Today's parents see Facebook the way earlier generations of parents probably saw the Beatles -- as a threat to the known universe that could actually be fun once you stop panicking and really listen.
According to a new site designed with parents in mind, "To help kids reach their full potential, parents today must know about Facebook." Starting now, parents can enroll in a free course at Stanford to learn more about Facebook. The course instructors are psychologist Dr. BJ Fogg of Stanford’s Persuasive Technology Lab and BJ’s sister, Linda Phillips, a mom with kids from college age to 5th grade.
They offer some practical tips for parents just starting out with the new technology:
#1. Join Facebook.
Yes, you should sign up for Facebook. This service was once just for college students, but today it’s for everyone. Parents need to be part of this world.
#2. “Friend” your kids.
To “friend” someone on Facebook means connecting to them. Your kids will probably complain about you “friending” them. That’s normal. But if your kids are minors, you should “friend” them. That’s our view. If you’re opposed to friending your kids, you should still join Facebook to learn how it works.
#3. Review your kids’ profile pages.
Go to the profile pages for your kids and review the content. At first, you’ll see the “Wall.” But don’t stop there. Click on the tabs for “Info” and “Photos” to see more.
#4. Review who is “friends” with your kids.
On the profile page for your kids, click on the words “See All” in the Friends box. You can then see who is linked to your kids. Seeing who is friends with whom is typical Facebook behavior.
#5. Select “More About” for your kids.
Watch for an item about your kids in your News Feed. Click on that item and select the “More About” option. This tells Facebook to show you more about that person in the future, sort of like turning up the volume. Expert Facebook users do this routinely to tailor their News Feed.
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