Why Kids Should Not Be Allowed On Social Media

Why Kids Under 13 Shouldn’t Be Allowed on Social Media
The early exposure to social media can be very dangerous for the youth that are growing up today. Many of the youth today feel the peer pressure to be someone else verses discovering who they are and loving themselves. A recent survey conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), revealed that nearly 73% children aged between 8 and 13 in tier-II cities are using Facebook and social networking a, sites (Times of India, 2014). However, many parents are not aware at the fact that their child has any social media. Jayshree, an entrepreneur and mother of a 14-year-old daughter, says: “My daughter had an account even before we could realize it” (Times of

Many teenagers are unaware of how easy it is to expose private information. Technology is so slick and children are so naive about many of things. For example, it is easy to create an account duplicated to someone they are familiar with and access personal information. The technology of social media is complex, and most children are not mature enough to properly use it. “Sitting at one place and surfing the net, that might contain stuff beyond their understanding, is not just a threat to their safety but will also make them drift away from reality" (Times of India, 2014, para.11). It is easy for children to expose themselves to danger without the parents being aware. Posting pictures may seem harmless to the children, but it gives an offender direct information as to where and how to locate them. Something as easy as standing in front of one’s home taking pictures with friends, then later posting pictures on social media may seem harmless to the naive mind, but to a robber this is valuable information.The internet that social media is run on also gives access and links to adult dating sites, pornography, etc. Through curiosity, children click these links and expose themselves to pedophiles, maybe even rape, pregnancy, or even death because of false information. “Ricky Floyd, information security for Greenville County Schools and former member of the Greenville City Police Department, said he doesn’t want to seem like a scaremonger, but the dangers of social media are far reaching for youth. It’s up to parents to be the first line of defense” (Campbell, 2015, para.