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Community Corner

Do You Know What Your Child is Posting on Facebook?

This week's Moms Talk looks at how parents can play an active role in monitoring what their child is sharing with others on the social networking site Facebook.

Are you "friends" with your teen or tween on Facebook? If so, do you check their page and talk to him/her about what they're posting? Do you walk through the privacy settings on Facebook with your child?

This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a report called "The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents and Families." The report outlines the pros and cons of social networking and how parents can play an active role in their child's online life.

“For some teens and tweens, social media is the primary way they interact socially, rather than at the mall or a friend’s house,” said Gwenn O’Keeffe, MD, FAAP, co-author of the clinical report. “A large part of this generation’s social and emotional development is occurring while on the Internet and on cell phones."

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The report recommends that pediatricians discuss social networking with parents and children, particularly so parents can have an open dialogue with their kids about it.

"Parents need to understand these technologies so they can relate to their children’s online world – and comfortably parent in that world,” O'Keeffe said.

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So parents, how do you handle your child's online presence? Do you trust them to make the right decisions, or are you worried that your kid could be posting risque photographs on Facebook or even chatting provocatively with someone they've never met? What would you do if your child told you they were being "cyber-bullied?"

What is a proactive way to discuss these issues with teens?

Please take a moment to share your opinions or tips for tackling this issue in the comments section below.

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