Impact of Internet social network services on youths behaviours

I've like to hear about what you people going to say about this. I'm currently working on a project regarding this topic so I've like you guys to give some comments as I like to see what people around the world views on this topic. I appreciating any short comments or even a word to describe your feeling about this.

Youths might spend too much time involved in social networks. They might neglect their studies.

They might isolate them selves from the outside world.

Because Internet social network services are almost unavoidable these days there is hardly any way that it doesn't take a toll on the behavioral aspects of today's youths. Social networks like MySpace allow children to have a profile as young as 13 or 14; and Facebook is somewhat worse in that aspect. I have godchildren that are allowed to use Facebook to play the very POPULAR and ADDICTIVE FARMVILLE. Though social networks have there pros and cons, the actual internet usage of these networks are ultimately controlled by the parents; within their means of course.

For instance, my goddaughter uses Facebook at the age of 7/8 because her mother sees it as an opportunity to teach her responsibility by caring for virtual plants and animals, but in a fun environment. She also has to apply SOME math skills to manage the money that she earns. This can be a pro.
Though on the adverse of that, the game has very addictive qualities and in turn would create some learned negative behaviors in the child that had not previously existed. As a former player of that game, I had to get rid of it because it created very bad working and study habits. I know this to be true of over half the people that I knew to play the game.

So for those children who have "free range" for lack of a better phrase, of their computer usage, there usually lacks a healthy level of order and discipline when using these sites; ESPECIALLY THEIR PURPOSES for creating profiles in the beginning.

Something else to ponder is the privacy/secrecy(word usage here depends heavily on perspective) that is created because these are password protected and furthermore, you are not REQUIRED to use your full or better yet, REAL name. I have so very much to say, though I will end here. Thank you for the opportunity to express a small window of my thoughts.

Last edited by Kirbie on 20th March 2010, 5:06 am; edited 2 times in total (Reason for editing : I left out a very important negation that changes the entire perspective that I wanted to convey.I also had some typos.)

Kirbie wrote:

Because Internet social network services are almost unavoidable these days there is hardly any way that it doesn't take a toll on the behavioral aspects of today's youths. Social networks like MySpace allow children to have a profile as young as 13 or 14; and Facebook is somewhat worse in that aspect. I have godchildren that are allowed to use Facebook to play the very POPULAR and ADDICTIVE FARMVILLE. Though social networks have there pros and cons, the actual internet usage of these networks are ultimately controlled by the parents; within their means of course.

For instance, my goddaughter uses Facebook at the age of 7/8 because her mother sees it as an opportunity to teach her responsibility by caring for virtual plants and animals, but in a fun environment. She also has to apply SOME math skills to manage the money that she earns. This can be a pro.
Though on the adverse of that, the game has very addictive qualities and in turn would create some learned negative behaviors in the child that had not previously existed. As a former player of that game, I had to get rid of it because it created very bad working and study habits. I know this to be true of over half the people that I knew to play the game.

So for those children who have "free range" for lack of a better phrase, of their computer usage, there usually lacks a healthy level of order and discipline when using these sites; ESPECIALLY THEIR PURPOSES for creating profiles in the beginning.

Something else to ponder is the privacy/secrecy(word usage here depends heavily on perspective) that is created because these are password protected and furthermore, you are not REQUIRED to use your full or better yet, REAL name. I have so very much to say, though I will end here. Thank you for the opportunity to express a small window of my thoughts.

No, I should thank you instead This is really helpful information for me.

Glad I could be of service

I think its effects are different upon each individual. I think social networking sites are a wonderful way to get into contact with old mates, to learn how to handle ones' self on the internet, to maybe form better friendships, or to catch up on missed work from an absence. It may also divert attention from homework, become addictive, might lead to a sedentary lifestyle, and the youth may choose to miss events to be online instead.

Then of course there is the dreaded fear of conversing unknowingly with a pervert.
Over the course of being present on the internet and talking to others online, I've found myself becoming increasingly tolerant from meeting so many people around the world as I have. People from India to Pakistan to France to Malaysia..people I would have NEVER met if I wasn't online. It has taught me a lot about culture and sparked an interest in world politics.

So in short, it has affected me positively, while the next person might be a victim of a paedophile. As long as you instill safety knowledge in the youth, I think social networking is a positive learning tool.