This document discusses the benefits and risks of social media use for kids and teens. The benefits include increased communication, building social relationships, and staying connected with others. However, risks include social media being addicting and distracting from schoolwork. It can also enable bullying and allow oversharing of private information. The document provides tips for parents to minimize risks, such as monitoring kids' social media use and teaching them online safety and privacy. It also includes statistics on kids' social media usage.

1. Social Media: Risks and Benefits
Steve Young
Chief Technology Officer, Judson ISD

2. Social Media

3. Social Media
• Benefits of Social Media
• Risks Of Social Media
• Tips to Minimize the Risks
• Tips to Stay Safe
• What Can A Parent Do?
• Kids and Social Media by the
Numbers
• Great Resources for More
Information
Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-
qJE2cWlsF1o/UCoryMepSLI/AAAAAAAAACE/E_J8hsGr7jM/s1600/iPhone+Social.PN
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4. Benefits of Social Media
• Increased communication is
beneficial
• Helps build social relationships
– Social media does not usually
replace normal relationships, rather
it augments them
• Allows people to stay in touch
• Allows people to network
• Helps build communities
– People can find support amongst
those with similar interests,
problems, or issues

5. Benefits of Social Media
• Social media can be very
empowering
• It is a fantastic way to learn
• Often teaches collaboration
• Allows users to create a very positive
image
• Increasingly, teachers are leveraging
student interest in social media tools
for instructional purposes

6. Risks of Social Media
• Can be addicting and/or distracting
– Can interfere with homework and
sleep
• Multi-tasking teens may not multitask
well
• Communication can be used for
harmful reasons, just as it can be
used for good ones
– Bullying can happen online, just as it
can in person
– Sexting

7. Teens Today
http://thetechnologicalcitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/student_multitasking4-300x200.jpg
http://www.wtrtrendrapport2012.nl/img/H5_2.jpg
Good read: “Is Multitasking Bad for Us?”
http://goo.gl/qA0Hz

8. Risks of Social Media
• Very easy to speak and post, leaving a
permanent trail of what was said or
done
– Can impact college admission, job
opportunities, and reputation
– Can result in punishment at school
• Since posts are just made to a
computer and not to a person,
sometimes that changes the nature or
tone of a post

9. Tips to Minimize the Risks of Online and
Social Media Behavior
• Remember to “Do unto others as you
would have them do unto you” –
golden rule works as well on the
Internet as it does anywhere else
• Never post embarrassing or
compromising information or photos
• Ask how your parents, teacher, or
employer might feel about what you
have shared or posted online

10. Tips to Stay Safe
• Never post personal information online
• Never share online credentials
• Keep profiles private.
– Most social networks have privacy settings to adjust
what is shared publicly
• Do not engage in chat with strangers
• Use Safe Search Settings
• Have children use age appropriate sites

11. What Can A Parent Do?
• Nothing is better than being involved
with your children and keeping an eye on
what they are doing online
• Learn about the tools and sites kids are
using
• Evaluate sites and technologies for age
appropriateness
• Set expectations and start out with
limited access, granting more as child
matures
• If needed, set time limits
• It can be useful to keep bedrooms and/or
homework zones “E Free” – with no
electronic distractions

12. What Can A Parent Do?
• Consider requiring that your child friend you on
their social networks
• Limit or restrict adult friending
• You can purchase an online safety or social
media monitoring service, such as TrueCare,
SafetyWeb, or Net Nanny.
• There is software available for cell phone
monitoring & filtering, such as PhoneSheriff, but
there are limitations
• You can user web filters for computers or activity
tracking software – but device proliferation is
making this less useful
• A better solution is to setup your wireless router
to use OpenDNS to filter your internet
connection:
– http://www.opendns.com/home-
solutions/parental-controls/

13. Kids and Social Media by the Numbers
From http://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/socialmediasociallife-final-061812.pdf

14. Kids and Social Media by the Numbers
From http://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/socialmediasociallife-final-061812.pdf

15. Kids and Social Media by the Numbers
From http://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/socialmediasociallife-final-061812.pdf

16. Kids and Social Media by the Numbers
From http://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/socialmediasociallife-final-061812.pdf

17. Great Resources for More Information
• Common Sense Media
– Use to gauge appropriateness of web sites, movies,
etc.
– http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/parent-
media-education
• Google Family Safety Center
– http://www.google.com/goodtoknow/familysafety/
• ParentFurther
– (Cyber)Bullying Resources:
– http://www.parentfurther.com/high-risk-
behaviors/bullying/cyberbullying
• American Academy of Pediatrics
– Compendium of resources and links to sites
– http://safetynet.aap.org/

18. Questions & Discussion
Source: http://inforrm.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/social-media.jpg

19. Thanks
• Steve Young
• Chief Technology Officer @ Judson ISD
• syoung@judsonisd.org