Your teenage daughter posts a provocative photo of herself on Facebook. Your 17-year-old son wants to impress his Facebook friends with his party photos.
Guess what? Their friends arent the only ones seeing those photos, said Jesse Miller, of Vancouvers Mediated Reality, which specializes in social media education and awareness.
The reality is that once something is posted on Facebook, it opens the door for anyone on the Internet to see it, said Miller, who will be a keynote speaker at the 13th Annual Learning and the Brain Conference in Richmond on April 14. Some kids have a false sense of security on social media, and I like to tell kids, dont say anything online that you wouldnt say in public.
He said the best approach parents can use is to arm their children and teens with social media knowledge.
Miller likes to shake things up during a school presentation by showing students how easily he can access their social media sites.
If theyre nervous about their profile being on a big screen in front of their peers, then why arent they nervous about it being online? he said. We need to make it clear to kids that what they put online today can affect them later in life.
The reality is that what you post can compromise a scholarship or job opportunity, or even keeping your job some parents dont even realize that Facebook is a problem.
Since 2007, Miller has spoken to thousands of participants across the country. He is in demand as a keynote speaker in schools and at conferences on the topics of social media awareness, social networking behaviour and online content evaluation.
His topic for this upcoming conference is called Two Lives. He will demonstrate the realities facing youth as they become social media users. Millers keynote address will be about an hour long, with a 20 minute Q&A.
After last years conference, organizers heard that parents had a lot of questions surrounding social media, said Sarah Loat, district administrator learning services with the Richmond School District (RSD).
They want to connect with their 21st century kids and so thats why part of this years conference is about how to keep children safe online, said Loat, adding this is the only free conference in the province offered to parents and caregivers.
We have two great keynote speakers this year. Jesse Miller... then, theres Tom Schimmer and hell talk about how to build confidence in your child so they can be successful students and teens.
Every year, between 300 to 500 attendees come to hear keynote speakers and take part in a number of interactive workshops. This year there are 12 workshops to choose from.
The conference, called Being Successful Parents Connecting with 21st Century Kids, happens on Saturday, April 14 at McNeill secondary, 6611 No. 4 Rd. It runs from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Its open to all Richmond parents, caregivers and children educators from preschool to adolescence. Workshops will be in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. For more information or to register, visit www.sd38.bc.ca, call 604-668-6000 ext. 2943 or drop off at the RSD office, 7811 Granville Ave., 3rd floor. Registration is now open.
Conference schedule
- 8 a.m. Conference begins; visit exhibits and vendors
- 8:20 a.m. Welcome and overview
- 8:30 a.m. Keynote Jesse Miller
- 9:30 a.m. Refreshment break; visit exhibits and vendors
- 10 a.m. Second keynote, Tom Schimmer
- 11 a.m. Break
- 11:15 a.m. Featured sessions and workshops
- 12:30 p.m. Conference ends
How to keep children safe online
- Dont post anything that would embarrass you later.
- Dont give out excessive personal information online.
- Dont believe everything you see on the Internet.
- Never accept gifts without your parents permission.
- Talk to your parents about messages that make you feel uncomfortable.
- Dont post travel plans on the Internet.
- Dont share your passwords with anyone, but your parents.
