Internet+Safety

Task 2: Social Media

CNNTech: 20,000 underage facebook users
 * More than half the population of only 12 year olds have facebooks and the number continues to grow through middle and high school ages. Facebook has corrupted the minds of children and is unsafe for them. Facebook safety issues need to be resolved and the amount of privacy on facebook needs to increase for younger students. Although the age for facebook users continues to drop facebook administrators are trying to tighten regulations on the age for facebook. So far nothing has been effective because facebook users are still starting at age 12 and below.

WIRED: School's embrace myspace
 * School's have been fighting to ban social networking sites at their schools to protect students, but now universities are beginning to develop new software that allows school teachers, staff. and tutors to create web profiles and add each other so they can join in on disscussions with each other. This is different from facebook and myspace because this software is private and their profiles are private, only being available to other teachers, staff, and tutors for that school. This network has been successful because teachers and tutors especially are able to talk with each other about what they are doing during class and which students need help with what. They are also able to discuss how to help different students and teachers and tutors can exchange ideas on what to teach or help the students with and how.

WIRED: Undercover Feds
 * Facebook has been a big hit for people around the world. Most privacy settings allow your profile to stay private. No one can see your profile but your friends in most settings and you are allowed to pick and choose your friends. But, now undercover cops are creating fake profiles on myspace and other social networking sites to see private comments and messages from suspects, checking alibis, and seeing others profiles. This is creating a new problem for the justice department because although they are attaining important information for cases, cops and feds are creating fake profiles and committing a fraud. The justice department is now having to find new ways of handling this information and how to punish those that are committing the crime.

NPR BLOG: Doctors asking kids about facebook:
 * There have been new studies that show that doctors should begin to ask children if they are part of a social networking site as part of their medical history. Studies now show that being on a social networking site can cause children to get into cyberbulling and sexting at an early age. Taking part in social networking also leads to depression at a young age. Medical examiners are now taking more cautions and tellings parents to watch the use of social networks by children because of these harms to their health.

NPR BLOG: Poll
 * High school and college students are both saying that social networking sites are good for making important education and career connections. In recent polls, the majority of students say these sites are good for interacting with co-workers or other students. They are also a good way to get class assignments and form study groups. More and more students are also beginning to look up teachers ratings on social networking and internet sites.

NPR BLOG: Can social networking keep students in school?
 * Universities have been struggling with trying to keep new freshman from dropping out of school after their first year. A new foundation has been devoted to trying to keep freshman into schools by creating private social networks only accessible to students that are accepted or currently students at that school. This network is made to be small and close knit for students to get to know one another and support each other.