Social Media and Control The generation of today has changed drastically since the 1960’s in more ways than one. Technology wise, social media has become a necessity in the lives of many. From school to work, social media is depended on. Social media should be subject to government or parental control. Parents should limit children’s use of social media for safety issues. Yes, technology greatly benefits people, but if used improperly, it can play a negative effect on the lives of young ones in the long run. Parents may be unaware of the dangers of social media like, for example, cyber bullying. In 2012 alone, 42% of children admitted to being bullied online according to bullyingstatistics.org. As a result, 30% of these victims also admitted that they sought revenge in those who were bullies. The sudden rise in technology has led children to suffer emotionally and the pain is not in their control. Parents should control children’s use of technology and also be informed with whatever goes on in the cyber world. Parents should make strict rules regarding technology use. According to ncpc.org, 80% of children said there was little or no parenting rules regarding the internet. If there was, however, there would always be a way to get around it. Parents should have a time limit on internet use as well as the password to every account. If these rules are enforced, parents will have a better idea what is going on in children’s’ lives and prevent any dangers from happening. The government, as well, should take control of children’s use in technology. The government should limit children’s use in technology to protect their safety, as parents do. Students sometimes ruin any chances of going to a good college because of inappropriate things that are said online as self defense. As a result, students’ futures are ruined because good colleges won’t accept this kind of behavior. If the government limits children’s use of social media, students won’t have to worry about not getting accepted into good colleges because of things said on the internet. The internet interferes with children’s outcome in school because of the many distractions it brings. Social networking sites in today’s generation, like Facebook or Twitter, aren’t uncommon. About 73% of children, according to toptenreviews.com, spend time on social networking sites. These sites are addicting to some children and take up a lot of time that could be spent on homework. If parents take control of the time children spend on these sites, time would be put into good use and will also be assured that no personal information is being given out. Safety issues, like cyber bullying, would also be in the hands of parents. As children’s guardians, social media should be only one more factor that parents control. Social media is dangerous in some ways; therefore there should be no question that parents should always have control of the events that take place online. According to toptenreviews.com, 29% of children that use a social networking site have been contacted or stalked by a stranger. 88% of parents know that children use social networking sites to communicate with strangers in the offline world. Since parents already know children are using social media to talk to strangers, what goes on from that point on should be observed to prevent the hazardous risk to children’s safety. Children, on the other hand, may disagree with the interference of parents and social media. Children, of course, want privacy and therefore don’t want parents to interfere with any social life that is present. Not surprisingly 67% of children, according to toptenreviews.com, know how to hide what they do online from parents. Parents although, should have the right to be informed on what children do online. Although privacy is needed, it should be to a certain exempt and shouldn’t interfere with safety. Parents should always be up to date on what goes on in the cyber world. In conclusion, social media should be subject to government or parental control. When not used properly social media can play a safety hazard in children’s lives. Social networking sites can also prevent children from getting into good colleges and starting a good future. When the cyber world gets out of control, it also leads to cyber bullying which places children in a very difficult position emotionally. Therefore, to children, social media should always be controlled.

Works Cited Page * "Cyber Bullying Statistics." - Bullying Statistics. N.p., 2010. Web. 06 Feb. 2013. * Bullying: What Parents Can Do. 2013. 06 Feb. 2013. <http://www.ncpc.org/topics/bullying/what-parents-can-do.> * “Bully: Scholarship Edition Review - TopTenREVIEWS." Bully: Scholarship Edition Review - TopTenREVIEWS. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2013.