Social media is all about information, privacy and transparency, but what restrictions should apply to children? This question among many others will be discussed at a free event in downtown Tempe on April 22, 2010 at 6:00pm. If you’ve got kids and you’re not sure how to explain the birds and the bees of Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, YouTube or Blogging to them — check this out.
While I don’t plan to be attendance, I know the folks to cover solid stuff and should give parents in the Phoenix valley answers and points they need to know to manage their safety and awareness of social media with their children.
If I was to speak there, I would keep it to these points:
- Everything (content, locations, identities) are accessible at all times. Assume your worst enemies have access to everything you publish.
- Consider the benefits of children following their passion for (something) and maintaining a blog about it.
- Consider establishing an online name, avatar or similar “branding” efforts. Before I used my name, I went by “webtonium” and “dygital.”
- Keep open lines of communication. (It’s no longer just about keeping kids from accessing porn.) Trust and communication is key to being a part of their online experience.
- Encourage kids to have fun but remain cognizant that they now have the power to build a legacy for themselves. Five years ago, this wasn’t easily possible.
That’s all the thoughts that ran by me at this moment.It seems like a good event for parents to attend. Social Media Club Phoenix has all the info on it.
From the site:
Raising Arizona Kids magazine is partnering with Social Media Club Phoenix to provide parents with information to ensure their children are safe online. Our panelists will break down the popular social networking tools so parents can understand each tools use, and how each can be used safely. Additionally, the panelists will share their experiences raising tech-savvy children and the boundaries they have set within their own families.
The panel is free, and will be held at the Madcap Theaters in Tempe, on Thursday, April 22nd, at 6pm. You can get more information, including parking details, at http://smcphoenix.com/parents
On the counterpoint, social media is as much as an enemy on children’s safety as cable television. (Read: it’s not.) Good parenting and leadership of the parental unit goes a long way in ensuring their children have a safe and rewarding online experience. Social media is no different, except that it can result in content that is search-able, save-able and share-able. All the components to either help or hinder someone later.
