I remember my youth - heady days running around a park, learning to ride a bike, trying to break the lock on the house phone so I could spend hours chatting to my friends.

 

There were no social networks back then and no mobile phones (gee, I sound a bit old!) but everything was simple. My parents were in control of my social life, I had to ask to go out and then when I made plans to meet my friends at a certain time I had to stick to it - as did everyone else.

 

There was no online bullying and keeping up to date with b list celebrities wasn't the 'in' thing. Don't get me wrong, life wasn't completely rosy - but there wasn't a gap where technology needed to be - for us kids I mean!

 

Nowadays, children as young as 5 have mobile phones, the 10s take for granted the latest technology - whether online gaming or social networks. It seems that the majority of kids have lost the motivation to liaise with other local kids in their street, well why would they when they can shoot out a stranger?

 

By 15, the technology is so ingrained that if you were to take it away there would be a riot!

 

Social networking sites like Facebook, have restrictions on the age that you can join - but if Mark Zuckerman has his way then young people under the age of 13 will have access.

 

Online bullying is an issue that is getting worse as young kids hide behind a computer to abuse and taunt and by making younger kids more 'sociable' via technology it will start even younger. But, the positive spin from the CEOs of these networks is that kids need to be a part of a social network so schools can evolve their education strategies and make learning more social in the future.

 

Mmmm, if schools go down this path, then is it likely that kids who don't have the latest gadgets will be ostracised and bullied too? It doesn't seem like they are winning either way!

 

Do you think that kids have a better time now or back in the day?