We had some fun this week digging through our archives to find stories that, well might be relevant in essence to current news trends. Social media is still making headlines, in the form of a recent TikTok ban at any Texas state agency as of December of last year. Recently, reports of drug dealers using Snapchat to sell fentanyl have also emerged as a national trend of concern. So, with social media still making national and local news, we thought it would be interesting to see how far we’ve come over the years since we first took an in-depth look at all things social network related.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: From the Vault is a weekly article series that looks back at Fort Worth Magazine’s past in print. For instance, this article originally ran in our January 2008 issue.)
Raising the Digital Generation
by Cortney Strube
We live in the electronic age. iBooks and BlackBerrys are the norm, and a wireless Internet connection can be accessed in nearly every coffee shop in town. If you can’t check your e-mail on the road, just whip out your Motorola Razr and, with the click of a button, you’re there. Americans both young and old have embraced digital technology as a necessary part of daily life. For younger generations, that necessity centers on social networking and the ability to connect with friends anytime, anywhere.
Social networking through digital technology can be a tool for youth to connect with peers and gain social stability. But, some parents are fearful that early Internet exposure and text messaging puts youth at risk.
Cyber-bullying, cyber-stalking, and unwanted sexual solicitation, which can occur in chat rooms, on Instant Messenger, through text messaging, and on Web sites like MySpace, are just a few of the concerns among parents.
Lindsey Olsen, CyberTipline program manager for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, said the way to prevent potentially dangerous situations is for parents to be fully engaged and aware of what their children are doing online.
The Progression of Bullying
Forget the third grade when Johnny pushed you on the playground and laughed as you picked yourself up off the gravel. Stop reminiscing about the high school cliques, the longing to fit in and the “Brace Face” jokes.
Bullying has taken on a whole new meaning for younger generations. It’s no longer restricted to bus stops, playgrounds or high school cafeterias. Home is no longer the safe haven from the teases and sneers it once was.
Through the Internet and text messaging, cyber-bullying, a modern day version of antagonization, has crept into the homes and bedrooms of teens, making it more personal than an unkind word or a shove in the hallway.
It is described as cruelty to others by sending or posting harmful material via text message or the Internet or engaging in other forms of social aggression using digital technologies. Cyber-bullying can include spreading rumors through text messages, posting gossip on MySpace and online harassment.
There are increasing reports of teenagers and children using technology to post damaging information to bully their peers or engage in other aggressive behavior, according to Nancy Willard in her book Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats: Responding to the Challenge of Online Social Aggression, Threats, and Distress.
Denigration or “dissing” someone online with the intent of diminishing that person’s reputation or friendships is one of the most common forms of cyber-bullying. This could mean creating a Web site or online group dedicated to posting gossip, jokes, rumors and other damaging material about a particular person or group at school.
Another common cyber-bullying tactic is called “outing”—sharing someone’s secrets or embarrassing information through social networking technologies like text messages or the Internet.
Whether it’s denigration, outing, harassment or actual threats, digital technology has made it easy for teens to say and do things they would never do in real life.
In her book, Willard, who is the executive director for the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use, said one reason for this is in the “You can’t see me—I can’t see you” theory.
“When people use the Internet, they perceive that they are invisible,” she said. “They do not receive tangible feedback about the consequences of their actions, including actions that have hurt someone.”
A lack of feedback or punishment leads to the misperception that no harm has been done, said Willard in her book.
What’s more is that some cyber-bullies humiliate and harass their peers by doing so under a false identity and with a sense of anonymity that can allow execution of the harshest of tactics.
Clueing In
In the past five years, online social networking sites have gone from a “niche activity” to an everyday engagement of millions of Internet users, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project.
The concept of networking sites is to connect members with new people through those in which they already know. The purposes of social networking can range from reconnecting with old classmates on sites like Classmates.com, sparking a romantic relationship on Match.com, establishing friendships on Facebook and MySpace, or even establishing business relationships.
The only requirement for most sites is that members have an active e-mail address. Once signed up, members can create profiles—the link that will connect them to others on the network. A profile allows members to post such information as their phone number, address and hometown, age, sex, sexual orientation and favorite activities. Members can also upload personal photos, videos, music and blogs. This information can be accessible to the public, depending on privacy settings, or the profile can be viewed solely by those who share one’s personal network.
A personal network is established when two members confirm an online friendship, or the potential of one; thus, an online community is created and relationships develop.
For example, on MySpace, if no privacy settings are in place, members can search for one another and view member profiles. However, for two members to actually interact, the two will add each other to a “friends list,” which requires a request-and-confirmation process from one to the other.
Most commonly, social networking Web sites are the forum for two of the most common risks associated with social networking—sexual predators and cyber-bullying.
The Scope About Social Networking Technology
Like many 15-year-olds in Fort Worth, Shelby Leonard is no stranger to online social networking. The Arlington Heights High School sophomore is one of the 49 million active users of the social Web site Facebook—an online entity that allows users to communicate with friends and family.
Social networking sites are the latest in online trends, and whether it’s Facebook, MySpace, Xanga or Friendster, teens and ‘tweens are utilizing these sites to meet new friends and connect with old ones.
Leonard, who frequently logs on to her Facebook account and is a member of MySpace, said she is aware of the dangers of social networking sites.
“I do have a MySpace account, and I keep the settings on private,” she said. “People have to request to be my friend before they can see my profile.”
Leonard said before setting up accounts on Facebook and MySpace, she read stories about the potential dangers.
“I was scared when I heard that people can find out where you live,” she said. “It’s especially scary because people can still see too much of your personal information and what you look like—even if your profile is private.”
Once, Leonard said, a man she didn’t know contacted her on Facebook.
“He said he hoped I was open to new relationships. I looked at his profile and lots of girls had been asking who he was. He has tried to talk to a lot of girls.”
Leonard said she immediately told her parents about the situation, and they helped her block the man from finding her on the Web site.
Despite the scare, Leonard’s mother, Sydney, said she prefers Facebook over MySpace because the settings seem more private.
Facebook has a different setup, as members are automatically a part of a network upon joining the site. Networks are based on region, school or company. Profiles are automatically set on private for members outside of the social network, but members, for maximum privacy, can adjust even more strict settings.
Malorie Lucich, a spokesperson for Facebook, said the average user on Facebook can see less than 0.1 percent of other users’ profiles.
“A user profile is not publicly available to all Facebook users or all Internet users,” said Lucich. “In addition, Facebook has a network structure and, only if you share a network with someone or have become a confirmed ‘friend,’ can you view their profile.”
The Predators’ Tool
According to the Washington Post, MySpace acknowledged that it had detected 29,000 registered sex offenders on its site. These were only those who signed up using their real names. Facebook also found some offenders and removed their access but didn’t report any numbers.
Of the 2,800 registered sex offenders in Tarrant County, about 10 percent have MySpace accounts, according to the Fort Worth District Attorney’s Office.
“This doesn’t even include those offenders who use fake names,” said Lori Varnell, Tarrant County assistant district attorney. “These are only offenders using their real name and location. There is no way of knowing about online pedophiles who use false information to create an account.”
It’s not difficult for pedophiles or predators to create a profile of their own claiming to be a classmate or getting pictures off a school’s Web site to see all of the child’s information, Varnell said.
In 2005, more than 90 percent of parents and guardians were concerned about their children being exposed to sexually explicit content on the Internet, according to a national combined study.
The same survey found that youth frequently reported exposure to unwanted sexual material, sexual solicitations and harassment.
Part of the problem of online sexual predators is the amount of sexually explicit material children and teenagers are exposed to when they’re online, said Varnell. The average age of exposure to pornography is 11 for boys and 13 for girls.
“MySpace is a great place for teens to see their first pornography. Even though the policy says ‘Nothing nude is allowed,’ almost every post has some sort of sexual connotation,” she said. “Their innocence is then compromised. It sexualizes them and leads to conversations about sex. So when a predator tries to talk about sex, the teens are not that surprised.”
Troy Lawrence, detective for the Fort Worth Police Department’s computer crimes unit, said although there are no reports or cases in Fort Worth of children or teens being sought after and physically victimized after chatting online with a predator, there is always a chance of such an encounter.
“Any child can be a victim at any time,” Lawrence said. “There are plenty of sex offenders here in Tarrant County. We’ve just been lucky there aren’t any reports of abuse here so far.”
Lawrence reiterated how difficult it is to locate online predators if they use fake identities.
What Every Parent Should Know
It is often easier for children and teenagers to engage in risky behavior when they are text messaging late at night or when they have a computer in their bedrooms, Varnell said.
Older kids are at a greater risk than young because of the natural need for independence and freedom.
Other risks include “morphing” or creating a false image of oneself through electronic media.
It is not uncommon for teens to have one MySpace profile in their real names and another with a false identity, allowing for unmonitored access and activity on social networking sites.
“For some teens, social networking profiles are their personal advertising boards. They need attention and their profiles say, ‘Here I am. Pay attention to me,’” Varnell said.
According to the Pew study, 82 percent of teens have included their first names in their profiles, 79 percent have included photos of themselves and 61 percent of teens have included the name of their city or town.
For example, Jordan is a senior at Castleberry High School in Fort Worth. On her MySpace profile, the 17-year-old lists the neighborhood in which she resides, as well as her height, hair color and e-mail address. Personal photos show Jordan with her closest friends and family. Jordan’s profile has no privacy setting and can be viewed publicly.
Parry Aftab, a cyberlawyer and privacy and security expert, said this is exactly the type of thing parents should worry about.
“Parents of teens are concerned about what their children are posting online,” Aftab said. “They’re also concerned with sexual predators getting their children’s information online.”
A good rule of thumb: Don’t tell anyone online something you wouldn’t tell a stranger on the street, Aftab said.
“The problem with communicating online is that you have to assume anyone you talk to is anyone they want to be,” she said.
Keeping Tabs on Your Teens
Sydney Leonard said when it comes to social networking, she stays involved and welcomes open communication regarding the Internet. Her daughter said she agrees.
“I think you should know who your friends are and don’t accept a person as a friend if you don’t know them,” Shelby Leonard said. “Also, if a stranger contacts you, tell your parents right away so they can help.”
Varnell said the key to keeping children from engaging in risky behavior online is through parental awareness and regulation, which can be tough.
“Many parents don’t have the technological capability to understand or to know what MySpace is or even how to get on it,” she said. “You also have parents who are scared of their teens’ tempers and bad behavior.”
It’s easy to want to give children a right to privacy, said Varnell, but the Internet is not the place to grant privacy.
“Parents have rules about school and driving and curfews, but they don’t make rules for the Internet,” she said. “As parents, you have the right to look at what your children are posting.”
