Tuesday 8 January 2008

Panarama on social networking sites

Did anyone watch this programme last night. Ian Macdonald the DYO for the Oxford area has been flagging this up for some time, as well as others. I thought they dealt with it really well, and I have thought about showing it to some of my young people and even to my teenage daughter. Do we really think that our teens realise all the probs with social networking sites on the internet? And yet where do we fit into this as youthworkers, if we engage on a social netowrk site, do we give it permission, and if we don't get involved are we missing out on a segment of young peoples lives that are important. Difficult blanace here, but Panarama tackled the issue really well, and lots to chew over.

1 comment:

Short Wheel Base said...

this is true, i am a youth worker and my young people have been suggesting for a few months that they set up social networking sites for their groups. It has given rise to a lot of conversations about safegurding and all the other isssues that we worry about when thinking worst case scenario. Thing is...this is how young people interact, and if they want to set up groups for their groups because that enables them to feel more of a belonging etc then why shouldnt they, and after all how can we stop them? I am happy that my young people are more than well aware of all of the issues and will make a risk assessed judgement and will make it as safe as possible, i think we have to remember that there is an element of risk in everything and the best we can do is to create as much awareness as possible so that people can make informed choices.