While there are plenty of stories about the dangers of social networking, few deal exclusively with actual solutions for bringing kids into social media in a way that is both secure and easy for parents (who may or may not be tech savvy) to implement at home.
Enter imbee, a safer alternative to Facebook and the like, and its CEO Alan Anderson, whose sole mission is to introduce tweens to social networking while minimizing the threats of traditional open sites.
Using advanced security techniques, including credit card-based identity authentication from a parent or teacher, in addition to a minimal collection of personal data, imbee has ushered in a new era in which kids can explore the social media landscape while providing a partnership with parents to keep children safe.
"In the past, social networking was sort of like seeing an R-rated movie," Anderson told me, via phone Monday. "We can say we don't think you should be in these adult forums. But, social media, as a tool, is great for this age group. Social media checked, or at the very least, parents having a degree of control, is paramount."
While some parents, including First Lady Michelle Obama, advocate blocking social networking access for their kids, Anderson says security concerns could actually hinder a child.
"To block off access from the Internet, or all stimuli out there online, kids have some tendancy to have a false reality of the world," he said. "Speaking for myself, I have three kids, and I was pretty aggressive about teaching them about the Internet, because I knew they would need it for school work, their career, and to learn how to type.
"Giving them that access and helping them manage it accordingly is critical."
Working with the Federal Trade Commission to ensure compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, Anderson said imbee's 24-hour round the clock monitoring has resulted in few incidences of cyberbullying on the site.
While he reveals the company is not aimed at censoring kids online, saying learning to filter one's thoughts and language is an essential tool for children to learn on the Internet, imbee has been able to catch adults posing as children in minutes whereas traditional social networks can lurk undetected until more serious events occur.
Anderson does deliver a caveat, however.
"Will we be able to catch everyone?," he questioned. "Not right away, but we believe we have very strong safeguards in place to ensure our users--and their parents--can have peace of mind as they learn how to use social networking to grow and have fun."
Anderson says his best advice for parents teaching kids about Internet safety comes from what he taught his own children, including:
- First names are okay to be used online
- Never reveal addresses or telephone numbers
- If it doesn't feel good, shut it down and tell an adult.
--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM