Online Primer for Parents

If you’re a youth worker or parent who stays on top of teen online trends, you won’t find any surprises in this week’s report from McAfee (the virus-protection software folks) about adolescent behavior called “The Secret Online Lives of Teens.” It doesn’t reveal any new “secrets” despite its title.

But if you’re new to the discussion, or know of other parents who could use a quick update, this is an interesting primer about teen online behavior.  It is, of course, from a retailer of online products, so the bent is toward safety.  The important point is that discussions between parents and kids are encouraged.  Consider passing this on to parents and students this week and suggesting dialogue between the two groups — What seems accurate?  What seems off-base? What’s under-reported?  What can we learn?

PS: McAfee also has a primer for parents on social networking sites

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