GirlsTalkingTech

March 2nd, 2009

Are Social Networks Good for Kids?

by Kristie Conner

I just read the TechCrunch blog post titled “Why Social Networks Are Good for Kids” by Sarah Lacy. The blog was in response to an article that cites Lady Greenfield, a professor of synaptic pharmacology at Lincoln college, Oxford, and director of the Royal Institution, as suggesting that social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Bebo) are changing children’s brains (and not for the better).  In fact, her prediction sounds quite horrible and to quote directly from the article “Social network sites risk infantilising the mid-21st century mind, leaving it characterised by short attention spans, sensationalism, inability to empathise and a shaky sense of identity, according to a leading neuroscientist.”  Ouch!

To be honest I am not sure that I had a long attention span, or a super strong sense of identity as a teenager and maybe not even now!  Did I say that, ugh.  She has an impressive title and I am not neuro-expert and I do think the discussion is relevant.  What it brings up is that we as parents need to be involved in our children’s activities whether they are on or offline.   Do I think it is normal for a teen or tween to spend xx number of hours on Facebook, etc .. a day … I have no idea.  I mean what is normal?  Facebook is how old?  A parent and their child should sit down and determine how the number of hours spent on the Internet a day. Maybe even a loose estimate based on where they spend time — Facebook, Bebo, Twitter, MySpace and others. As a parent, we can  mitigate the risks that Lady Greenfield identifies not only by monitoring the amount of time, but watching for signs of that include short attention span, inability to emphasize, and shaky self-identity.  Perhaps, even an open dialogue about these concerns.  While the signs sound typical teen behavior, Lady Greenfield is concerned it leads to the teen-aged adults … mmm.

I have nieces and a nephew on Facebook and I enjoy checking in on them from time to time. Checking on them sounds a little Big Brother (Or Aunt), but what I mean is that Facebook enables me to keep up to date on their lives without interfering too much.  Tween and teens don’t have as much time for us adults so when I do see them or talk to them I don’t feel like there is this black-hole of information.  Like, mmm, wow, Sarah now has green highlights and six months ago she was blond.  Facebook keeps me up to date.  I can watch the changes and transitions and understand some of the motivation behind the green highlights.  I mean they did say yes to my friend request!  Additionally, I now have images of their friends and feel more connected to their lives and stories.  Prior to Facebook it was like a six month gap if not more and if you know teens it takes several days to pry a tiny bit of information out.

While I am a parent, my child is not old enough to engage on social networks, but one of the key reasons I keep up to date is so I am in the ‘know’ when he comes of age for whatever it is that will be the new thing.  I can’t imagine that in four or five years Facebook will be all the rage that it is now, but perhaps Facebook will evolve to be the infrastructure that does whatever it will do in four or five years.  I think it is the parents responsibility to understand social networks and then they can determine how involved their child is or is not.  But, to ban them from social networks would be a little like not allowing them to socialize at school.  No friends!  Like it or not social networks have transformed communication and will continue to do so and at some point those who are not ‘literate’ will be on the outside looking in … so parents get involved now!