Social Networking: A Threat to Children If Not Monitored

There are many advantages that lay behind the use of social networking. Not only is it convenient but it also helps build and maintain relationships amongst friends and family. It is convenient in the sense that it is cost friendly (depending on how often you use it), easy to access and as technology is updated constantly there are new ways in which we are able to access information electronically.

Smart phones have become the most convenient cellphones across the world. We are able to send emails, browse the internet, chat, download applications and even chat within groups. There are certain social networks such as IM, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Mxit, Whatsapp. Blackberry Messenger and many more which allow us to interact with our friends and family confidentially aswell as publicly.

Behind all these advantages lay many dangers too, especially for the youth out there. The youth being very new to social networking, see it as a platform for freedom of expression in a public sphere. They are allowed to socialize with whom ever they wish in a cyber world.

For instance there are children ages 9-13 years old that are using Facebook without the awareness of their parents. As children are very naïve, they become possible victims of online sexual predators. Kids are easy to deceive and manipulate, and sadly this is the reason why we are faced with so many tragic stories about children being raped, kidnapped or sexually harassed because of social interactions with strangers or "deceivers" as we may call it.

According to Mail Online “sexual predators are increasingly using the internet to groom, befriend and lure young victims. In the UK for example, an ex-detective Mark Williams Thomas highlighted the dangers of children using social networking sites when he posed as a 14 year old girl and within minutes of the profile going live had been contacted by men aged between 20 and 40 seeking sexual gratification. (Mail Online)

There is a age gap between children and parents and this influences the understanding of technology. Majority of parents today are not well educated when it comes to technology, however since Blackberry cellphones have been in the picture, parents are slowly but surely becoming more and more aware of the social networking phenomenon.

Parents should be involved in the creation of their children's online profile's from the very beginning. In tern, this would prevent their children from making the wrong (naive) decisions when talking to strangers. Parents would thus be able to check up on their children’s profiles and guide them if they foresee any danger. Until their children have become adults, then only should they be allowed the freedom of social networking. Only then, would they be mature enough to judge who would be a threat online as opposed to friends and family.

Today however, we cannot always judge 100% as to who would be a threat online with fraud being another issue on these social networks. We should however stay open minded and always be cautious instead of being completely gullible and naive.

Reference:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1260993/Quarter-13s-signed-social-networking-sites.html

Construction of Consensus through the Media

Everyday media has a way of highlighting particular issues very saliently in order to construct our consensus as the readers or viewers of the news. The way in which broadcasters are able to construct our consensus is through the selection of words and selection of what they feel would command our attention as the public. In other words, they attempt to construct the public interest.

For example, let’s look at a recent story written about a 15 year old South African boy (Shaun Van Straaten), who died in hospital caused by a fire at his home in the UK, after his mother’s ex-boyfriend set himself a light. We are presented with the headline “SA boy dies in UK after 'human fireball'” (news24), the selection of the words “human fireball” is attempted to capture our interest as we generally do not associate “fireballs” with human beings, thus achieving the public interest simply by using two outstanding words as indicated.

According to news24 the boys mother (Jone) and her ex-boyfriend’s (David Pott’s) relationship was apparently “stormy” and police had reportedly been called to the house on several occasions. Again, in terms of selection of words, the term “stormy” contributes to our consensus, constructing the motives behind David Pott’s self burning tragedy.

I’ve noticed how the specific article constructs views of the people surrounding this family; however there are no views or comments coming directly from the mouths of the victims of the fire. For example, Neighbors said they had woken to screaming and the sound of smashing glass (news24).

 This shows that the agenda of the specific article is not aimed at looking at the insights of the victims of the fire, but rather constructing an image of the effect, the surroundings and the actions. These aspects are constructed in such a way that it grabs our interest as the public. However we have the ability to either look at it subjectively or objectively.

Reference:

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/SA-boy-dies-in-UK-after-human-fireball-20110922

Can the spread of the London Riots and Looting be justified?

What interests us as the audience most about the London riots lies in the reasoning behind all of the chaos. It is clear now that it was initiated from the death of Mark Duggan, who was shot by a policeman in Tottenham. From here the riots had spread all over the UK.

So, if the death of Mark Duggan initiated the riots, why have the riots spread? Can the spread of the violence and looting be justified? If so, to what extent? If not, why not? I am sure that the London rioting had brought upon bewilderment all around the world. When one thinks of the UK we do not envision any chaos, violence or even the extreme of looting. We think of Royalty and a secured country.

