Interesting article on young people using social networks unsupervised

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1012/1224305642046.html

Summary of article

 This is an article from The Irish Times newspaper published on the 12^th of October 2011. The subject of the article is children being online without guidance. Journalist   Kitty Holland reports and reflects on a survey published by the Minister for Children. The study was conducted by Viewpoint research, with 18,116 participants, all young people in primary and secondary schools across Ireland. And also with children in harder-to-reach areas such as those being schooled at home. The article is composed mainly of facts and figures of the study.

Holland opens with a dramatic finding, and immediately grabs the reader’s attention.  Holland informs us the reader that the survey found that more than 16 % of young people met up with people they had met online. This is followed by informing us that 44% of those surveyed had access to the internet unsupervised in their bedroom.

The article continues with a plea from Frances Fitzgerald (Minister for Children) on behalf of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Fitzgerald claims that the findings require a “response from all of society”

Research found that the extent to which young people adhere to safety precautions while online is cause for great concern in 21^ST Century Ireland.  Research found that over one-third of young people did not know how to keep their social network account private, with only almost one quarter of older people in a similar predicament.

Holland goes on to inform the reader that a shocking number of people handing out personal details (full name, photos and/or phone numbers) to someone online they did not know.

Holland continues by telling us the society’s chief executive, Ashley Balbirnie described the findings as “absolutely terrifying” Balbrinie is seriously concerned by the number of young people who spend hours unsupervised on the internet, young people handing out personal information and in some cases even meeting up with people they have met online. Balbirnie concludes by telling the reader  that “The figures clearly show that young people are not taking necessary and available safety precautions while online and are leaving themselves open to some extremely dangerous situations.”

The article itself is concluded by telling us there is no single answer to this problem but it does however offer suggestions for making the internet safer. Suggestions included a “panic button “on social networking sites such as Facebook. This would mean that young people could inform operators of improper and/or unwanted contact. The society also called for parents to be more watchful of their children’s activity online and for legislation to be passed.

In my opinion this was a very interesting article, I think it’s better written than the other article I read regarding cyber bullying . The content of the article was more surprising to me personally than that of the other one, so I learned something now which is always a plus. The structure of the article is more appealing, it has a great flow to it, no waffle and all relevant information.