Part I: The Truth Revealed. Internet and Social Networking Facts

The Truth Revealed: Part I

Introduction

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V

^{Why Kids and Teens Need An Alternative To Social Networking Sites Created By Adults For Adults}

To Avoid The Sexualization of Kids, The Creation of Child Pornograhy and The Corruption of All That Is Good In Our Children

I recently shared the positive benefits to our children when they participate in social media/social networking sites.  A few of the many benefits include:

• Developing technical skills necessary to particpate in the 21st century.
• Contributing to the general circulation of culture.
• Extending friendships and interests.
• Teaching our children to leverage the benefits of technology into the service of helping themselves and all people and communities.

The problem to date in my opinion is that no one has set out to protect minors from the fall-out of what happens when children participate in online communities created by adults for adults.

While the benefits to participation in social media are plentiful, the negatives are devastating and unacceptable.

Take for example, "Brand A". Brand A markets itself as: the 3rd largest social network in the United States with over 80 million members worldwide.

Brand A is a social media company that:

1. Sexualizes kids.

2. Allows for participation in a culture that if the computer wasn't involved would be illegal.

3. Expose kids to a negative culture and content they'd likely never have seen prior, if at all. 

4. Allows minors to put themselves in a position where they likely will be agressively sexually solicited.

5. Allows minors to be in danger of losing their true selves.

This is wrong. We as parents have to help change things for our kids.

Brand A:

"James H, 15 likes sucking dick and _ucking black males 14, 15,16."

This young 17 year old, with her profile "set to private", sadly thinks this is the best way to portray who she is.

The statistics that come have come to life:

• 20% of teens have electronically sent or posted online, nude or semi-nude pictures of video of themselves**.
• 39% of teens are sending or posting sexually suggestive messages.**

Why is this happening?

• 44% of both girl and boy teens have said they sent messages or images in response to such content they received.**
• Almost half of all teens have received sexually suggestive messages.**

Brands profit:

• M Radio and LG Profit by associating their brand through advertising with this content.

Without a computer involved,  (at least in the case of the boy) this activity would be illegal: creation of child pornography.  In the case of the girl, best described as: unacceptable. Degrades and devalues the person she is.

Please don't run and unplug your computer or eliminate internet access. Instead use your knowledge to spread the word and create positive change for our kids. We have to do this together.

I hope the facts that I reveal in this series help you understand why I've committed myself, (including the entire Yoursphere.com team) to changing the environment our kids socially network in. As well, why I've decided to become an advocate for parent education and involvement regarding social media participation and the Internet.

Look for Part 2 in this series that shares how "Brand B" monetizes itself (and boasts about an increase in profits), due in part to an application that "buys and sells people". No, that's not a slip of the keyboard.

Mary Kay Hoal

**The National Campaign.org/Sex and Tech CosmoGirl, 2009

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