How Computers Change The Way We Think Analysis

Social media is a very convenient and instant way of keeping up with old friends and family, living out of town. When used properly, Facebook; My Space; Instant Messaging; on line gaming; Skype; blogging and other various forms of online communication can be a very enjoyable pastime, providing contact that is both rewarding and beneficial. In contrast, most people rarely consider the potential negative consequences these communications have, especially concerning the safety of young users. During the sharing of common interests through social media, a child becomes comfortable. This may lead to their natural instinct for personal space to be broken down. Once this occurs they are more likely to share intimate details about themselves with others, consequently opening the door to a number of serious threats both to themselves and their family’s security.
In How Computers Change the Way We Think,
Sherry Turkle, a clinical psychologist and sociology professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, explains, that by creating a false sense of security in the minds of children, technologies such as those stated above desensitizes young people to the importance of privacy. Bit by bit, children may begin to reveal personal details about their lives that normally they would never share with a stranger.
Atlanta Monthly’s technology columnist and nationally recognized author, James Fallows reveals in his article, Tinfoil Underwear, that the average internet user does not grasp the depth of intrusion possible to families using technology. He warns in his writings’, "what most of us might not grasp, is just how many online activities can now be logged and stored," relating, that modern life has completely shifted to an "on the record" basis. Fallow, of course is speaking to an adult audience. If he and his colleagues sense such a need to educate the public to the liabilities of social media and online communications, how much more relevant is the idea, that we insist our young people understand and take seriously the matter of privacy in relation to these same venues. The apparent comfort zone in the attitudes of today’s youngsters is alarming to persons familiar with the internet of things, Including; doctors, teachers, and law officials. Most parents however still remain in the dark, believing there is no harm in allowing their children to use technology such as Facebook, Face Time and live gaming to interact with their friends. As with most activities these media forums can be a positive experience in recreation, if entered into responsibly. However, along with Fallows' findings, Turkle sheds light on the fact “that middle and high school students tend to be willing to provide personal information online with no safeguards.” And that even “college students seem uninterested in violations of privacy.” This is evidence that young users do not fully comprehend the need for discretion when engaging with friends through technology, nor fully understand the precarious situations that disclosing too much intimate information to a new friend can put them in. Here, more difficulty arises, due to the fact that in social media the definition of friendship has become obscured.
Facebook; has the highly notable “Friends List,” Instant Messenger; the private “Chat Box,” Texting; has the “Favorites Contact list,” Bloggers; have “Followers” and Gamers; have their “Virtual Community.” Making it onto the list is a recognition worthy of honor in the eyes of today’s youth. Though children desire to be accepted and part of a meaningful group, whatever list they fall under seems to be of little importance compared to actually acquiring the largest friends list. This list of innumerable names seems to be the ultimate goal and driving force behind so many young peoples’ willingness to blur the lines defining friendship, accepting everyone who sends them a friend request regardless of whether they know them or not. What once required a deep legitimate closeness, built over time has morphed into a mere list of vaguely familiar names. Consisting of persons they really know little about, just for the mere fact of being able to say they have … number of friends. The sheer quantity of members, belonging to another, has become our children’s’ defining moment of passage in our technological age. This lack of insight in determining true friendship, though understandably concerning to most parents, may be in part due to the normal immaturity of a young persons’ ability to think in the abstract.
Parents innocently add to their child’s confusion by teaching their children stranger danger, coaching them to cross the street if approached by someone they do not know, reminding them to use the buddy system and always staying an arms’ length away from others, and encouraging the actions of running , kicking and scream if grabbed or surrounded by a unfamiliar person. Some parents even go so far as to create secret family words to use, if another person will be picking their child up from an event. Cautious parents go to great lengths in teaching their children these lessons for their protection and safe keeping. Inadvertently, these same well intentioned parents complicate their instruction by turning around and reprimanding their sons and daughters for not being friendly to people in public who speak to them. They insist that their youngsters be polite and helpful to the lady crossing the street and encourage them to hug uncle Jeffery, who smells and makes the child uncomfortable. When introduced to strangers, children are scolded with “Where are your manors, smile and say hello?” Maybe one of the most conflicting lesson is telling the child that it is ok to talk to, or go off with, so and so, even though they do not know them, because he or she is a friend of the parents.
This is very confusing to children. The distinctions in how people are supposed to react in new and uncertain situations are seemingly obvious to grownups, but to children whose brains and reasoning skills are still forming, the ability to use common sense is bewildering. Abstract thinking takes until young adulthood to fully complete in development. Children are not capable of Hypothetical thinking, therefore during the early years of development if a child feels he or she is being given conflicting messages from the adults in their lives, they may begin to doubt the truths of those adults, simply because they cannot differentiate between the probable and the possible. The aforementioned opposing lessons on how children are expected to behave toward people they do not know or those they first meet, generates profound confusion for them. Parents run the risk of their youngsters rejecting the very lessons on personal safety that they are trying to instill, if the child’s discomfort is not removed and replaced with a clear understanding of what is acceptable and expected behavior.
When the child is older and begins to express an interest in social media and online connections it is imperative to their personal well being that they have acquired a distinct understanding of what separates a friend from an acquaintance as well as what information is meant for family and which can be shared.
If their confusion is carried over into their media activities it poses an enormous threat to their safety. While online children are bombarded with audio and visual stimuli, ideas, information, requests, and a multitude of other exchanges. Their novelty in the vastness of technology can lead to the accidental release of personal information and/or the unintentional encouragement of unwanted advances from strangers. Children are innately trusting and their sense of danger is far removed especially when they are absorbed in play and interaction with friends. This makes them highly vulnerable to the advances of predators. A topic most parents are uncomfortable discussing yet one that is an increasing reality in the presence of social media and online
interactions.
Most online communication is about sharing likes and activities for your friends to see. Looking at it objectively, most young people have a profile. These pieces of seemingly harmless information are exactly what a predator looks for. They list places the child has visited, their favorite books, music, and foods. A youths’ profile can reveal a lot about them and can be accessed by anyone on their friends list. This is where a stranger can learn about a child and begin to gain their trust by making connections to the youth’s interests, thereby breaking down the barrier of acquaintance and developing a false sense of true friendship. Once this occurs the child is more apt to be invited to online gaming where together with the new friend they enter into the field of imaginative play.