My god-daughter has just turned thirteen and I was very surprised to learn that she's now doing social media. Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram, that I know of.
Now, perhaps I'm just an old fuddy-duddy, but I was a little surprised.
I'm sure that social media can be fun, but it seems to me that the net outcome for youngsters is negative, because it's an activity that doesn't seem to deliver any benefits and only wastes time. I mean, if teens get a Saturday job they get savings; if they see friends in person they develop social skills; if they do sports they get healthier. And so on. But I can't think of any net benefits for young people of using these apps. My GD's parents have always been quite strict, so I was surprised. The thing about Snapchat is that it gives the children privacy - the parents can't see what they're doing.
However, perhaps I'm hopelessly out of touch. Perhaps every thirteen-year-old is on Snapchat. Is that accurate?
Would you let your thirteen-year-old do Snapchat?
Now, perhaps I'm just an old fuddy-duddy, but I was a little surprised.
I'm sure that social media can be fun, but it seems to me that the net outcome for youngsters is negative, because it's an activity that doesn't seem to deliver any benefits and only wastes time. I mean, if teens get a Saturday job they get savings; if they see friends in person they develop social skills; if they do sports they get healthier. And so on. But I can't think of any net benefits for young people of using these apps. My GD's parents have always been quite strict, so I was surprised. The thing about Snapchat is that it gives the children privacy - the parents can't see what they're doing.
However, perhaps I'm hopelessly out of touch. Perhaps every thirteen-year-old is on Snapchat. Is that accurate?
Would you let your thirteen-year-old do Snapchat?