I’ve got two interesting things to talk about today. They have to do as usual, with kids and technology.
The first things I want to talk about is safety on the Internet. I know I’ve been encouraging children’s interaction with software and websites recently, and I stand by this choice. I want my kids to understand and be able to navigate the Internet because it’s powerful and an incredible way to get information and communicate.
But what about privacy? I was reading The Telegraph today, and there was an article about parents’ views on compulsory education in schools about internet privacy. Louis Halpern, a social medi expert basically said that this kind of education is important because kids are very eager to use online social media, but they don’t have the caution and street smarts of adults to know the right ways to use the technology.
I googled Louis Halpern, and he’s got a blog. In one of his blog posts, he talks about how to use sites like Facebook if you have high profile parents. Now, I’m not a millionnare or a celebrity, but I do want to keep my kids safe. As any adult can tell you, you don’t have to be famous to become a target. Mr. Halpern recommends that we utilise privacy settings, only confirm actual friends that we know well in real life, and think hard about what picutre is provided for the world to see.
It’s inevitable that your kids will start to use social media tools but with your help, they can use them the right way.