togetherville

http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/23/disney-acquires-social-network-for-kids-togetherville/

Disney acquired Togetherville, a new social network for kids 10 years old and younger. It is similar to social network sites like Facebook but appropriate for this age group. It is monitored by parents in a safe, secure environment where they can approve their child’s friends and connect with other parents. Kids will be able to talk to friends, play games, watch videos, and create art.

Personally I do not believe this a good idea. Children at this young age do not need to be introduced to social networking sites. They should be able to socialize with other friends and family in real life, not on a website similar to Facebook. Even in a technology driven, social media world, there is no need for a young child to stare at a computer screen all day long. There is also the issue with parents not monitoring their child’s website that often or thoroughly and the child could probably find a way around the parental guidelines. There are enough creeps on Facebook, how many people are going to move to Togetherville?


I researched this for another class and realized this applies to what we have been discussing in class. Social media is everywhere. We feel the need to be connected 24/7. Facebook started out as a website for just college students and now you can find your parents and younger siblings on it. Now that Togetherville is getting started, young children will be introduced to a technology driven world and the constant need to be in contact with one another. The new generations will never know what it is like to be a “typical” kid enjoying life outside rather than stuck in a room attached to a computer. They will never know what life was like when you couldn’t contact someone by cell phone and you actually had to use a landline or write a handwritten letter sent by the USPS. They only know the life of iPhones, blackberries, and Macbooks. I am so incredibly thankful I grew up in the 90s. New technology was being developed but it was not the focus of my life.