How do you socialize?

What age is appropriate to have a social networking account?  Are we as people so caught up in communicating with people we don't see everyday that we don't realize who's really using the sites and what for?  We have pedophiles stalking our kids on these sites like prey.  It imperative that we know what our children are viewing and what they are doing on these sites.  This isn't just to protect them from pedophiles, but to keep their image safe in the views of others.  There are a lot of kids going on these sites showing off their bodies and they are only children. Some kids are on here flaunting weapons, drugs, money, amongst other things.  It's time we take time to realize what's going on and make a conscious effort to understand what our children are doing on these sites.  What's acceptable on these sites and what isn't?  Do we really know?  Is it really necessary for us to spill out our daily lives and the issues with our relationships all over the the social network?  A lot of people make it a point to tell the world that them and their significant other are having are at ends.  Do we really feel that that everyone wants to know these things.  Are we willing to let them know the really bad things like being evicted from your home or being arrested for soliciting their bodies?  Where are the parents in all of this, shouldn't they be there to make sure that their children aren't putting themselves in irreversible situations.  What a lot of these younger kids need to realize is that social networking can be used against you.  These days companies are looking to these sites to keep track of their employees.  Some people have even been convicted of crimes due to what is being shown on their social networking photos.  It seems these days that these sites are built of people living a personification of their lives on these sites.  Many of the people on these sites like to pretend that they are something they are not, when a majority of the people could care less.  Lets stop making social networking our wall to hide behind to escape reality.  Be yourself, and don't let anybody dictate how you carry yourself over the net.  If there are things that you wouldn't do in front of people, don't wait until you get online to become that fake person that you made up in the mirror.  We can only keep it real with other people when we keep it real with ourselves.