Concerns that ‘in-person’ social-networking could corrupt children
A controversial new teenage social-networking trend is emerging across the country, causing alarm amongst parents and community leaders. Rather than using the safety of computers or mobile phones to talk to each other, young people have started meeting up in person to chat, listen to music, share photographs and even form relationships.
This dangerous new craze goes under many benign-sounding names including, ‘hooking up,’ ‘hanging out’ and ‘seeing my mates,’ making it difficult for parents to realise that their children are embarking on a risky pastime.
Sophie Roberts, a teenager from Cardiff, thinks that the new form of ‘street meet’ is far better than being stuck at home on a computer chatting to pals through Facebook and MySpace. She said, ‘last week I met two of my friends in the park, it was a bit odd at first, you know, talking to someone without having a reference of all their likes and dislikes on screen. The conversations drifted a bit now and again and I found that they didn’t get some of my jokes without a series of smiley faces after them.’ The fourteen-year-old also revealed plans to go to Starbucks next week with five mates for a hot chocolate, saying, ‘it’s a bit crazy, but we all love it!’
The Government has urged parents not to panic about this new face-to-face communication, but they have also issued advice for anyone whose kids are intending to meet up with other youngsters. The measures include making sure that they know who they are talking to, not revealing their personal details and not handing topless photos of themselves out to passers by.
This advice replaces warnings about the danger of ‘messing about on railway lines’ and the foolhardiness of trying to ‘retrieve a frisbee from an electricity pylon,’ both of which are now defunct.
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Posted: Jul 30th, 2007 by robd
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