It's Social Media; do you know where your children are?

Baby boomers will remember the Public Service Announcement that came on every evening.  “It’s eleven o’clock; do you know where your children are?”

Of course, that was during the 60’s and 70’s, and most kids were already tucked in their beds, dreaming of Big Wheels and Barbies.  Life seemed simple enough.

Fast forward to 2011; Today, life is moving so rapidly, kids are seemingly more mature and have access to every technology that Flash Gordon only dreamed of.

The biggest “player” in the social media market is the phenomenon called “Facebook”.  It is a likable communication application that makes getting in touch and finding old friends a possibility.  Facebook has been credited with bringing long lost relatives to happy reunions.

I am not opposed to being social (although, many that know me would probably disagree), but my warning to parents is to offer advice to your children like they did on “Hill Street Blues” – “Let’s be careful out there!”

If your child has a Facebook account – you need one, too.  You also need to be included as their “friend”.  It is one way to keep involved in their activities.  If they refuse to make you a “friend” – then refuse their access to Facebook.  After all, what do they have to hide?

Here are the issues I have with people (not just kids) sharing too much information via social media (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc).

1)   Cyberbullying - involves deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group that is intended to harm others.

2)   Announcing your family vacation – attention areas burglars…we’ll be gone and the house will be vacant.

3)   Announcing that you are meeting your friends at the mall, restaurant, movies, etc. and wondering why the guy that has been stalking you shows up.

4)   Lesson from Tiger/Brett, etc. – when you text, email or share pictures via the Internet, it is there for all to see – even years later when you want to run for public office, be on American Idol or any other career that doesn’t need more publicity than it already gets.

5)   Finding a job or going to college – Since posting to social media is “public domain”, colleges and employers often peruse the Internet to determine what kind of student/employee they can expect. 

And just a little advice…if you already have a job, don’t call in sick and then post on your Facebook how drunk you got last night!