The Evils of Social Networking

"He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else." -Benjamin Franklin

The issue of social networking is a very controversial issue, made so by the terrible tragedies surrounding it. These websites, such as MySpace and Facebook, have become very popular among young people and increasingly with the older generation as well. Unfortunately, instances in which children fall prey to predators lurking on said websites have become more common as well. Parents everywhere are concerned that these websites allow predators to access their children more easily. Meanwhile, the owners of these websites seem to want to ignore this issue. Naturally, there has been a general outcry over the their lack of responsibility. Hypocrisy? Most assuredly.

Let us for a moment examine the screwdriver: a common tool, often necessary for even the simplest of tasks. One of these is most likely present in almost every American home. There are no limits on who can buy them. There are no regulations on how they should be used. Why would there be? Now, let us picture this simple tool in the hands of a murderer. Suddenly that screwdriver looks pretty sharp, doesn't it? The fact is that any tool can be used in ways that are improper, or in some cases illegal. Should we limit access to screwdrivers? Perhaps require a background check, and a two-day waiting period?

I think we can all agree that this sounds pretty ridiculous. Yet for some reason, people always want to impose limits on the tools available to us. The creators of MySpace did not make a haven for child-molesters. They made a tool. The function of this particular tool is communication, nothing more. Who we communicate with is not decided by the tool, it is decided by us. How we use the screwdriver is not decided by the screwdriver. It's a simple concept that is not grasped by angry parents across the country. Why, you ask? Responsibility.

If you cut yourself with a knife, who do you blame? The knife? Probably not. If you poke yourself with a needle, do you sue the needle for being too sharp? Hey, you might win! But again, probably not. If you find out that your child is the victim of an internet predator, who do you blame? Suddenly, it's far more serious. Obviously, the predator is to blame, but who else is guilty? The predator would not have reached your child if not for the internet. Clearly, the internet should be held responsible, right? Well, not exactly. The internet is a tool. Much like the knife, if you don't use it right, you might get cut. So who is to blame? The child? Maybe, but then the child really can't be expected to know any better, especially if they are very young. In the end, the responsiblity falls on the parents.

The parents paid for the access to the internet. The parents failed to teach their child about the dangers of communicating with people who they did not know. The parents allowed their child to use a website which allowed the predator access to the child. And now that it's happened, will the parents step forward and take the blame? Will they accept that they have indirectly caused this harm to their child? Probably not. They will point fingers in every direction they can. The website is just the most convenient target. Excuses fly everywhere as the parents attempt to lay the blame on someone else, and because of that lack of responsibility the tool must be limited. The knife is made blunt, the needle is bent, and suddenly the CIA is looking into your criminal record when you go to buy a screwdriver. Sound funny? Give it time.