It probably should not come as a surprise that over 4 in 10 teens will use instant messaging to say things they don’t want to say in person. It is really no different than our generation breaking up by writing a note to avoid the face to face conversation, or getting a friend to convey a message for us.
However, it wasn’t right when we did it back then, and it is no more correct today. Text messaging can be a highly efficient communication tool. My wife and I IM all the time when she is at her computer in the basement, and I’m in my home office upstairs. However, emotion doesn’t translate into an IM well, and smiley face icons are no substitute for face to face expression. The old adage if you can’t say it to their face you shouldn’t say it at all seems to still be relevant in the IM / instant communication world.
This post written by Chris O'Donnell for ParentalTech.com
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