Safety on Social Networks

     The use of social networks has grown tremendously over the years. We have gone from AOL instant messenger to Myspace to Facebook, Skype, and Twitter. This has caused us to be able to find old friends and see loved ones who are far away, but just as with every positive thing there comes a negative. People have used social networks to defame people's character, stalk one another, and prey on those too young to have the sense that they are being preyed upon. When this happens, what do we do? Do we call the police? Retaliate? Who protects us from someone on the other side of the computer screen? Who is responsible for safety on something as vast as the internet? Everyone.
   
     Social networks should do a better job of telling users about safe and unsafe information to share. I'm sure they list all of these things in the long seemingly never-ending terms and conditions section that we all have to check before creating an account with most networks. The problem with this is that no one (except maybe a lawyer) will ever have the desire to read the "fine print." Are we supposed to find out about safe and unsafe information by reading something so long and so small which I'm sure most adults would consider cruel and unusual punishment? That's not to mention a child! What thirteen year old is going through terms and conditions? I guarantee you there isn't a single one. If they surmise their document into the most important points and make them easy to follow by all ages, then they might be more effective.

     I also believe that parents should oversee all of their children's involvement on the internet. That act alone would curtail a lot of cyberbullying and stop these predators from being able to attack children. It is important for parents to speak to their children about the dangers of social networks, but even more important for them to become active. The parents to be active in viewing what information their child is putting on the web. They need to see who they are conversing with. They need to see what they're viewing. When you know what your child is doing online, it limits the possibilities of the dangers on the other side of the screen crossing over. There are several types of software that let you view what your child is viewing, and limit what they are able to see online. In this age of technology and information, the most important thing to do as a parent is to be proactive.

     Government authorities should also be responsible for maintaining order on social websites. The same technology they use to protect our country from terrorists could easily be used to protect us and enforce more responsible internet usage. I am sure a lot of people would view this as an invasion of privacy, but the way I see it, they are already doing it. They might as well put more jobs into this broken economy by employing people to use the same technology they are already using and maintain order on the internet.