It seems that in today's global society, social networking and blogging have become a necessary evil of sorts. I myself have a Facebook and a blog, and while I use (and enjoy) them on a daily to weekly basis, I also sometimes wish I had never signed up for them. My mixed feelings towards Facebook, and social networking and blogging in general, have been echoed by many a family member or friend of mine. On the one hand, social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter allow you quick access to loved ones' lives. You can keep in touch with friends and family near and far, easily contacting them with a comment or wall/blog post. It is easier to send out invitations and photos through these sites. Sharing news and keeping people updated (and being updated about others) only requires the click of a button. Information is readily available and shared as well. I have found out about countless, interesting sites and events through Facebook and Twitter posts. All of these pros however, can also be cons at times. Privacy, no matter how much of it is guaranteed by a site, is compromised on the web. Strangers can gain access to personal information and intimate going-ons in one's life through social networking and blogging sites. This access has caused children to be preyed upon by adults, as well as vicious cyber-bullying among peers. Children and teens are most vulnerable to the dangers of social networking and blogging, yet those groups make up a large majority of users.
I feel that it is necessary to teach young learners how to be safe and smart online, especially when it comes to social networking and blogging. In my current school, our educational technologists explicitly teach internet safety skills to young elementary aged students through middle schoolers. Blogging and social networking are introduced as tools that can be used to connect learners socially and academically. For example, middle school students in my school are engaged in projects in which they create profiles and socially network and blog as characters from literature and famous, historical mathematicians and scientists- all in order to gain greater perspective into their lives. Students need to be prepared to use these tools in their own lives as they get older. The potential for use of social networking and blogging in learning communities is great, and it must be approached with caution and care.
