real life predator, they only have a better tool at hand to manipulate kids with.
The best way to negotiate the mixed blessing of myspace and other social networking sites is to install parental control software.
Awareness Tech's WebWatcher, one of the most highly rated and reviewed of them all, allows parents website blocking, website recording, and more.
This way, parents can modify their child's use of the Internet without cutting it out completely.
As most parents would agree, it's much better to know who your child is talking to then to find out too late.
Certainly we've heard a great deal about the dangers of kids spending time online in social networking sites like myspace, xanga, and facebook.
And the fears that parents have of Internet predators, Internet stalkers, and cyber bullying are completely valid.
And yet, myspace has also been touted as a great space for young people to express themselves, meet with friends, and interact with their peers.
It's "the mall" of previous decades, where kids go to meet other kids, but on a global level.
And like any scene where kids will be found, there will also be dangers; after all, an Internet predator isn't that different from a real life predator, they only have a better tool at hand to manipulate kids with.
The best way to negotiate the mixed blessing of myspace and other social networking sites is to install parental control software.
Awareness Tech's WebWatcher, one of the most highly rated and reviewed of them all, allows parents website blocking, website recording, and more.
This way, parents can modify their child's use of the Internet without cutting it out completely.
As most parents would agree, it's much better to know who your child is talking to then to find out too late.
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