After reading this article in the New York Times , I kind of chuckled. The fact that there is a class called Facebook 101 is funny yet useful. This article reminded me of how we have come a very long way with technology and very quickly. Only those who are born into this fast paced technological world can know how to keep up. But what about those who are older and want to monitor their children or grandchildren access on these sites? They should have the ability to learn how to use them as well. The New York public library in the Bronx helps those individuals who show concern about monitoring the young children in their lives. I think that this class is useful for older people to learn how to use if their children are venturing out to these social sites. We all know the dangers behind these types of websites. Even the article points out such tips for the older students to learn that is typically useful for a much younger crowd. Although many of these young children would not like to be monitored so closely by their parents or grandparents, I feel like it is a relief because many of these children do not know what they get themselves into joining these sites. Facebook does not really have any way of knowing the true age of some of its members since the site is now accessible to many people not just college students anymore. Therefore, if there is someone watching those who are really not supposed to have joined these networks then it would help lead to a safer environment for the younger community. Facebook is a growing trend and it is hard to stop these children from joining so the next best thing would be being able to monitor their behavior and photos at all times. This article provides insight into concerned parents and also shows the differences in age and technological use.
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This article was great. I have read other articles that speak about the digital divide not in the way it was used a few years ago as a divide between the have and the have notes. But more as a divide between digital natives and digital immigrants, a lot of parents are digital immigrants and it is difficult for them to learn how to monitor their children’s internet usage properly since they do not know how to use the websites themselves.
Classes like this are very useful in trying to teach parents and aid them in working with their children for age appropriate internet usage.
This article also got a smile out of me. It is pretty heartwarming to see an older crowd determined to learn about Facebook. I agree with you; there needs to be a way for the elderly to stay connected with technology and their loved ones. This should be done not only for their own knowledge, but also for them to keep in touch with family members. Last semester, I heard a speech in my communications class about the “emotional abandonment of the elderly”. It was so depressing, and the neglect of the elderly is a real problem. Keeping them up to date with social media is a great way for them to feel included. The older crowd would also benefit from using the internet for learning and recreational purposes. It also prevents a lot of kids from putting up content on their Facebook that they may regret in the future. In a sociological aspect, these kids would have an added pressure to “behave” online because they have a parental audience to perform for. In a sense, the internet would be a less dangerous place because kids wouldn’t be showing as much personal content as before.
As someone whose parents are on Facebook, I speak from experience when I say that their presence on Facebook makes me think twice about putting up certain things or even posting certain statuses that maybe I shouldn’t even be posting anyway. Overall, I believe the Facebook 101 class is a great idea that should be spread to the parents and the elderly.
The article age is nothing but a number, addressed the older generations that are not familiar with the technological advances that have been made in recent decades. I think it is great that the Bronx public library offers this course. It is a wonderful way that allows parents to monitor the internet uses of their children. With the rise of technology there was also a rise in crimes to minors that were convinced by someone they have been chatting to, which has also caused great concern for parents. I think that it is a responsible thing for parents to want to learn how to navigate the internet and keep track of their children and what they are doing online.