These days just about everyone in America has a cell phone, smart phone, tablet, or a computer of some sort. They are great for finding out the latest trends or big do it yourself projects or even catching up with friends. I admit that I am a big social media fan. You can always find me on Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and even on this site, reading and writing new articles. I love the fact that my friends and family are within a touch of a button for a simple text message or a good old fashioned phone call.
My generation was newly part of the technology era as we started becoming teenagers. We grew to really know how it works and what it is all about. Although we know it pretty well, it is still a small mystery to us. Today's generation is being born and growing up in such a huge technological world. This can be great at times when it comes to the educational stand point but awfully scary when children are being introduced to the social side of these advancements. Teachers can now easily utilize classroom technology for in school and out of school use. They can assign research to be done within a matter of two week compared to a month searching through books and various libraries to get the paper done. The classrooms are really growing worldwide with this help. Although this is great, children are not learning proper ways to use the social media side of the advancement. Our youth of the nation are constantly being victims of crimes involving social media. A child can easily type things they don't mean to another kid sending them into such a depressed state that they take their own life. They aren't learning that even though they aren't seeing the reactions in person doesn't mean the kid on the other end of the computer isn't hurting.
The younger generation is also too trusting when it comes to people on the Internet. They are being "Cat Fished" by older predators trying to get pictures or meet up with them. These people are posing as people their age so how would they even know? By adding friends on the Internet they don't know, they are just inviting them in. Too many children are sending nude photos or personal information to these sick people out for something they shouldn't be doing. These kids do not realize that although this act may seem so harmless, they are putting their poor little lives in danger and people around them. Throughout the past couple of years we have been trying to educate them on these dangers but I personally believe we are not doing enough. Recently in the town I grew up in we just had a case of many children adding fake Facebook accounts ran by one man out to get child pornography for his own sick pleasure. What he did was absolutely sickening, but why are these kids adding some random person they do not know? We obviously are not doing a good enough job teaching them what is right and what is wrong when it comes to social media. America, step up your game.
