Teenager emotionally scarred due to MXit
MXit connects users to instant messaging applications — think MSN and ICQ — with the use of their mobile phones. Apart from IM, users can also visit chat rooms, play games at the cost of a regular text message.
No wonder teenagers are going crazy with MXit.
One of those is (or should I say, was) 12-year old Samuel. Samuel immediately started using MXit as soon as he received his first cellphone. He used it to talk to his sports buddies and school friends.
One day, he ventured into a chat room and met 14-year old Claudia.
Imagine his surprise when, after a month of chatting, he met up with Claudia but was instead confronted by an old man who introduced himself as Claudia who "wanted to get to know him (Samuel) better".
Thank God, Samuel got away from the man. But now, he is emotionally scarred and psychologically damaged.
The development in technology is a great thing. However, evil souls out there will use it to their advantage to do something which may harm other people. We, as parents, should make sure that our children are protected by informing them of what could happen and teaching them what they could do and should NOT do.
It is always better to err in the side of caution. Keep your kids informed.
November 3rd, 2006 at 5:21 pm
I agree that MXit is an addictive application for teenagers. However, it is bad parenting that contributes to the severity of the problem. In light of this I’ve written a short ebook, Parents Guide to MXit. You can downnload it at no cost from http://www.onlinesafety.org.za and please post your comments as well. I would like to join forces with as many concerned people as possible to spread the word online and the real world on online safety for children.