Kids are growing up in a digital world. They connect, share, learn, explore, and play in way unimaginable just a
generation ago. This is the only world they know and their parents, teachers, political leaders and even the media
are all doing what they can to catch up. The emergence of social media, in all its extraordinary forms, is pushing the
boundaries of what we think of as private while giving us all, and our children, a platform to express ourselves anytime,
anywhere.
It can be an unnerving prospect to a parent or teacher to see their kids pack so much processing power in their
pockets. The media have played on these fears with screaming headlines and nightly news leads about cases of
online predators, pornography, cyberbullying and sexting. Some lawmakers have proposed online safety legislation
based on a single event, such as a suicide that had an online component to it. At least RQHVtate Dttorney
Jeneral suggested raising the age limit for kids accessing social media to 16 years.
While understandable, these reactions are not always helpful or healthy