Facebook: is this a place for children?

Bottom line up front: I don't think children belong on Facebook.

Yes, Facebook is a fun place to connect, but even adults have been victimized via Facebook. Older kids, even college kids, have been bullied on Facebook. Some people think that kids can be on Facebook if properly monitored, but I disagree. Facebook has privacy issues, and kids just don't have the maturity and experience to deal with some of the issues that may be "faced" on Facebook. Facebook isn't just about playing games and posting pictures for your friends and family . . .  There are people who look for potential victims on Facebook--they look for children, women, etc. 

I am very careful with my own Facebook account--I wouldn't dream of allowing an elementary aged child to be on Facebook. Parents, grandparents, guardians . . . please think twice before allowing an elementary or middle school aged child to have an account on Facebook. Be a responsible adult and draw the line. I did.

Lost and found: a note from Tyler

Some things are just too sweet . . .  Tyler wrote this note to me in the Spring of 2007, and it remained on my refrigerator door for . . . years. I've since packed it safely away with other mementos, but my blog is my new "refrigerator door."

~ Tyler, 2007

Life is good, and I am very blessed. I'd rather be me than anyone else! Thank you, Tyler, for continuing to brighten my days--I love you!

Facebook: it's not me, it's you . . .

Dear Facebook,

It's not me, it's you. I've loved you--it's true. You have helped me connect to friends and family who are far, far away . . . You have helped me to share pictures, stories, good times and bad times; you have been there for me. You also have allowed me to learn things that have hurt--a lot. Yet through that I have grown . . .

But this time you have gone too far . . .  You are infringing on my privacy more than I imagined. My trust in you before was fragile, but now I have no trust in you at all.

I realize that you perceive your changes to be an enhancement for users, but every change you make appears to disrupt privacy settings. Every change you make requires me to check to see if my information is shared more than I feel comfortable sharing . . . And yes, your changes do change the settings previously set by users. I'm not happy about this, Facebook.

I want to be able to choose what I share on Facebook--I don't want to need to opt out by changing my privacy settings. Rather, if I want to share, let me take the time to share by posting on my own. You may think you are making things easier for me, but I'd like to close the door and have a little privacy. If I want to share, let me open the door--I don't need a butler.

Sincerely,

TK

Related:

Facebook is Scaring Me

My artistic side . . .

This is a creepy picture . . . but I like it!