FRPA Blog

Internet supervision by Parents

Did you know that 87% of Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 go online and 71% of teens have established online profiles, such as at MySpace and Facebook? There are an estimated 62% of online teens who agree that kids and teens do things online that they wouldn't want their parents to know about and about 49% who are not concerned about posting personal information online that might negatively affect their future.

So psychologists are starting to question. Social networks are praised for the connections they provide, but how much privacy should teens get online and how far should parental supervision go. Other psychologists worry that online social networks can accelerate the emotional growth of young teens through exposure to age-inappropriate text and images. Do networks like MySpace deify deviant behavior, like underage drinking, or are they just a more high-tech record of what teenagers have been talking about all along? Few methods of technology have given adolescents such unleashed power and exposure without the guidance of an adult.

So what do you think? How much should parents supervise a middle or high school student in online social networking sites?

2008-05-05 22:04:45 GMT

Comments (1 total)

Author:Anonymous

As to amount of supervision, I think it depends on the level of social development, maturity, judgment and decision-making the child is evidencing. Children who are immature, consistently demonstrate poor judgment and decision-making absent of critical thinking processes e.g. do they consider outcomes for their choices, do they demonstrate an clear understanding of the topic/issues and how it may impact them, do they consider safety issues etc., typically require more supervision. But not supervision in the sense of control. Rather, supervision from the perspective of educating the child such that they improve upon the aforementioned factors. Parents should review judgment and decision-making development with their child.
--Jim B.

2008-05-15 18:44:23 GMT

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	FRPA Blog

	A blog designed for consumers to get interactive information about mental health topics.

	Internet supervision by Parents Did you know that 87% of Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 go online and 71% of teens have established online profiles, such as at MySpace and Facebook? There are an estimated 62% of online teens who agree that kids and teens do things online that they wouldn't want their parents to know about and about 49% who are not concerned about posting personal information online that might negatively affect their future. So psychologists are starting to question. Social networks are praised for the connections they provide, but how much privacy should teens get online and how far should parental supervision go. Other psychologists worry that online social networks can accelerate the emotional growth of young teens through exposure to age-inappropriate text and images. Do networks like MySpace deify deviant behavior, like underage drinking, or are they just a more high-tech record of what teenagers have been talking about all along? Few methods of technology have given adolescents such unleashed power and exposure without the guidance of an adult. So what do you think? How much should parents supervise a middle or high school student in online social networking sites? 2008-05-05 22:04:45 GMT Comments (1 total) Author:Anonymous As to amount of supervision, I think it depends on the level of social development, maturity, judgment and decision-making the child is evidencing. Children who are immature, consistently demonstrate poor judgment and decision-making absent of critical thinking processes e.g. do they consider outcomes for their choices, do they demonstrate an clear understanding of the topic/issues and how it may impact them, do they consider safety issues etc., typically require more supervision. But not supervision in the sense of control. Rather, supervision from the perspective of educating the child such that they improve upon the aforementioned factors. Parents should review judgment and decision-making development with their child. --Jim B. 2008-05-15 18:44:23 GMT Site Home