Online Activities – Blogging
Do Your Teens Blog?
Blogging, as well as other versions of sharing content online, is something teens today do. They do not keep written journals because they want to have access to digital material. At the same time, teens are sharing more with their friends than ever. Blogs are a fantastic place to create goals, dream big dreams, and share tips and strategies.
However, teens need to know what blogs can do, and the numerous risks that they often can bring to the forefront of a teen's life.
Realize Blogs Are Open Doors
A good way to view blogs is that they are an open book. Unlike a written journal, everything written and published online is going to be available for the world to see. As a result, your teen could quickly find him or herself sharing private thoughts and information with the world around them. In many cases, that is a good thing. They want to share who they are, what their beliefs are, and what their views are. However, parents need to also teach kids what blogging means.
In short, before teens blog, they need to understand the changes to their privacy that will take place. They need to understand what their intentions are and how to remain safe in a digitally connected world.
The Implications of Blogging
Banning blogging isn't necessarily the right answer. Rather, parents need to take steps to teach their teens how to blog in a safe manner.
- First, they need to know what types of information should be shared online and what should not.
- They should establish some privacy rules for themselves. They don't have to put everything out there.
- Teens should also limit the number of personal photos they take and share of themselves since these can be particularly risky.
- They should understand how they are putting their privacy at risk and how to limit access, such as through password protected sites.
In addition to this, teens also need to realize that once information is on the web, it is very hard to remove. In fact, school admissions officers and future employers will be able to gain access to this information and, in some cases, can use it to make key decisions about the student. A blog can be incredibly beneficial to many and when used in the right way, it does not have to be a bad thing.