Stanford Offers Free Facebook Course for Parents. Will Twitter be next?
February 2, 2009 by guruofnew
Filed under social media
Although I still haven’t forgiven them for ‘The Game’ in 2007, I will admit they know their ‘Internets.’ Stanford University is now offering a free class called Facebook for Parents. The course is being offered by Stanford psychologist Dr. BJ Fogg, head of the Persuasive Technology Lab, and his sister Linda Phillips, a cyber-savvy Mom with kids ranging from 5th grade up to college.
The class experience has been designed for busy parents with kids under 18 years of age. (Parents of college-age students are also welcome.) An optional lab comes before each class, where parents can work hands-on with Stanford students who will coach them in using Facebook. (*Or maybe they could just take a Field Trip over to the Facebook offices, mere blocks away?)
Five Steps for Parents on Facebook
#1. Join Facebook.
Yes, you should sign up for Facebook. This service was once just for college students, but today it’s for everyone. Parents need to be part of this world.
#2. “Friend” your kids.
To “friend” someone on Facebook means connecting to them. Your kids will probably complain about you “friending” them. That’s normal. But if your kids are minors, you should “friend” them.
#3. Review your kids’ profile pages.
Go to the profile pages for your kids and review the content. At first, you’ll see the “Wall.” But don’t stop there. Click on the tabs for “Info” and “Photos” to see more.
#4. Review who is “friends” with your kids.
On the profile page for your kids, click on the words “See All” in the Friends box. You can then see who is linked to your kids.
#5. Select “More About” for your kids.
Watch for an item about your kids in your News Feed. Click on that item and select the “More About” option. This tells Facebook to show you more about that person in the future, sort of like turning up the volume.
What’s Next?
After these five steps, parents still have more to learn and do, but this is where to start. Sign up for the free newsletter for more info and to stay updated with the ever-changing world of Facebook. In addition, each newsletter explains new skills kids can learn on Facebook that will benefit their future.
Thank you for this article. As soon as Baby O is out of diapers and on the internet her mommy will be cyber stalking her=0)
Great article to share with friends new to Facebook. Thanks for this! 14 yr. old daughter can’t believe mom has a Facebook account and she can’t have one till she’s in high school. Mommy needs to get the lay of the land first! No parents left behind! Staying current in today’s changing tide is vital.
Yep, some smart ideas. But Mom and Dad better get smarter, and quicker. Don’t think simply getting friended will open your kids’ live up to your perusal.
Facebook includes tools to restrict access to pieces of your page. The profile, other sections of your page, photos, sets of photos, photos on friends pages that have you tagged, all of these areas can be blocked from specific individuals and they will not even know about it.
You know how your kids’ school has those great filters that avoid porn and restrict student access to YouTube, MySpace, FaceBook, and other areas defined as improper for students? Well, those filters don’t work. Every eigth-grader, and many sixth-graders, already know how to circumvent these filters and blocks by addressing to the server IP address or by using TOR servers or other techniques.
Colleen — Your daughter is 14? She is probably a wonderful girl, but her friends will hook her up with a FaceBook page in less than five minutes at some sleepover or after-school study session at the library–and you will still think she has no clue. While I am sure your daughte3r would never go against your wishes, rules, and sage guidance, this stuff is easy. Better to introduce her yourself to technology and teach her ways to use it that you approve.
How do I know this? I have two kids, one a senior in high school and one in college. They both know how to use technology tools because I taught them, and their friends, and I also gave them all a talking to when they transgressed on social convention. They aren’t perfect and I don’t know everything that goes on–nor do I want to know all–but I do know they they know better.
Forewarned is forearmed. Good luck!