Why do my parents think that chatting on facebook is bad?

[Person]

Okay so my parents know that I have a facebook but they always get mad at me when I chat with one of my friends, I don't understand why though. For example, just now my parents left to go to the store and my mom got mad at me saying don't be chatting with anybody on facebook! I asked her why and she said "because when teenagers chat on facebook it's bad and people go to their house etc". I don't understand this at all though, i'm not video chatting. We don't even have a webcam! All i'm doing is having a conversation with one of my friends it's pretty much just like texting accept on the internet. + It's not like i'm talking to a random person and if I do get a friend request from a random person I don't know I deny it. Why does my mom think this is so bad?

 

[Judith]

All your mother knows is what she hears on the news and reads in newspapers and magazines and it's very scary if you are a mother. Take a moment to teach her. Please have your mother sit with you while you chat with one of your cousins or your friends. Then she will see that you are just talking back and forth and not doing anything outrageous or dangerous. And don't forget to stay safe and not give any personal information on your Facebook page or emails.

 

[Ice-Breaka]

Parents...freak out about things they don't know. Just relax.

 

[???????? ????????]

I know EXACTLY what you mean! My parents do this ALL the time and its exhausting. They probably do that because they care about you and they're probably trying to protect you from the "internet" and all that mumbo jumbo... Its not that your parents dont trust you, they just dont trust other people. Just try and prove to them that your are worthy of chatting to your friends. This might seem weird but maybe show them the people your chatting to.
Its just one of those things that parents do.. *sigh*
hope this helps and good luck!

 

[Emmy]

Parents don't know much about social networks so she assumes the worst ( like news, magazines articles about stalkers on fb ) just try your best to explain to her

 

[lulucat315sofab]

if your only talking to your friends, and she thinks chatting on facebook is bad because people to to house (as you said), then you need to explain to her, at a time where she isn't angry. that you aren't talking to randoms and that you don't add any either. explain to her that facebook is just like texting. or, you could just show her this question, and she will hopefully understand you better. chatting on facebook isn't bad, as long as you are talking to people you already know.

 

[Orla C]

Your mother doesn't really know how it works, that's all. Ask her to consult a specialist on using Facebook socially, and what's safe and what isn't.

It could be that she's more aware of the potential dangers to you than how you are likely to encounter them, which means that she's not as well informed as she needs to be.