Technology -- 10 Ways to Protect Your Family’s Privacy on Social Networking Websites

Over the last couple of years, social networking websites like Twitter, Facebook, Digg and others have been extremely emerging in popularity. Most people are enjoying logging on to these sites, but are the users disclosing more than what is necessary? Are social networking websites safe for your private information? Does technology give risks to parents, children and family?

Social Networking Defined

Social networking is the 21st century’s trend in communication. Primarily, social networking is enjoyable to use. It helps people to get in touch with each other via sharing images and videos, chatting with friends and loved ones, and sharing personal information. All of these are done on-line. Social networking websites perform as on-line community for internet users. Account owners share common interest once they start socializing on-line. It involves having access on other members’ profiles and personal information, probably to even personally call them.

Dangers of Social Networking Websites

Inside the home each member of the family, especially children, can become the predator’s targets. Many strangers and stalkers abuse the use of these sites. Smart predators can save information about different users. These are the information always uploaded and input by users making them globally available. They are subject to theft and can be shared and sold by strangers to other people.

Safety Guidelines for Family Members

1. Do only what’s comfortable for you. Feel good and happy with what you’re doing on social networking websites. Your peers and other people should not force you in any way to do what they do on-line. If they put their contact numbers, this does not mean you have to put yours as well.

2. Think many times before deciding to publish your identifying information. Some of which may include your complete name, contact numbers, address, or card numbers. If you wish to upload upload images of your school, home or office, make sure they are needed in your profile.

3. Choose a user name not related to your private information. “Peternewjersey” or “georgemarch27” would be very risky choices in social networking websites.

4. Create another email account, one which does not reveal your real name. Use this in signing up and receiving email messages. Anytime you decide to stop your connection, it is easy for you to stop using that email account. You can create your account with Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo Mail. There are, however, other existing providers you can choose from.

5. Always use passwords that are strong. It is highly recommended to use combinations of numbers and letters.

6. Always log off each time you leave social networking websites. Your profile should be kept closed all the time. Only trusted friends should be allowed to get access to your profile.

7. Everything that goes on-line will stay on-line. Avoid unnecessary chatting or publishing images and video clips that are embarrassing. Keep in mind that once information is published, you can’t hold it back anymore. You may have deleted it, but older versions still exist on other computers. In general, any words you don’t want to speak against anyone, never say them on-line.

8. Don't ignore privacy settings. Learn more to master social networking websites. These are options to restrict unfamiliar persons whose purpose is to access your profile. Always scrutinize the people you would accept as friends before joining them to your network community.

9. Be very cautious about phishing (identity theft) scams where strangers lead users to imitate websites in order to divulge private information like passwords and usernames.

10. Trust your own judgement. If you think you or your children are being endangered by other online users, report the incident to a police including the social networking websites. You or your family members could be spared from the hands of people seeking only for prey.

Conclusion

Social networking websites have the “friends of friends” feature. After sharing your peculiar information, you can regularly communicate within a community or across the world. While your circle of friends becomes larger, family members will also increase publicity to strangers. These are people who have other intentions.

There are always stalkers around the web who steal information and identity. Children, parents and everyone are vulnerable to this condition. For wise advice, take into consideration the above guidelines. They will help you enjoy activities on social networking websites, and avoid some of the risks of technology.

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Technology -- 10 Ways to Protect Your Family’s Privacy on Social Networking Websites is a post on Modern Parenting Tips: Styles & Approach to Train & Discipline Children

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Can Social Networking Websites Harm your Children's Brains?

Posted in Labels: Children, Facebook, Parents, social networking, social networking websites, Technology, Technology and Internet

At what cost do social networking websites and technology have to human relationships? How true that these sites cause disturbing changes in the brains of parents' children? Popular social sites like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and others are said to promote immediate satisfaction, decrease attention spans, and make children more self-absorbed.

Approximately 250 million use Facebook to keep in touch with loved ones and friends. They share videos, images and post regular updates about their activities. Further 150 million have signed up to micro-blogging Twitter that allows users to circulate and exchange text messages to fellow tweeters.

This present generation is the time where parents give more complaints. They say their children lack the skills to communicate off their computer screen.While social networking websites are extremely popular to parents and children, an increasing number of neuroscientists and psychologists believe this technology may be giving more harm than good especially to children.

What neuroscientists believe in?

The claims of neuroscientist Susan Greenfield will make alarming reading for the million users. This is true for children whose social lives rely on logging on every day to their favorite social networking websites.

The alarm is that this present technology is having brain impacts to parents’ children who are attracted by the bright lights and buzzing noises.They believe that repeated exposures to social networking websites could effectively re-wire the brains of users particularly to young children. Experts are concerned that kids using on-line communications will affect their minds.

Technology and internet computer games and fast-paced TV shows were also additional factors. They know how newborn infants need continuous re-assurance that they alsoexist like adult parents.

Computer game exposures, chat rooms, instant messaging, and social networking websites could leave this generation (onwards) with small attention spans.

Concerns on Social Networking and Technology

1. Parents wonder whether genuine conversations can give way to easy screen dialogues found in social networking websites. This could be same way where butchering and skinning animals to eat is switched to convenient meat packages in supermarkets.

2. There is a sharp decline in children’s ability to understand each other. It is hard to see how this way of living has hindered brains from fully developing. Parents see teenagers spending more than eight hours a day visiting social networking websites.

3. Psychologists have also argued that digital technology is changing the way we are thinking now. Children do not anymore need to plan essays before writing. How grateful we are to word processors, they do editing as they go along. Systems of satellite navigation have invalidated the value of reading maps.

4. Educational psychologists believe thatparents should not allow children to use computer games until they reach seven. Often, on-line games and social networking websites will only trigger the fight or flight portion of the brain, instead of areas responsible for reasoning.

5. Children's low brain development happens because kids don't engage in activities they are supposed to be do—like the traditional mind and physical activities.

While parents and children find great benefits in technology and social networking, it doesn’t say that these are all good enough for children. Before kids start should doing it, they need to learn to make real interactions and develop relationships with real humans—away from machines. What do you think parents?

Can Social Networking Websites Harm your Children's Brains? is a post on Modern Parenting Tips: Styles & Approach to Train & Discipline Children

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