The Dangers Of Social Media

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by generalfelino015, Aug 15, 2015.

  1. Watched this a few days ago. Scary, right?
    generalfelino015 likes this.
  2. Note; I fully agree with you. However, I'd like to make one very important distinction here...

    This isn't the danger about social media, this is the danger about not fully educating / raising / warning your children about the dangers in the world in my opinion. When I grew up my parents made one thing very clear and obvious to me: "Don't blindly trust strangers", "NEVER step into a car with a stranger, even if all your friends do it", "NEVER do something you don't think is right" and at a younger age: "Don't talk to strangers" (sidenote, I love that song from Dio).

    In my opinion this isn't that different. The girl knows hardly anything about the guy yet she still thinks its ok to meet up with him. And when she sees that he's a grown up and not a teenage boy she still walks towards him.

    And I'm >< close to blame bad parenting here because look at the video: the guy in blue is starting to yell and scold her (which is understandable) but still... "He could have been a pedophile". For sure, but have they ever tried to explain to her why meeting a pedophile is such a bad thing? (and I know this is a very uncomfortable subject, one best not addressed here, but still...).

    WHY is it bad to talk to strangers? Most parents (some of my friends even) in my direct surroundings usually tell their children "because I say so". Yeah, but a child WILL question your authority, they WILL be curious to discover the world on their own and therefor there will come a time where "because I say so" is not good enough, because you WILL be challenged. Children will sometimes try to proof you wrong, when they think you're wrong.

    WHY is it bad to talk to strangers? Because you cannot be sure what they really want from you, and if they want something from you. HECK, you can't even be fully sure that you know who I am and what I want by responding to this.

    This video is shocking, but I don't think you have social media to blame here. The cause of the problems lies much deeper than that.

    In my very humble opinion of course.
  3. I am a little undecided about videos like these being posted all over the internet, there's a whole list of why they're morally right or wrong etc but I'm not gonna get into that here :p.

    I know these videos are made with the best intentions, but something eats away at me every time I watch them. What if a 'Predator' watched these and began doing what they were doing, because it looked easy? Sure it's making the kids more aware, but it also does the same for the 'predators'.

    I hope with all my heart that these social experiments cause more good than harm, in-case my view was unclear.
  4. Bingo! This video is awful in all ways. The fact that this can easily happen and the fact these parents chose this as the way to educate their own children. I have a daughter, she is 11, I would NEVER do something this ridiculous to teach her something. How do they know this little 'experiment' won't affect they're child? I just gotta shake my head. There's better ways.
  5. Way better ways to educate children
    ShelLuser and ThaKloned like this.
  6. so don't trust anyone you meet on emc :p
  7. My dad, a 56 year old guy that knows how to educate kids, he teach me how to be respuctful, and how to take care of my self. Cause when he can't do anything to save me, way worst with the problems of terrorism and kidnapin in my country, I will be prepare in a sort of way that may help me.

    I am thankful that I was given with a dad like him, so I could never commit this stupid things that kids this days do.

    I don't like the way this parents, of the video, teach their kids. That isn't a lesson, that is a prank, and a really awful prank 'way to teach a lesson to their own kids.
  8. Not even ultimamaxx he dosent sound like a trust guy!!!
  9. I live in Wales and there always kids disappearing cause they go with strangers using social media
    generalfelino015 likes this.
  10. familywatchdog.us
    This website has a list of where all registered sex offenders in the US live. It is a tool for keeping families safe. Even if one more person knows about this, it would be one more person who could possibly be aware if a sex offender living near himself.
  11. Didn't know that tool. The more you know in the forums :D
  12. I agree with what a lot of people have said. It's up to the parents to educate the children so they know not to get themselves in a situation like this. However, at the same, no matter how much you tell a child not to do something sometimes they're going to do it anyway. Not to toot my own horn as a parent, but my son listens very well. I have randomly received compliments in grocery stores or in shops about how well-behaved and polite he is. I put a lot of effort into making him a well-behaved and polite child so it's nice to hear. He doesn't get into trouble often and when he does he understands the punishment he receives. Saying that though, there was one incident where we were at a local water park on what's called a lazy river. For those that don't know, it's a circular type pool that you ride around on. I have told my son a hundred times he's never allowed to walk where I can't see him in public (he's 7), but while we were on the lazy river he made a friend . I was watching him and they kept moving further up the river from me as I yelled for him to slow down because he was going where I couldn't see him. Suddenly, there was a curve and I could no longer see him for all of 2 minutes and it terrified me. He was completely aware of the danger and knew it wasn't the right thing to do, but I think a lot of children get caught up in wanting to do what their friends do and wanting to fit in. Unfortunately, when our children get older, we won't know what they're doing 100% of the time. All we can do is teach them as best we can and love them as best we can and guide them as they make mistakes. I think another huge issue is the way we punish children. I'm not against spanking in general, but I don't spank my son. If he does something wrong, I sit him down and explain to him why it's wrong, what could've happened, and why it should never happen again. They're obviously not adults, but I feel like if you talk to them on that level they'll be more willing to listen and consider what you're telling them. A thing I also do for my son is making him write out an explanation of everything; what he did, why he did it, why it was wrong, what he'll do to avoid it in the future, etc. I also "ground" him from things as well :p But I feel like with spanking you don't have to explain anything, so it's just not the route I take. Back on point though, in these videos I do feel like the parents are a bit more to blame. I personally do not use social media, so I don't feel like young teenagers/pre-teens should ever be allowed to use it. I also don't see the point of young teenagers having cell phones. If a parent is going to allow their children to be on social media or have cell phones I absolutely think it should be monitored and limited. These parents were letting their children add strangers, carry on conversations with them, and give out phone numbers to them. So, yes, in this situation I think the parents hold a lot of the blame. I don't really agree with the way this video was carried out though in a prank sort of fashion. Sorry, that was way longer than I intended. :p
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  13. This video is even better:

    generalfelino015 likes this.
  14. Does that mean I shouldn't have given those random players admin? =P JK JK.
    Meh, I don't support this kind of "education". However, if I can embarrass my kid and teach him a lesson at the same time, I would do it. Because:
    1) Embarrassment is the most effective weapon a parent can use that IS legal. (Just don't be too extreme)
    2) Sometimes you gotta create your own entertainment. =P (I know, I'm sick in the head. Sometimes.)
    generalfelino015 likes this.