Social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace are endangering NZ teens.
If you sit in on an average lunch time conversation at any given high school in New Zealand, it is very likely that there will be reference to Facebook, Bebo or some other networking site. Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and Twitter are the main networking sites used by teenagers in New Zealand. On these sites, users can add friends, send them messages and update their personal profiles. These websites are accessible to anyone in the world who has access to the Internet and lives in a country in which they are not banned. In New Zealand over 60% of teenagers have at least one profile on some type of social networking site.
Personally I think it’s a matter of being cautious as to what information teenagers disclose to which people. These networking sites require a password and users can decide who can view their profiles and who can post on their walls. There is also an option to report inappropriate comments, posts, pages and so forth. Unfortunately, social networking sites are not immune to cyber bullies and sexual predators. These are the two main dangers of teenagers using social networking sites. False identities and ages put teenagers at risk of socialising with the likes of sexual predators under the impression that they are teenagers like them. It’s quite a common occurrence for teenagers to be lured into meeting their supposed “teenage friends” in person and then being raped or even kidnapped. Cyber bullies can post nasty comments causing the victim to become insecure and vulnerable. This usually affects their self esteem negatively or causes them some sort of pain worst case scenario being suicide after the victim can’t take the abuse anymore. In 2006, thirteen year old Megan Meier was harassed by a fake MySpace persona until she committed suicide. This is proof that the stories people share about the dangers of social networking sites are actually a reality.
Another issue which arises from networking sites is that teenagers tend to spend a lot of time on the computer. I have tried it myself on Facebook, playing Farmville for an hour, going through friends’ profiles and uploading pictures and before I knew it I had been sitting at the computer for three and a half hours. This is physically straining for the body especially the eyes as they stare at the harsh light of the computer screen for long time periods. Teenagers sign into their accounts when they are supposed to be doing homework. On Facebook there is a page called “Become a fan if you should be doing your homework” and it’s one of the pages I always see on my homepage indicating just how many of my friends are hooked to Facebook when they should be thinking of algebraic equations and rhyme schemes. Social networking sites discourage communication by word of mouth and the development of interpersonal skills which are vital for survival in the real world. This is a problem with teenagers as they sometimes can’t limit the amount of time they spend on these websites.
Social networking sites also have their advantages if used safely. They are a way to stay connected with friends with whom it would be hard to communicate with otherwise. This is especially handy for teenagers in New Zealand as there are a lot of immigrants and students who have been on student exchanges overseas. Teens also develop computer skills which are valuable in everyday life while on these websites. Shy teenagers might find it easier to make friends on the internet rather than in person and social networking might even help them get over their timidity or “social inadequacy” so to speak.
After all has been said, it comes down to how each individual uses these social networking sites. If teenagers follow the basic safety rules like setting their profiles so that only their friends can view them and accepting friend requests only from people they know or at least people with whom they have mutual friends, they will probably never have to worry about the dark side of networking sites.
