Digital Tattoos
October 2, 2009
What kind does your child have?
Getting a tattoo, whether it depicts the name of a current love or a symbol representing life values, is a big risk for anyone, but especially for young people. Chances are the passion that motivates the decision to get the tattoo will change in days, months or years. What will remain is the tattoo.
Social networking profiles are like tattoos, say the creators of the Digital Tattoo Project at the University of British Columbia. What you post today may be as difficult to get rid of tomorrow as a permanent tattoo.
So, what is your child posting on social networking sites? Kids are chatting, sending messages, posting pictures and uploading videos. A recent national poll by Common Sense Media found that 28 percent of kids have shared personal information that they normally wouldn’t have shared in public and 39 percent have posted something they regretted. Another website claims that 1 in 10 kids have posted a nude or semi-nude picture of themselves while a Cox Communications study reports 1 in 5 have engaged in sexting (sending a nude or semi-nude picture via mobile phone). With these kinds of statistics there is reason to take action and talk to our kids about the importance of protecting their reputation online and off.
The best line of defense for your kids and their digital reputation is you. Talking frequently with your kids about digital life, the risks involved and the importance of online reputation (their digital tattoo) can indeed make the difference when they are presented with an opportunity to post questionable content.
Action: Talk to your kids today about developing a positive digital tattoo.
Visit the Digital Tattoo Website, http://digitaltattoo.ubc.ca/, and explore the myriad of resources available to educate you on privacy, connection and learning.
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