London: More than half of UK parents think popular social media sites such as Facebook hamper their children’s moral development, according to a new survey.
The ‘parent poll’ commissioned by researchers at the University of Birmingham found that only 15 per cent of parents thought that popular social media sites, such as Facebook, provided a positive influence on a young person's character.
About 40 per cent of parents said they were ‘concerned’ or ‘extremely concerned’ about the negative and potentially harmful impact of social media.
The UK-wide poll, questioned over 1,700 parents of children aged 11 to 17. Of those parents questioned, 93 per cent said they were regular social media users.
The survey, which is the first of its type in the UK, provides a unique insight into the moral values that are portrayed on social media. It points to widespread parental anxieties about the influence of online networks on children as young as 11.
Respondents named a number of character strengths that they believed were lacking on social media. About 24 per cent said forgiveness and self-control was least present, followed by honesty (21 per cent), fairness (20 per cent) and humility (18 per cent). However, a bleaker picture emerged when respondents were questioned about the negative character traits, or vices, they saw on social media at least once a month.
