Understanding Possible Facebook Dangers in the Age of Social Media

Facebook and other social media websites have changed the way people interact all over the world. It started with a few thousand college kids in the mid-2000s and has grown into an international Internet phenomenon, with all the convenience and fun of a virtual town hall - and all the incumbent privacy issues of any large Internet enterprise. Potential Facebook dangers center on access to private information, so it's smart to educate yourself about the privacy settings available to every account.

It's also wise to post responsibly. Sometimes, it's too easy to toss out a comment about current events or to share a racy photograph. So easy, in fact, users might not think through the ramifications, short-term and long-term, of allowing the public intimate access to such knowledge. Even after you've applied your privacy settings, possible Facebook dangers demand that you:

• Don't post personal information, like your social security number, that might be used by an identity thief

• Don't post photos that you'd be ashamed to show your grandparents

• Don't answer chat requests from people you don't know

• Don't click on unfamiliar or suspicious-looking links

• Think twice before you post disparaging remarks about anything or anyone

Of course, one of the less-tangible Facebook dangers - but one most Facebook users have experienced - is connected to the tendency to spend far too much time cultivating a virtual garden, fighting a virtual mob war, tending a virtual barnyard full of virtual animals, chatting all night with friends or just reading and commenting on every status update that pops up. Before you know it, two or three hours will have passed and all you have to show for it are bleary eyes and, perhaps, a few thousand virtual poker chips won in a Texas Hold 'Em tournament.

Parents who wish to help their kids avoid possible Facebook dangers can use the Mikko Que to exert control over the amount of online time. The Que allows parents to preset the amount of time available for TV viewing, video game playing and computer use, and it allows kids to choose how they wish to spend that time by using TimeKeys set up specifically for them. Contact Mikko USA to learn more.

Media Management for Children - It's time.