SAY WHAT YOU WILL about Bebo, MySpace, Facebook or any other form of social media, but the horse has bolted already. Anecdotal evidence we see when training Transition Year students on week-long short courses clearly documents that young teens are already engaged with social media long before schools acknowledge the existence of the networks in the first place.
I spent part of a weekend watching a brand new teenager text-type with two hands, send and recieve photos, check mobile mail, and run out of mobile phone credit. Her parents were happy that she could entertain herself without any adult intervention. I was impressed by the courteousy she exuded on an electronic level. She was able to toggle between text-speak and polite cursive. That's a social skill that complements other parts of gorwing up teenaged.
Just like in Japan, Irish mobile technology is an important part of living in the 21st century. Your earbuds create a personal bubble. Your phone offers a lifeline to people whose company you might rather keep.
If you expect a proper job in the knowledge economy, you need to use communications technology properly, staying safe from predators and learning how to protect your real identity from online abuse.
