Social networking has been around for years and has become increasingly popular over the last decade. There seems to be a site for everything -- from dating to academics -- where people can post information about themselves and share thoughts and ideas.
The one that has gained the most attention in the last few years is Facebook. Facebook is everywhere and is used by millions worldwide. Almost everywhere it seems that someone is posting a status update, uploading photos to their personal page, and browsing the profiles of people on their "friends" list. It has become more uncommon than common not to have a Facebook account.
The Facebook frenzy has lead to a heated parental debate over whether to allow children to use Facebook or other social networking sites.
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One argument for allowing children to use Facebook is that social networking is harmless fun, and that it is OK for the kids to use it as long as parents monitor the online activity. This argument leans heavily on trust between parent and child.
The other, of course, encompasses the darker side of social media and accompanying problems. Parents don't really know with whom their children are communicating, and with real threats of pedophilia, or worse, reported daily. Therefore, the parents decide to go with a better-safe-than-sorry method and do not allow their children to have accounts on these types of sites.
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So it's time to weigh in on this week's question:
Should children be allowed to use Facebook or other social networking sites, and if so, what age is appropriate? If your answer is no, then why not?
