Response Week 10 | Privacy

Remember those silly “Life Skills” classes in middle school that were supposed to teach us about life’s basics…ya know, like not having sex and going to the dentist.  Now a days, I think every middle school life skills class should discuss social media and what it means to kids and their futures.  Although I’m still pretty jealous of today’s elementary and middle schoolers (because they were born into an age of technology and have been utilizing it since they were two), I don’t envy the challenges they face in regards to online privacy.

Facebook was launched the last year I was in undergrad. Thank God. I remember the snarky, stupid, I’m-18-and-really-silly AIM away messages I would leave. I would be petrified if somebody I wanted to work for ever stumbled across those (well, they probably can somehow, but I’d rather live in ignorance). In a weird way, it’s like those poor adorable kids on Jon and Kate Plus 8 (I mean, Kate Plus 8). Especially for those two older kids. How terrible to have your tantrums and potty training moments captured on camera and for public consumption.

I bet in, say, the next 5 or 6 years, someone will create a new social media outlet for people under the age of 18. And only people in that age group—along with some moderators—will have access to it. Then Zuckerberg can finally kick off all those middle and high schoolers to increase his chances of not getting sued as much that year. And with this Kiddie Facebook, it would stay locked down; it would never be public to anyone (maybe stuff gets erased after a month or so). Of course, all the kids wouldn’t know this. They will be told it is just like regular facebook and everything they say, share, or post will be online forever; this way they can practice for the adult social media networks: facebook and Twitter. This is the only thing I can think of that would serve as an educational tool and prepare younger generations for the age of no-privacy-everything-is-open-and-written-with-a-Sharpie.