Parents in the Social Networking age

[Brazoo]

I'm very confused. Today my dad decided to follow me on twitter.

I get along with him fine and all, but I suddenly feel like I'm 16 and he crashed my friends house party.

[boynightwing]

I just pretend my father and aunts don't have me on facebook and go about my business. If they see/read anything they don't like...I'm over 30 so I don't care. :D

[Brazoo]

That's just it - I'm nearly 40, I get along with my dad - but I suddenly feel strange and I can't explain it.

Part of it might be that we agree to disagree on a lot of topics. We don't often raise certain subjects because of that - but I'm pretty mouthy on my twitter account.

[LadyZod]

And THAT is why i have two twitter accounts. Family know about one... friends and relative internet strangers know about the other.

[Nostalgiabuff]

my mom joined FB but she never goes on so I don't mind....actually I hardly ever go on it either....LOL
it is wierd though having the parents be able to see what kind of raunchy fun you may be talking about

[Adam West]

Fortunately, my mom doesn't use the internet or a computer. She did at one time (during the dial up days) but didn't find anything all that interesting. I do have friends whose parents are also on FB. I watched one friend and her dad get into argument right over the internet. I sent her a personal email to make sure everything was alright and she just responded that this was typical of her dad. I told her too bad there wasn't a way to defriend them without them knowing.

[kingdom warrior]

I BLOCK family members.......

[Brazoo]

And THAT is why i have two twitter accounts. Family know about one... friends and relative internet strangers know about the other.

Ah - That makes a lot of sense.

Fortunately, my mom doesn't use the internet or a computer.

Basically speaking neither does my dad. Thinking about it with a fresh mind today I don't think he'll be checking it much - he's only following me and my cousin. I have a feeling half the reason he signed up is so that he could brag to me about how good he is at using the computer: "I loaded down that new tweeter - and no one even showed me how!".

[Brazoo]

I BLOCK family members.......

I'd love to - but does he get a notice if I block him?

[kingdom warrior]

I'd love to - but does he get a notice if I block him?

Not on Facebook, now you see me now you're Blocked.....LOL!!!

[generic]

My father doesn't know a thing about computers. His typewriter and his phone do everything that he needs them to do. My mother uses the computer, but only because that's how her church sends out all of the information about meetings and such, so she doesn't go on facebook. Honestly, it wouldn't matter if they were both friends of mine on facebook because there isn't anything on there that I wouldn't want them to see.

Speaking of Twitter and Facebook (and, I suppose, Myspace). How many of you use these sites? Are you connected with other people from here on any of those sites?

[boynightwing]

I think there are limited privacy settings on FB. So if you didn't want your dad to see everything then you can set up what he can see. I've never done it so I don't think I can explain it further. This way you're not blocking him and he's not getting the whole picture.

[Brazoo]

I've got all sorts of family on facebook now - little nieces, and aunts and uncles - so I keep FB controversy free, for the most part.

It's not so much that I care that much about my dad seeing what I'm posting - it's just that for almost no reason at all I suddenly feel like I'm 12 and my friends are hiding in the basement watching 'R' rated movies and I'm worried he'll come downstairs. It's just a weird feeling - I guess it will pass.

If I could give him the boot without him knowing I would. Sorry Dad - love ya - BOOT!