By Jesse Magnuson, Youth Intern

(See Phase 2)

Over the past few months several parents shared their concerns with me as to whether or not their students should join Facebook, MySpace, or another social networking site. The questions they asked echo the concerns of many parents and educators. Are social networking sites dangerous? Should I allow my student to be involved in a social networking community? Then once they’re online, should I visit their site? Wouldn’t that be like spying? The week before Christmas, MySpace.com and Facebook.com were the 6th and 7th most popular sites on the Internet. Online social networking is here and doesn’t look like it is leaving very soon. In this article, I hope to provide a tool for helping parents address these present forms of communication and others which may come in the future. The article is split into two parts. The second part will be published in the February Newsletter.

What is Facebook/MySpace/social networking?
Online social networks are virtual communities. Each individual in the community builds a site that represents him or herself. The individual’s website contains basic information about the user (i.e. name, gender, age, date of birth, etc.), pictures, communications with other users and notes about whatever the user thought might be of general interest, ranging from what they had to eat for breakfast to international politics. Other users can view this site, learn more about the person behind it and possibly leave some communication for him or her. There is a wide range of variety amongst social networks. Some social networks are based primarily around notes of general interest; these social networks are commonly called blogs.

Other online social networks, like Facebook and MySpace, are focused more on short communications, on the level of text messages, and pictures. Currently, the most popular online social networking sites are Facebook and MySpace, due in part to the ease with which an individual’s site can be produced. Unlike some blogging sites, no knowledge of programming is required to produce an attractive site.

Many social networking sites provide significant privacy settings allowing the user to limit to whom and how much of his or her page is visible. Both Facebook and MySpace have privacy settings; however, I am less familiar with MySpace. So, I will limit my privacy setting discussion to Facebook.

Facebook provides a wide variety of security options. Generally, people only allow those they have ‘friended’, or selected as friends, to view their site. Also, if you are part of a network, a group of users, you can adjust your settings so that anyone on that network understand these sites and their privacy settings, a parent would do well to join an online social network and try it out. They’re free. And if you do join Facebook, become a fan of KSBC!

What are the benefits of such an activity?
The greatest and most easily realized benefit to online social networking is connecting with friends, family and acquaintances from a variety of life’s venues, such as camps, conferences, school, family, church and youth group, and it allows the user to be involved with their lives from a distance. In this way, online social networks help the user stay in contact and up-to-date with more people than he or she otherwise could. There is no longer a need for up-date e-mails because your personal webpage keeps your friends up-to-date.

Online social networks, provide another tool for sharing information. For instance, if you would like pictures of your friends, and they are your ‘friends’ on Facebook, there are probably several pictures of them from which to choose.
Another fundamental benefit of online social networks pertains particularly to those who are strong in their faith. Social networks are a source for “the marketplace of ideas.” They provide an important and substantial opportunity to represent Christ to the world. On social networks, it is easy to find worldly views but the truth can go unheard. As ambassadors, we need to represent Christ in all redeemable venues. There are Christian social networks, but this seems more of an attempt to remove ourselves from the world rather than represent Jesus in it. Online social networking provides a good opportunity to be actively involved in this “marketplace of ideas” and to reach out to people with the truth of Christ. At the same time, students need to be careful, just as in day-to-day life, to represent Jesus well.

Online social networks afford parents and students the opportunity to dialogue. Parents and students can strive together to come to Biblical solutions of an important issue of our day, helping students bring God’s Word into their lives and giving students and parents challenges upon which to develop their relationship.

How should parents respond?
Families should consider carefully and communicate about their choice to participate in or abstain from online social networking. Parents will do well to explain to their students why they choose to allow them to participate in social networking or not. If the student has trouble with time management, the student should know that’s the issue so they can work to change it. Communication is key. As students grow, parental authority rides more and more on the student’s relationship to the parents and less on the parents’ ability to discipline. Thus, parents need to be careful to communicate with the student, helping them understand the decision. If parents choose to allow students to participate, they ought to be involved in social networking as well. One way or another, online social networks provide insight into a student’s life that is hard to find elsewhere, and for the student who is maturing well in Christ, it is an opportunity to represent Jesus on a large scale.

If you would like more information before next month, check out these articles:
http://voxpopnetwork.com/voxpop/2006/09/19/myspace-yourspaceultimately-its-all-hisspace/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thefacebook

Next month… Dangers and more “How Parents should respond.”

Social Networking: What do you say?
“It enhances friendships made at camp or conferences and enables kids to keep up with one another….even from a distance. For the teen with a strong faith, it is a good opportunity to express these views “in the marketplace of ideas” for young people, which is increasingly places like Facebook and MySpace.” – Paul Briggs, who also emphasized the need for parental oversight if a family chooses to participate in online social networking.

“The biggest benefit that I’ve found so far is getting pictures of all the interns and making them into dancing elves.” – Matt Borg.

It [has] been my experience that parents have no idea what a child’s “internet life” is like. I have had several very surprised parents when they have been confronted with the “truth” of what their children have put on the web. So, if I wrote an article it would be about the parent’s role in the total picture.” – Bill Bolander.

See Phase 2