2008 Watch Your Space Survey This survey of social networking websites use by young people in Ireland indicates that the popularity of social networking websites shows no signs of waning. Overall levels of usage in January 2008 were similar to those found in 2007 in terms of frequency of access. However, teenagers appear to be spending less time on these sites.

We also found indications that a combination of successful awareness raising activities in Ireland and improvements in the child protection aspects of the technical features of the Bebo website has led to a reduction in risk behaviour by Irish teenagers.

• Fewer teens are using these sites primarily to make new friends
• Fewer teens are adding as friends lots of people they don’t know
• Fewer teens are publishing personal information on their profiles.
• More of them are keeping their profiles ‘private’.

There are also signs that the systems for user-moderation of content are starting to lead to reductions in the amount of harmful content on social networking websites. Significantly, it seems more difficult to encounter pornography or violent content on these sites than it was a year ago.

Social networking websites are just one of the technologies that are allowing children to connect with each other and engage with society in ways that were unimaginable two years ago. We are also seeing how the anonymous, instant, and far reaching communication capabilities of the Internet have brought a new dimension to most child protection issues.

Consequently, young people need to develop skills to establish supportive relationships, to enjoy the company of others, and to resolve conflicts in appropriate ways. They need to be aware of and sensitive to their role in influencing the behaviour of others through their online lives. Students require the skills to identify when they are subject to influence or manipulation, whether overt or subtle, and the self-confidence to resist these pressures.

Download the 2008 Watch Your Space Report here...

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