The explosion of the use of social media websites like Facebook and Twitter have created a whole new world for people to consider. There are good things and bad things about using these sites. It is important for people to know the benefits and the dangers when they use these types of social websites.

Adults are responsible for their own actions and if they make mistakes when they use these outlets they will have to face the consequences of it themselves. But there are more and more children who use these forums and they cannot always be held accountable for the things that can happen on the networks.

One of the problems with these social media networks is that although they have a minimum age requirement for a person to get an account, many kids lie about their date of birth and join the site even if they are not old enough. The networks do not do much to verify the age of the users. This can put many people at risk who are not ready to handle the difficulties that they might face because of the use of a social media outlet.

It is the parent’s responsibilities to monitor their children’s actions if they allow them to join one of these networks. This does not mean that they should help them get an account and never bother to look at it. A parent or guardian needs to actively look at their child’s use of the networks. They need to see what is being written by their child and their child’s friends.

There are many possible problems that can occur that might not seem like a big deal, but could have serious repercussions if they are not handled properly. Kids can very easily give out information that is private thinking it is okay because they are giving it to a friend. This is not always the case. The internet is not as private as people always think it is. Information that is put onto the internet does not go away. Even if it was meant for a certain person to see, it is always possible for someone else to see it also.

This is why it is important to understand what information can be made public and what information cannot. Most children have not learned this lesson at a young age. It is up to the adults to teach them this and to ensure that they follow the rules. It is hard to stop a child from using social media when all of their friends are using it too, but it is not hard to teach a child the right way to use it. It is not hard to make sure that the child is as safe as possible, but it does take a little effort.

About the Author: Claire Jarrett runs Marketing By Web, who offer AdWords PPC Management and SEO Bristol