8615 Ridgely’s Choice Drive
Suite 212
Baltimore, MD 21236
Tel: (410) 529-
Fax: (410) 529-
Suite 212
Baltimore, MD 21236
Tel: (410) 529-
Fax: (410) 529-
WebMaster: Edward Lehwald
Parents And Blogs
By Amy Wagner, L.C.S.W.-C
“Welcome to Teen America ------- On display at your nearest computer” ( USA Today 10/31/06).
The invention of computers and the information highway of the internet has opened all of us up to worlds never ventured before. However, for as much positive that the internet has brought us, it has also brought concern.
For millions of teens who are growing up with a mouse in one hand and a remote control in the other, they are pouring out their hearts minds and souls into personal online journal sites. Unprecedented numbers of teens are using blogs, also known as Web Logs, to do what teens years ago did through personal diaries, phone conversations and writing notes. The reasons are the same: creating deeper friendships, finding new friends, venting, getting support and getting “emo” (which means highly emotional in blog terms). Today teens have their own cell phones, computer accounts, web pages and now their own blogs.
A recent Pew Internet Project Poll reported that at least 8 million teens are blogging on a daily basis. So What Is A Parent To Do? The answer is to Get Educated and Get Involved. To get educated means learning about all the various blog sites and visiting them to familiarize yourself with their contents. Some of the most well-known sites include: MySpace.com, Xanga.com, LiveJournal.com, Bebo.com, Facebook.com, just to name a few. MySpace.com has become the most rapidly growing blog site which reports of having 47 million users and a growth of 609% over last year. These blogs allow the user to post any information they want about themselves and others, they can post pictures from downloaded digital camera photos, disclose personal biographical information such as their name, school, address, hometown, age, hobbies, interests, download music and set up ways to communicate with their friends. They can talk to anyone that comes to their blog site through their blog email and instant messaging. Their email addresses, IM name and even their cell phone numbers are given out on the site.
Secondly, get involved. Find out if your child has a blog, ask them and then view it. Often teens unknowingly, naively put themselves at risk for cyber stalking and cyber bullying. Remember anyone can access their sites and anyone can lie about their age, sex and interests to establish an online relationship with your child. As parents we need to discuss these dangers with our children and ask them to tell you if any suspicious people are talking with them through their blog. Review their site with them and have any openly personal information about themselves deleted. This includes information that predators could use to track them down even to the school they go to and their home address. Check your child’s site on a frequent basis and let them know you are doing this so you hold your child accountable.
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By Amy Wagner, L.C.S.W.-
“Welcome to Teen America -
The invention of computers and the information highway of the internet has opened all of us up to worlds never ventured before. However, for as much positive that the internet has brought us, it has also brought concern.
For millions of teens who are growing up with a mouse in one hand and a remote control in the other, they are pouring out their hearts minds and souls into personal online journal sites. Unprecedented numbers of teens are using blogs, also known as Web Logs, to do what teens years ago did through personal diaries, phone conversations and writing notes. The reasons are the same: creating deeper friendships, finding new friends, venting, getting support and getting “emo” (which means highly emotional in blog terms). Today teens have their own cell phones, computer accounts, web pages and now their own blogs.
A recent Pew Internet Project Poll reported that at least 8 million teens are blogging on a daily basis. So What Is A Parent To Do? The answer is to Get Educated and Get Involved. To get educated means learning about all the various blog sites and visiting them to familiarize yourself with their contents. Some of the most well-
(Next Page)