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Health & Fitness

Facebook & Your Children: Understand the Social Network "Like" an Expert.

Insight for parents on the social network most popular among kids: Potential threats, safety parameters, and advice on how to best protect your children against possible harm.

In 2011 over 14,000,000 American children between the ages of 13 and 17 had accounts on the world’s top social network, Facebook. A social network by definition is more than a movie on computer wiz, Mark Zuckerberg, currently listed as the 27th wealthiest individual on Forbes’ World Billionaires List.

A Social Network is an online community of people with a common interest who use a Web site or other technologies to communicate with each other and share information, resources, etc.

Although many adults have joined Facebook to reconnect with old friends, access news, or take part in the social networking trend, many still don’t understand the website, its appeal, or how to ensure their children’s safety.

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Be familiar!

Children use Facebook as a platform to build relationships, share feelings, access news, monitor trends, communicate, and more. Children put themselves at risk when they aren’t aware of potential dangers online. As a parent, communicate with your children to discuss safeguards and privacy settings.

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Quick Tips:

  • Utilize the Facebook Privacy Settings to limit the information your child shares online to only a select group of people. These security tools will help potentially threatening individuals from accessing personal information about your child such as: their email address, phone number, personal photos, and potentially the most dangerous threat in “geo-tagging” which can show the location where your child is at a specific time based on what and how information is posted on their page.
  • Encourage children to only maintain a friend network of trusted people they know personally. The age-old advice, “don’t talk to strangers,” applies online just as it does for personal encounters.
  • Beware of Cyber-Bullying. Children can be mean and the impact bullying can have on children is the topic of extensive media attention. At The UCLA Family Commons we offer programs in Social Skills, Mindful Awareness, Martial Arts, and a variety of camps that teach children to build better relationships, manage emotions, encourage communication, and learn conflict resolution. We have found that many families share concerns about bullying and difficulties in navigating friendships, so be sure to speak with your children to identify issues that may arise.

Great parenting means protecting your children. To do so, educate yourself, understand potential dangers, and teach them decision-making skills. The resources are accessible now, and smart parents make smart children! 

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