Amidst all the controversy of Facebook, privacy, and the dangers of the internet and social networking, a Palo Alto company is ready to launch Togetherville, a social networking site designed for kids ages 6-10 connected to Facebook.

Social networking sites are not new for kids. For example, in 2003 Gaia Online was launched. Gaia Online is a mix of social networking and a massive multiplayer online role-playing game with avatars. It boasts about 300,000 active players daily. Imbee, a San Francisco based kid-friendly version of MySpace, was launched in 2007. Similar to Togetherville, on this site kids can only network with people they know any every change must be approved by the parent.

There is much discussion about the dangers for kids of participating in the online world. As social networking sites became popular for example, reports surfaced of young teens being lured to meet men who sexually assaulted them. Earlier this month news agencies reported that in growing numbers birth parents of adopted children are increasingly using Facebook and other social networking sites to track down their offspring, even in cases when the children were removed from their homes and ties severed due to abuse and neglect. Finally, there is the basic question of whether it is good for kids to spend the time sitting in front of a computer instead of more creative or face-to-face activities.

However, in spite of how reluctant parents might be to have their kids participate in the online world of social networking, in truth there is more and more pressure for kids to join-in the digital age and hopefully learn how to navigate it safely and in moderation rather than simply avoiding it. “What we want to do is build good digital citizens,” said founder and CEO of Togetherville, Inc. Mandeep Dhillon, who is the father of three children.

Of course, with all of what has happened with Facebook, there has been trust lost in social networking sites and how much control anyone has over their (or their children’s) privacy or safety. In the wake of the controversy, some people have decided to cancel their accounts; others have decided to pull all private information off of their profile. But it appears that most people have shrugged their shoulders and continued to enjoy the benefits of online social networking. They will likely sign their kids up as well, hoping that the safeguards designed by the company will truly do just that – keep their kids safe. And we can all hope that additionally the parents are also up to the task of teaching them how to balance the activity with others that they need for their healthy development.

Samantha Smithstein, Psy.D.

In addition to sexting, other possible pitfalls and dangers of preteen and teen texting have been explored and debated, such as cheating in school through text or lack of uninterrupted quality time. Recently, the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life project released a report stating that 75 percent of teens between the ages of 12 and 17 have cell phones (up from 45 percent in 2004), and that the typical American teen sends 50-100 texts a day. With this rate of phone ownership and texting amongst teens, it is worth exploring if there are potential issues that may arise as a result.

One such issue commonly raised is related to language and communication skills. Concerns have been expressed that constantly using abbreviated language such as “u,” “brb,” “LOL,” and “L8r,” as well as brief, abbreviated sentences, may be causing kids to lose grammar skills and become less functionally literate. Additionally, there has been concern that the ease of communicating through “indirect means” (email, texting, tweeting, social networking sites) has given young people less practice at the art of speaking about challenging things face to face.

Thankfully, preliminary research indicates that at least some of these fears may be unfounded. A recent study from the British Academy found that young students who texted with higher frequency and used “textisms” a great deal actually performed better on spelling measures then their peers. There was also a high correlation between the texters and their overall literacy, reasoning skills, and ability to switch easily back and forth between textisms and proper English. One of the authors of the study, Dr. Clare Wood, stated that it was a surprise to the researchers to find that “textism use was actually driving the development of phonological awareness and reading skill in children. Texting also appears to be a valuable form of contact with written English for many children, which enables them to practice reading and spelling on a daily basis.” Further, there have been some arguments by others that the explosion of email, text, social networking and the availability of information online has forced the current generation to become more literate (at least in terms of writing and self-expression) than any generation prior.

The above-mentioned study does not, however, address some of the concerns about the effect that texting may have on young people’s social skills. In Pew focus groups teens acknowledge that they do use electronic media (texting and email) to avoid confrontation or uncomfortable situations. The ability to discuss and address issues is a learned skill, and the number of options available to young people for avoiding learning this skill by face to face interaction is worrisome. That said, the Pew Center’s Amanda Lenhart, one of the study’s authors, reports that teens have retained the ability to be strategic about when not to text, especially with parents: the majority of teens reported that when they want something from their parents, they are still more likely to pick up the phone and call or ask in person than to text, aware that they are more likely to “get the yes” from a face-to-face interaction.

The jury is still out, then, on texting and it’s effects on the development of language and communication with young people. On the one hand, it appears that it may be making them better readers, writers and thinkers (or at minimum not interfering with those skills for the kids that already are good at these skills). Indeed, it could be that the kids who are the most verbal have a tendency to text the most. That said, face to face communication is a unique skill set necessary for successful relationships socially and in the workplace. It seems prudent for parents and educators to focus on these skills and ensure that in spite of the availability of these alternate – and emotionally easier – modes of communication, young people still learn how to talk to others.

Samantha Smithstein, Psy.D.