Earlier this year I read about parents who share a dozen text messages with their kids during school. So I guess it should be surprising to read in today's New York Times about parents who can't let go when their kids go to college. The article's headline sums it up: "Kids, welcome to college; Parents, go home." (Interestingly, the article was written from Grinnell, Iowa, but the story is a nationwide phenomena.)
Meanwhile, today's Los Angeles Times has a story headlined: "Teens want to unfriend their cyber-stalking moms." Again, pretty self-explanatory. I've been on FB for about 3 years and as a college instructor and former fraternity advisor I have plenty of 20-something friends. Three years ago their pages were full of drunk pictures and messages. Now it's fairly sanitized. I'm sure part of it is the realization that employers and college officials read the walls, but I'm sure there's more to it. Once my generation and my parents' generation started logging in FB became much less interesting. Who's gonna post about getting blitzed when Great Aunt Gertrude is going to see it all?
To make matters worse, now FB has added "places" so every time you go anywhere you can "check in" via your smartphone. These GPS enabled devices will automatically post to the user's wall their exact location. (This feature amazes me. Nothing says, "Please, rob me" more than your cell phone confirming you are far away from home. I can't wait for it to be used in a trial. "Before your DUI you went to four different bars over the course of six hours...")
I picture parents taking to this: "Now, Bobby, I want to see you check in every hour and if you don't I expect a text message explaining yourself. Don't make text all your friends looking for you like I did last week..."
(If the above graphic is as hard to read on your computer as it is mine, simply click on it.)
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