According to research funded by the MacArthur Foundation, teenagers in the US, who spend time on social networking web sites, are developing social skills that can help them later as adults.

The study was conducted to help analyze how children use the Internet, and how it helps them learn and interact with one another. This $3.3 million study was carried out by interviewing participants, reading online blogs and diaries, and collecting around 10,500 profiles of young people on Facebook and Neopets.

Parents often do not understand what their children do online, which has created a fear of the Internet, with misconceptions that it is risky and “an unproductive distraction.”  However, researchers warn parents they risk eliminating a vital social and recreational activity if they restrict their kids from using social networking sites.

The study’s findings suggest that the hours teenagers spend surfing the Net is educational – they generally engage in peer-based, self-directed learning online, through both friendship-driven and interest-driven online activity. Because their creations are shared online, they receive feedback from others immediately. The report says that by its immediacy and breadth of information, the digital world lowers barriers to self-directed learning.

Mizuko Ito, researcher and lead author of the report says: “It might surprise parents to learn that it is not a waste of time for their teens to hang out online. There are myths about kids spending time online - that it is dangerous or making them lazy.  But we found that spending time online is essential for young people to pick up the social and technical skills they need to be competent citizens in the digital age.”