Social Networking For Kids: Update
The race for children social network dominance has a new challenger in the form of an old face: Barbie Girls. I try to stay up to date on this space and I have actually seen my oldest daughter spend a session or two on this site, but it’s now being reported that in its first 60 days of existence, Barbie Girls has signed up over three million members!
While it’s not entirely surprising to see Barbie jump out to such large numbers, the fact is that it is growing quicker than any of its predecessors and supports the theory that social networks are here to stay. At least for now.
As parents, we need to accept this and come up with our own guidelines as to how we handle our children’s online usage. Without these networks, it was easy to tell our kids there was nothing online for them. Now, with many of their friends spending their time online, it’s increasingly difficult to make that point sincerely. My daughter often spends time playing games on Club Penguin with a group of friends from class.
These networks will continue to grow and command more and more of our children’s time and attention. Realistically, they can be looked at as training wheels for a lifetime of social networking. Our parents played with Barbie dolls and my generation played video games, but our children are now in the midst of a virtual playground, one that will likely seep later into their lives than our we or our parents experienced.
Some more mega-popular social networks for kids include Habbo Hotel, Zwinky and Gaia Online. With so many options and so many of their friends already online, it’s only a matter of time before your child expresses interest in joining one of these networks.
- Discussion Points:
- Will you let your child join a social network for kids or have you already?
- What are the good and bad side effects, if any, that you have noticed?
- Do you think social networks are here to stay or just a passing fad?
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