S​ocial networking has historically applied to professionals and other adults who share connections and contacts for the purposes of job hunting, publicizing their freelance services ​or making acquaintances among their colleagues. However, with the advent of the Internet and its saturation of our daily lives, social networking has come to apply to the collection of web-based tools like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Linked In, among others. While these applications are exceedingly helpful for adults in the business world when used correctly, some of them are also used by kids and teens for other purposes. Due to the way connections are made and communicated among various people, the question of whether or not kids should be using social networking is one that most parents have had cause to ponder.

There is little argument that Twitter and Facebook can be highly addicting activities. The sharing of news items, links and hot topics makes the hours fly by for those who are watching their screens update every few seconds. However, we cannot expect teens to avoid the lure of these distractions when they are supposed to be paying attention in school, studying at home or working at a part-time job. Additionally, these social networking programs also introduce our kids to a number of strangers, many of whom are much less than innocent in their intentions. Keeping children and teens safe from the dangers of social networking can be a daunting task, but as in most situations, education and open, honest discussion with parents is key. Kids should be warned that not everyone on the Internet is who they claim to be, and those who are hiding behind a false image are likely up to no good. Encourage teens to investigate the privacy settings on all social networking applications, and to avoid adding any identifying information that would allow a stalker or kidnapper to find them easily. A teen with pictures of herself and her car, along with the name of her school, is an easy target, indeed.