Posted on Saturday 27 May 2006
Ohan Pinto picked up on my post about the proposed law by the suburban caucus to ban access to social networking sites in Public Libraries and Schools. (oh and my name is spelled Kaliya – not Kalia) She said this:
I am not against social networking, but I have kids, and I am concerned… especially when I’m aware that kids today do things without thinking of the consequences. I do not see this move as a bad move by the feds. It may very well turn out to be good. This post by Michael Miller on Warning children about online dangers gives a nice insight on the real dangers of social networking sites and how “minors†can get exploited.
One needs to draw the line somewhere….
That “somewhere” is not by inhibiting the freedom to organize and gather in online space – by people using . Adults who don’t have access to computers at home go to libraries to surf the web, get email an social network. Increasingly online networking tools will be used to organize to make change – they are places where people gather and the 1st amendment applies
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Dana Boyd has done a lot of ethnographic research with young adults to understand what they are doing in online space. She has this to say about the legislation. If you are concerned about your children’s behavior get involved in their life enough that they share what they are up to and you have open communication channels to share with them what is and is not acceptable. One of the critical parts is an ‘autonomous’ space – they are connecting and communicating with one another as peers – see her Bill O’Reilly Interview.
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