The riots spread from London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, and Liverpool to name a few. So surely there should be something deeper to the meaning behind these riots, not so? Matthew Moran of Kings College London who spent a year doing field-work research on the Paris riots of 2005, said that “each set of riots is a unique combination of particular factors which are not always immediately visible and we need time to assess the underlying causes of the violence” (France24).

The riots can by no means be excused. One should however consider the context behind all of this, taking into consideration however that looting out of ignorance and criminal opportunity cannot be condoned. Amongst the many reasons behind looting and rioting of the youth in the UK, some of the youth had claimed that they have committed these crimes out of hatred for the police. An 18-year-old boy (Mario Quiassaca, 18), who admitted stealing more than a thousand pounds' worth of goods from Hugo Boss during the violence in London on Monday night was remanded in custody after a judge refused to grant him bail). (guardian.co.uk).

Some reasons behind the rioting lay behind education and policy. We can somehow sense that rioters feel marginalized which roots from the coalition that came into power in 2010, its policies and a backdrop of brutal cuts have sparked unrest that has not been present in Britain since the early 1980’s. (Top Secret Writers).

We can thus surmise that the outbreak of the initial riot which broke out at the protest in relation to the death of Mark Duggan, has been an explosion waiting to happen by the marginalized people of the UK. In my opinion, justice seems to be far from London society at the moment, by the looks of the results of the aftermath. Can justice ever be restored by government after so many years?

References:

http://www.france24.com/en/20110809-londons-burning-reasons-behind-riots-uk-cameron-fire-guggan-police-ipcc

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/12/london-riots-court-cases

http://www.topsecretwriters.com/2011/08/what-were-the-true-motives-behind-the-london-riots/

Image:
http://www.google.co.za/imgres?q=london+riot+looting&hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=_4pnrQyRD7iaDM:&imgrefurl=http://www.newlatesttips.info/index.php/archive/london-riot-2011-looting-and-fire-burning-london-uk-current-london-news/&docid=QlgKMrYWhGV7GM&w=742&h=482&ei=4u6TTt20LIOo8AOGj5XoBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=493&vpy=292&dur=2122&hovh=181&hovw=279&tx=169&ty=162&page=1&tbnh=121&tbnw=207&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0&biw=1280&bih=593

The liberated "Modern" Muslim woman.

When one thinks of Islam and its women, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Is it a hijaab (long top in which to pray in) and scarf? Do we think of a submissive woman obliged and bounded by rules of a man? Do we think of a woman being restricted to her home, cooking, cleaning and always on standby? Modern society has now shaded this notion and has brightened up the voices and existence of Muslim women. The term "modern" Muslim woman has taken its form in this day and age. What does this mean? It means all sorts of things throughout different aspects of a Muslim woman's life.

Let me enlighten you with some realities of this "modern" concept. To me, a "modern" Muslim woman is not one who neglects her faith in Islam, but one who is merely true to herself in the sense that she allows for the emergence of her inner dreams and ambitions to portray through her character. I had conversed with a few young beautiful Muslim women in my spare time, who each have different styles and approaches to life, however their faith in Islam is powerfully equivalent to one another as well as mine. From the few young women I have interacted with, some were single, married, and in a relationship. When the married woman was asked to define what a "modern" Muslim woman was, she stated that "it is a woman who understands what it is to be a Muslim, she knows her rights and is not afraid to voice her opinion. In terms of the way she dresses, I would say that she should cover herself in ways that will suite her style" One of the single young women stated "it is a woman who practices Islam but still enjoys modernity of today's age, like music and fashion. A muslim woman does not discriminate as she is open-minded, seeks education and seeks to make a difference in the world" Majority of the young women have stressed the fact that even though they give in to society and its influences such as fashion, music and social groupings etc, faith remains deeply in their hearts and will by no means be disregarded. Some feel they are not ready to cover themselves in the correct Islamic way, some point fingers to the social groups they associate themselves with where it is acceptable to dress openly.

I would say, that it all routes from maturity and personality.
At the end of the day it all boils down to freedom of choice, and the way we are taught within our households from a very young age. We are now exposed to new, exiting and attractive lifestyles on a pervasive basis. Most times the unknown is most intriguing and we cannot always be blamed for the attraction. We are "modern" muslim women, well aware of the truth and the instilled faith in our hearts,however we are captured by the attributes bestowed upon us on this fickle world.