Video Reviews Social Networking and Kids Http://Www.youtube.com/Watch?v=-80rtgqtgq

Video Reviews

Social Networking and Kids http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-80RTGqTgQ

We live in a world that is immersed in technology. In this context, the rise of social networks and their increased popularity among children, teens and adults is a hot topic today. I have chosen to review a video that describes in detail a social network called Everloop, designed especially for children under 13. The video is an interview with this network's Chief Strategy Officer, who presents the advantages of Everloop, its main features, why it is suitable and attractive for children and how it allows for parental control and supervision.

Children should not be banned from having access to networking utilities. These have almost become indispensable, people of all ages somehow relate to them and therefore being excluded from such environments also excludes them from normal social interaction with their peers. However, one thing is essential: parents need to make sure their children are not completely immersed in these virtual lives, real social interaction should remain the most important, as this is the one that builds real social bonds. Traditional play, offline games and outdoor activities should prevail, in order to prevent children from developing poor social skills and inability to interact in the real world.

Everloop claims that it allows for parental control: parents create their children's account, they set up the account settings and can receive notifications about their children's online activity and set privacy rules. It is indeed important for parents to double-check and supervise their kid's online activities, have the chance to step in if necessary and protect their small ones, as they have the experience and knowledge to better avoid potential dangers or inappropriate content. However, this should be done with careful moderation. Parents should not inhibit their children's social development through prohibitive behavior and by constantly checking upon them. Keeping them in a safety bubble is not advisable either, thus stepping back at times and offering a little independence is just as important.

Everloop's design and appearance is similar to Facebook. Each user has a profile and a wall, where they can post thoughts, videos, photos, chat, send text messages, use the VoIP service, create and join groups based on their interests. This is a big advantage: by creating the website in a similar manner to Facebook (clearly one of the most popular social networking platforms), children feel that they have their own space for interaction, without being excluded from the "grown-up virtual social world." They may also feel less tempted to create fake accounts on adult social networks or lie to their parents. All in all, the development of social networks for children is a wise compromise in today's world.

Careers for People with Intellectual Disabilities: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhPIi9KF4Cw

Social integration for people with disabilities has become one of the policy makers' main concerns all over the world. This video looks at an example where David, an adult with Down Syndrome (a very widespread type of intellectual disability), has been able to get a regular job and work in a very friendly, caring and respectful environment. The employer, colleagues and the worker comment on their experience. It comes as extremely natural, in my opinion, not only to acknowledge the presence of disabled people and create suitable living conditions and services for them, but also take the best approach to integrate them into the society as much as possible, by offering them employment options that meet their needs and abilities.

In this video, both the employers and colleagues point out the fact that David is, despite his disability, perfectly capable of performing his tasks as a Distribution Clerk with responsibility, dedication, and accurateness. As long as he is being clearly offered a clear job description and given all the necessary information, he is just as able as any other person to complete this job. The great achievement in this case is that this man becomes integrated in his community, builds a strong self-esteem and is socially active, has a purpose and is treated without discrimination. This is essential in a modern society, where people should be enabled and given the right conditions to perform regardless of their impairment, as long as this impairment medically allows them to do so.

It is also the responsibility of the work staff to make sure all is in place to support their disabled employee to perform in adequate conditions that meet his needs (infrastructural support for those with physical disabilities and specially trained staff in the case of those with intellectual disabilities). Companies are now legally obliged to set policies that cater for this segment of the population, as well as procedures to offer equal chances to everybody and employ people from all categories in the society. As in this example, employment should be done according to the person's skills not their disability.

As shown in this video, David is not only successful in what he is doing, but also brings a unique input to the team. People with intellectual disabilities can surprise us with personality traits and capabilities that we haven't even imagined. This is why it is so essential to empower these persons to actively take part in their society, having qualified staff to address them correctly and provide them with suitable infrastructure.

Kids and Television Violence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxyTO-Q40u4

What is the impact of media violence on children? This is a question nowadays addressed by many scholars in psychology research, a theme that is intensely debated by those in the field. But moving one step away from research and looking at daily life, children witness more aggression than ever before, not only in dysfunctional families or social circles, but also in the media and all its new forms. The media has developed a tremendous amount of violent content which, paradoxically, seems to be targeted more towards children than adults. The chosen video is an awareness message regarding the dangers of violent media exposure for children.

Media, and especially television, has indeed the potential to influence behavior, especially that of a young child, who is much more receptive to external stimuli (images, noises, sounds) than the adult. Academic studies have shown that a child's brain is more malleable and can acquire information of all sorts much faster than an adult's brain. Therefore, exposure to violent situations in the media or elsewhere leaves a much more permanent mark on the child's behavior and future personality.