Social Networking and It's Effects

The influence of social networking on today's society has an enormous effect on the way young children and teens. On the PBS website, I noticed that many teens have taken to liking myspace and other internet social networks that focus on obtaining friends, conversing with others, as well as creating a new identity all together. This type of lifestyle has many advantages that teenagers and young kids use in order to have a better perspective of themselves whether it be to have fun or to stay updated on the lives of others such as relationships. However, all these advantages come with a draw back which is anonymity. Anyone who has access to the internet will be able to keep tabs or "spy" on young teenagers and their lives which can be very dangerous and harmful without adult supervision or privacy. Social networking sites have always been made to attract teens as well as adults with the freedom to post what they like for others to view and for them to be noticed. This type of social norm is perfectly fine with the right privacy, however, criminals such as stalkers or sexual predators will continue to take advantage of these social networking sites and turn something that may seem harmless into a dangerous ordeal.