Kids Connecting
I came across a guest post on the SocialMediaMom blog by Jonathon Fields - talking about how his daughter’s interest in Twitter inspired him to ponder “what if there were a secret internet for kids?”
He writes:
“The whole experience makes me wonder how powerful it might be to have a twitter that was devoted exclusively to fostering conversation among kids around the world in a safe, monitored environment.
Imagine the impact.
Millions of kids, forming impressions, bonds and experiences not through information filtered and colored by the grown-ups who provide access, but rather by their own, direct experience. Imagine them simply having the ability to invite friends from all over the world to hang out and chat. To ask questions about life, relationships, values or even simple daily activities.
To me, if there is a killer application for social media, it doesn’t lie in the realm of grown-ups. It’s not about business or marketing or content-sharing. It’s in the opportunity to allow kids from radically different cultures around the world to connect, to form their own opinions and break down barriers that have created artificial separations for decades or even centuries.
How different, I wonder, might the next generation be if we could foster such an experience?”
That’s some pretty powerful stuff to imagine, isn’t it? It’s easy to poke holes in the idea – like how would make sure only kids can sign up (not predators pretending to be nine years old!), or how would we make sure they weren’t bullying each other and the experiences were positive?
But I’m more interested in how we COULD make this work?
Could we learn something from Zoey’s Room? They’ve figured out a process of verifying who you are (which is why only American’s can sign up there – they don’t have access to the same verification methods for Canadians, so we’re just not allowed).
Or what about the amazing work that NotSchool.net has done? They’ve found ways of empowering the teenagers – including them in hiring of staff and much more!
What would you do to create a safe, open environment for kids to share and learn?