You could have hundreds of followers on Twitter or still mix up Facebook and MySpace. But if you’re a parent, online social networking should be important to you. This week on Home School Heartbeat, host Mike Farris will look at what you, as a parent, need to know about today’s virtual world.
Mike Farris:
We live in an incredibly connected age. The internet has enabled us to talk, play, and network with people all over the world—so, for example, I can play bridge online with people from Israel or Australia or chat with someone from Europe who’s working on parental rights.
Our kids are growing up with this technology, as well. And given the news reports we see about the prevalence and potential dangers of today’s social networking phenomenon, it’s really important for us to keep up with what our kids are doing. My guest today is HSLDA’s Director of Web Services Mitch Turner. Mitch, welcome to the program!
Mitch Turner:
Thanks for letting me be here, Mike!
Mike:
Mitch, would you explain what some of the prevalent online social networks are, and generally how they work?
Mitch:
Sure, Mike. In the online version of social networking, what you say is passed on instantly to all your friends. And their comments about it are instantly sent to their network of friends. The most popular sites are Facebook and MySpace, which are online bulletin boards where you can post comments, pictures and links to anything on the internet. Another popular network is Twitter, where people send short text messages to all the people who sign up to follow them. These networks are also accessible by mobile phone and have games and add-ins that can ask for and share information.
Mike:
Mitch, thanks so much. Next time, let’s discuss how parents can keep their kids safe in these environments. I’m Mike Farris.
