Social Media Safety for parents
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: April 2, 2012
The internet has become a part of many people's everyday lives.
When it comes to keeping up with friends, family, and gossip, chances are you saw it on Facebook or other social media sites.
With almost a billion users on Facebook, and an age requirement of 13 years old, the younger generation is still finding it's way to the popular social media sites.
"Some of the children that are in the programs that I go to are 3rd and 4th graders and mention that they are on Facebook already. So what we're trying to do is educate them on how to be safe if they are on Facebook so they don't come upon some of the dangers that are out there," said Program Director at The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Wendy Fical.
Fical talked to parents and those who attended the information session Monday night about the dangers of what is really going on in the World Wide Web.
She says there are sometimes predators who try to trick children into believing they are someone other than who they really are.
"There's also the possibility that their Facebook pictures can be saved, manipulated, and then at that point used for other purposes," said Fical.
Matthew Bashant has children who might be too young for the digital media world right now, but he says learning safety tips before the online wandering beings plays a big role in keeping his kids safe.
"One of the pieces that I need to know is 'knowledge is power' and why don't you learn from the experts about what is available out here," said Bashant.
When it comes to keeping up with friends, family, and gossip, chances are you saw it on Facebook or other social media sites.
With almost a billion users on Facebook, and an age requirement of 13 years old, the younger generation is still finding it's way to the popular social media sites.
"Some of the children that are in the programs that I go to are 3rd and 4th graders and mention that they are on Facebook already. So what we're trying to do is educate them on how to be safe if they are on Facebook so they don't come upon some of the dangers that are out there," said Program Director at The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Wendy Fical.
Fical talked to parents and those who attended the information session Monday night about the dangers of what is really going on in the World Wide Web.
She says there are sometimes predators who try to trick children into believing they are someone other than who they really are.
"There's also the possibility that their Facebook pictures can be saved, manipulated, and then at that point used for other purposes," said Fical.
Matthew Bashant has children who might be too young for the digital media world right now, but he says learning safety tips before the online wandering beings plays a big role in keeping his kids safe.
"One of the pieces that I need to know is 'knowledge is power' and why don't you learn from the experts about what is available out here," said Bashant.
