1. What Parents Should Know About Social Networking

2. Facebook! It’s everywhere! Over 500 million users 70 Languages Minimum age is 13, but used by many adults, including parents. Not the only social networking site, but the largest and most popular.

3. What do people do on Facebook? Chat Share Photos (100 million photos a DAY!) Post Videos Stay in Touch Share Personal News Play Games Send Birthday and Holiday Wishes Do homework and business together Plan meetings, parties and get togethers Find long lost friends Review books Recommend Restaurants (There’s not much you can’t do on FB)

4. Facebook 101 – Terminology Friend / Friend Request To add someone to their social network, or list of friends.. “I’ll friend you on FB later.” “Did you get my Friend Request?” “He keeps trying to Friend me, but I ignore.”

5. Facebook 101 – Terminology Wall  The Facebook Wall lists your comments, status updates and recent photos. Status  Short messages that FB users post to their walls. Similar to ‘Tweets’.  Others can Comment on status updates. “Someone Posted a Comment on My Wall” “That was a funny status” “I read your status, what’s wrong?”

7. Facebook 101 – Terminology Comment  A lot of interaction on FB is done through commenting. Comments on Photos, Status Updates, Videos, etc. Tagged  When a picture of someone is posted, it can be “Tagged”. This identifies the person in the photo.  “You have been Tagged in an Album” Like  Instead addition to commenting or tagging, users can also LIKE each others comments, status, photos, video.

8. Facebook 101 – Terminology News Feed The first page you see when you log on to FB. Shows status updates, comments, photos.

10. Risks of Facebook Aggressive behavior on FB  Cyber bullying, Intimidation, Constant Communication  Peer Harassment, Aggression Amplification and Perpetuation  Conflicts become larger, quicker  Harder to take back something in Writing Posting in anger, impulse.

11. Risks of Facebook Revealing too Much Information  Stranger Danger / Physical Location  Used to Manipulate them  Information posted causes psychological harm. Exposure to Content/Contact  What is appropriate / inappropriate? Applies to the web in general, Facebook tries to limit.  Possible inappropriate contact with adults.

12. What Kids Do on Facebook Socializing, Hanging out Day to Day News Collaborating on School Work Validation, Emotional Support Self Expression, Identity Exploration Informal Learning Learning about the world beyond immediate home and school setting. Learning Technical Skills of Digital Age Discovering and Exploring Interests, Academic, Social, Personal

13. Facebook use is very individual. Talk with your child about it. Just because it is on all the time doesn’t mean they aren’t doing other things. Doesn’t usually replace other things in life.

14. As a Parent, You are Part of the Solution TALK TO YOUR KID. Be informed about Facebook. Be informed about you children’s use of Facebook.

15. Try not to overreact if something negative happens An informed parent is a calm parent. Kids more likely to go to parents when the reaction is expected to when conversation can stay calm

16. Set Rules / Monitor Family Values, Household policies and rules also apply to technology. Discuss what is fair Have computer in a centrally located place “Friend” your kids/Have them “friend” you Some services can monitor teens activity without them knowing  $ fees attached  A more open approach may be better.

17. To Friend or Not to Friend If you are comfortable with using Facebook one way to monitor is to ‘Friend’ your child. Be thoughtful about what you publicly post on there wall. Although it is against Facebooks policy, many teens have gone underground. (Using a fake name to evade parental intrusion)

18. SAFETY AND REPUTATION

19. Other things to Discuss Privacy Settings. Who can see what? What if a friend is posting inappropriate materials.  Block, Ignore?

20. Information Adapted From: ConnectSafely’s “A Parent’s Guide to Facebook” A Great Resource http://www.connectsafely.org/Safety-Advice- Articles/facebook-for-parents.html http://www.connectsafely.org/Safety-Advice- Articles/facebook-for-parents.html  I will also put this PowerPoint up on http://mrpatty.net/

21. Additional Resources http://www.connectsafely.org/pdfs/fbparents.pdf http://tomuse.com/facebook-guide-how-to-tips-tricks- etiquette/ http://tomuse.com/facebook-guide-how-to-tips-tricks- etiquette/ Google ‘Facebook Parents Advice’  Many good resources out there.