Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and other social networking sites are a godsend to kids and teens who want to get in touch and know what is going on with their friends or relatives.  By just opening a website, they can communicate with and learn about all the people who are important to them (at least those who are signed in to the same network).  

But like many things that people are passionate about, there are detractors to social networking.  When it comes to kids and teens, an Oxford University study argues that social networking has bad effects on the kids' intelligence  -  and the damage could be long-term and irrevocable.  On the other hand, defenders are quick to point out that kids on social networking are increasing their social interaction while wiring their brains to adapt to new technology.

BAD EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING ON KIDS

•  Facebook and other networking sites “are infantilizing the brain into the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, who have a short attention span and live for the moment”.   There is hardly any concentration skills required in participating in these social networking sites, and these train the brain to have poor attention span.

•  Kids are detracted from learning to communicate in the real world.  There are reports from teachers that social networking is affecting kids’ comprehension levels. Also, if kids communicate primarily through the screen they do not learn the subtleties of real life communication - such as body language, tone of voice, and subconsciously sensing the molecules that other people release.

• Social networking sites make kids more self-centered.  Since Facebook  and other sites give kids their own page which is about them, it leads some vulnerable kids to think that everything revolves around them, a precursor for emotional problems in their later life.  This might also result in inability to empathize.  

• These sites make kids prone to sensationalism.

Other educators also note the following:

• * For kids and teens in social networks, there are no spelling and grammar rules.  In fact it is cool to misspell and not make sense.  Less sophisticated children will find it hard to differentiate between social networking communication and real world communication.  In fact many teachers are complaining that social networking communication with misspellings and lack of grammar are seeping through student’s school writings.

• Screen relationships detract from spending time in real life relationships.

• Social networks are fertile grounds for bad influencers and anonymous venoms and hunting grounds for deviants and other predators.

GOOD EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING ON KIDS

• Mizuko Ito of the University of California states that “spending time online is essential for young people to pick up the social and technical skills they need to be competent citizens in the digital age”.  Kids are learning basic social and technical skills to fully participate in modern society.  Kids learn to adapt to permanent and public socializing and managing elaborate network of friends and acquaintances.

• Social networking makes kids more peer-based.  Young people are motivated to learn from their peers online.  They interact and receive feedback from one another.  They are motivated to learn more from each other than from adults.  Teachers and adults are no longer the only sources of knowledge.

• It makes kids more networked than ever.   It is easier for kids to make friends with people all over the world, most of whom they will never ever meet without these technological advances.  

• Kids communicate and interact more than ever.

• Social networks actually make kids more relationship-oriented, considerate, and emphatic.  Kids remember people’s birthday and greet them.  They comment on pictures, videos and status of their friends.  They create longer term friendships by being in touch online even when friends are no longer physically meeting.

HOW PARENTS CAN MAKE THE MOST OF KIDS SOCIAL NETWORKING

• Encourage your kid to spend more time – considerably more time – in actual communication than “social networking communication”.

• Suggest to your kid to take advantage of social networking to enhance learning, to collaborate with fellow students, not just for “hanging out” and spewing nonsense.  Teach your kid to differentiate between what has substance, and what is mere trash.

• If possible, supervise your kid’s online activity to protect him from online predators and other dangers.

• Emphasize to your kids the difference between writing and spelling for social networking and real world writing.

• As in everything, use social networking in moderation.  It cannot take the place of real-life relationships and other worthwhile pursuits like reading books and sports.

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