Social Help for Parents:
Confused about the lingo, or some of the dangers associated with Social Networking? You've come to the right place.
What is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is defined as, 'Threatening or other offensive behavior sent online to a victim or posted online about the victim for others to see'. (Wolak, Mitchell, Finkelhor et al., 2006).
It's estimated that 42% of children under the age of 18 are victims. SocialScanner can help you protect your child from the dangers associated with cyberbullying, which can include depression, low self esteem, sadness, introversion, and even suicide.
For additional resources on cyberbullying, check out:
National Crime Prevention Council
National Sheriff's Association
US Health Resources & Services Administration
What is Cyberstalking?
The US Department of Justice refers to cyberstalking as:
the use of the Internet, e-mail, or other electronic communications devices to stalk another person. Stalking generally involves harassing or threatening behavior that an individual engages in repeatedly, such as following a person, appearing at a person's home or place of business, making harassing phone calls, leaving written messages or objects, or vandalizing a person's property. Most stalking laws require that the perpetrator make a credible threat of violence against the victim; others include threats against the victim's immediate family; and still others require only that the alleged stalker's course of conduct constitute an implied threat. While some conduct involving annoying or menacing behavior might fall short of illegal stalking, such behavior may be a prelude to stalking and violence and should be treated seriously.
For more information on cyberstalking, click here
To learn more about how SocialScanner can aid in the prevention of cyberstalking, please contact us today.
What is Facebook?
Facebook is the most popular social networking platform, having over 500 million users worldwide. Users can add people as friends, send messages that are similar to email, and update their personal profiles to notify friends about themselves (similar to Twitter). Facebook members can join groups organized by interests, workplace, sports, school, music, and a variety of other methods. Most revenue comes in the form of targeted advertising, which has been the topic of heavy public scrutiny over privacy issues.
For more information, check out:
What is MySpace?
MySpace is a social networking platform that hit its peak of popularity in 2006 with features including status updates, applications, photo sharing, and subscriptions. Members are able to set their moods, blog, comment on other user profiles, and customize their own profiles.
For more information, check out:
What is Sexting?
According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, sexting is a term intended to define a specific type of activity involving youth, sexually explicit photos or text, and electronic devices that take and transmit photos. It generally refers to youth writing sexually explicit messages or taking sexually explicit photos of themselves/others in their peer group and sharing them.
While there is no legal definition of sexting, it is important to note that most people's understanding of sexting generally does not include situations in which young people send sexually explicit images of themselves to adults. This distinction becomes more difficult based upon the age difference between the two parties. For example, when one of the parties is the 18-year-old boyfriend of a 16-year-old girl, is this sexting or more serious criminal behavior? In addition, sexting is not the appropriate term to describe youth sending sexually explicit images of themselves to others as a result of blackmail, duress, coercion or enticement.
When images taken on a cell phone involve children or their friends in some degree of nudity, the images are defined by law as child pornography. As such, there are tremendous legal consequences that result from this type of behavior. Not to mention, the likelihood of such pictures remaining private is slim, at best.
For additional information, check out:
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
What is Twitter?
Twitter is a form of social networking known as microblogging, which enables its users to send and read other user’s messages called tweets. Tweets are short posts of up to 140 characters that are displayed on a users page, essentially letting people know what you are doing. Due to the format of tweets, it's an informal collaboration and information sharing platform which has gained massive popularity in the past 12 months.
For additional information, check out:
What is YouTube?
Youtube, a subsidiary of Google, is a video sharing site that allows users to post and share their own videos, in addition to watching others. Unregistered users are only able to view videos, while registered users can upload and share their videos. Most videos on YouTube have been uploaded by individuals, although some broadcasting companies have uploaded their own content. Sexually explicit videos are only available to registered users above the age of 18; although enforcement is difficult.
For additional information, check out:
