MySpace: friend or foe? Talk underscores pros and cons of internet for today's youth
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School night or not, they are probably surfing the Worldwide Web.
The internet is an undeniable global phenomenon that has taken more and more of people's time, especially the techno-savvy younger generation. And an outgrowth of the digital revolution has been the MySpace phenomenon.
The popular website, which allows people to post profiles including photos and on-line diaries, has become a place where young people can communicate without adult control.
But it is precisely that lack of control that has made the site a place where predators and perverts can interact with young people.
In the first of a series of talks sponsored by the Secaucus Board of Education and coordinated by Secaucus Middle School Principal Pat Cocucci, speaker Vincent Bove took the stage at the local Arthur F. Couch Performing Arts Center on Feb. 28.
What followed was an important message about the positives and pitfalls of the internet age for young people, and how by keeping in touch with technology, parents can make sure that the internet has only a positive impact on their children's lives.
Man on a mission
Vincent Bove came to Secaucus with a well-established background in helping both children and parents. After working as a teacher and a high school principal, Bove has been working for the past twenty years as a leadership and security educator, partnering with corporate, government, law enforcement and educational institutions. Bove points to a particular tragic event as one of the main motivating factors in his work.
"I've been speaking on school violence and related issues since the events at Columbine High School in 1999," he said, a reference to the infamous massacre of 12 students and a teacher by two disturbed students inside of a suburban Denver high school. "That was a watershed event in American history and it highlighted the issue of violence in American schools. Unfortunately, the track record since then has continued to be a very sad commentary on American life."
Many observers have pointed out that the internet has helped fuel the climate of hate that made incidents like Columbine possible. Eric Harris, one of the Columbine students responsible for the shootings, issued blog postings on his private website that became increasingly angry and violent in nature, including a "hit list" of individuals he wished to target.
However, Bove noted that the internet also creates a lot of positive possibilities.
"The new landscape for social interaction is the internet," he said. "Students, parents, teachers, other school officials and even law enforcement need insight into that landscape to really feel the pulse of a school, a community, and even of the nation at large."
That pulse can be measured in many ways.
"The positive thing about the internet is the interaction and communication that can take place, including MySpace," he said. "Friendships can start, business can go on. It gives us all a way to communicate that we've never had before. I went to a wedding recently that was broadcast over the Web to Bosnia. The internet is not the enemy."
Communication breakdown creates internet incidents
Regarding his concerns about the internet and MySpace, Bove believes that he knows who the enemy is.
"The Web and MySpace is unfortunately often used for gang recruitment," he said. "It's also can be used for inappropriate sexually provocative messages, and cyberbullying."
Bove noted his special unease about cyberbullying.
"Bullying is a very serious concern is schools," he said. "Often seeing the predisposition for acts of violence on the internet can provide an early warning that could prove critical."
According to Bove, there are other ways that the powerful communicative tool of the internet can send the wrong message.
"Messages on the internet can have the potential of destroying reputations," he said. "In one evening, a group of youth lacking discretion can put photos on a MySpace page that cannot easily be taken down. They could be out there in cyberspace for a long time, even after they are deleted from someone's profile. It should also be noted that according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, one in five youths are approached by an online predator. There is blatant criminal activity taking place on the internet."
Family should be on the frontline
For Bove, the way to combat negative internet influences can be very simple.
"We all have to be more involved in our children's lives," he said. "Having a MySpace account does not make somebody a person of questionable character. But if there is disconnectedness between families and children, that lack of guidance and monitoring can contribute to youth getting used by people with devious intentions. We need to understand the internet and MySpace so that we can intervene and prevent issues from happening."
Bove pointed to simple form of an ounce of prevention in order to achieve this goal.
"Your presence matters immensely in your children's lives," he said. "Go home tonight, take some time and go online with your children. Ask to see their MySpace page. You can even start one yourself. Don't overreact, but be present. You're doing it with love, not repression. That presence is critical."
Bove offered a final piece of advice about how to help children grow up in the internet age.
"The flowers are growing with the weeds in the same field," he said. "Youth needs the discerning assistance of dedicated educators, law enforcement officials and families to prevent them from getting pulled in the wrong direction. We have to take back our community and country from scandals and violence by being involved."
In the crowd, at least one parent seemed prepared to take Bove's message home.
"I'm here tonight because of my child," said Bethanne Giangeruso, sitting with her daughter Gioanna, an eighth grader at Secaucus Middle School. "I'm concerned about things like cyberbullying on the internet, and I want to do whatever I can to help."
Vincent Bove will be giving two additional presentations at the Couch Center: character education on Mar. 8 and parenting skills on Apr. 12. Please go to www.vincentbove.com for more information or call Secaucus Middle School at (201) 974-2022.
Mark J. Bonamo can be reached at mbonamo@hudsonreporter.com.
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