Essay Draft 3

Social media has become increasingly important to Japanese teenagers. Popular social media in Japan such as Twitter, mixi, and GRee become major platforms for these teenagers to actively engage in. A white paper published by Ministry of Home Affairs & Communications in 2011 discovered that 71.2 percent of teenagers in Japan use one or more social media platforms. In the same white paper, it shows that 73.7% of social media users use social media for the purpose of searching and communicating with strangers with similar interests. This white paper shows that there is a high proportion of teenage social media users are susceptible to risks of falling into traps set by strangers. Other than communicating with people with similar interests, teenagers also tend to use social media to engage in deeper level communications with acquaintances. As a result of such a high dependency on social networks for communication, Japanese teenagers became more prone to the dangers brought by online predators. The susceptibility of Japanese teenagers against dangers of social media lies in loose regulation of the Internet environment. In addition, further education and warning should be implemented to raise the level of alertness of teenagers.

Teenagers use social media to communicate. Due to the availability of free chat functions on these platforms, the media became sexually tainted. As a result, sex crimes such as compensation dating and rapes arise from over-dependency on social media for communication. In addition to social media, Deai-kei site, or dating web services in English, have not been regulated so as to protect teenage users. Within the process of chatting with strangers online, some teenagers are convinced to reveal their personal information and to meet these strangers. According to Inoue (2010), there are more than 1000 teenage victims each year in Japan that government regulations have to be implemented to reduce this tragic number. There have been strict institutional enforcement of usage and social media users monitoring. The root of the problem lies in the insufficiency of education on risks of social media as well as floppy attitude towards underage sex.

Law and regulation enforcement against social media usage should be implemented especially for teenagers. One way to do so is to implement registration by real names and particulars in social media sites where free-chat functions are allowed. If users register themselves with real particulars, law enforcement bodies such as police and the Ministry of Home Affairs & Communication can track down any inappropriate conversations in preventing criminal activities against teenagers. In addition, users with particulars registered will allow monitoring bodies to ensure that the internet environment is safe for teenagers. Social media sites are being used for dating purposes in many cases, and victims usually are unaware of the risks they might face. Implementing such regulations can at least bring any offenders to justice and can at least rescue the victim before anything worse could happen. However, the setback of this system is that individuals can use fake particulars to register online for SNS services. Tracking might also be difficult when users register with fake addresses or other people’s addresses. A higher level of security can also be suggested by requiring parents’ or guardians’ information such as their driver’s license numbers or credit card numbers. There will always be loopholes in monitoring online activities, and there will be criticisms on privacy intrusions. For a safer internet environment for teenagers, such measures are necessary to a large extent. 

The Chinese government monitors its internet contents extensively in fear of political unrest, and Japan could use the same method in warning teenage users against potential dangers. In China, websites, instant messaging services such as QQ and WeChat, and online forums have been closely monitored by the government. When there are sensitive keywords such as money, remittance, or political words appearing in the content, the system automatically detects the keyword and warn users against potential threats. If this system is being introduced in Japan across all social media and phone applications, teenagers could be warned against potential sex crimes. Inoue(2010) pointed out that there was a case of a victim aged 16 years old being asked to send nude photos of herself to a stranger in exchange for in-game coins for popular application GRee in Okayama Prefecture, violating the law of child pornography prohibition. Such conversation exchange should have been brought down before the dignity of the girl was ruined by such a pervert. Although the West will heavily criticize that such strict control of the internet is violating the spirit of freedom, the act of exploitation of freedom by suspicious ones must be curbed. 

Even though hard measures are being implemented, the root of the social media susceptibility occur in teenagers lies in education. School and parental education on Japanese teenagers can focus on risks of using social media sites, with emphasis on how to identify hints or invitations to these activities. There is a need to alert teenage users that social media sites contain more risks behind communicating only, and education on prevention of leakage of personal information is necessary as well. Information-technology and Promotion Agency in Japan has warned teenage users on how to prevent risks, such as not revealing personal information and set higher security level. The agencies also provide support in case of tragedy happens. Although there are education on the national level, but parental and school levels are insufficient. In Japan, third-party organizations which promote SNS safety are active outside campus, but the penetration rate amongst students may be a big question mark.

Furthermore, there is insufficient education on correct attitudes towards sex. Many Japanese teenagers consider that it is normal and acceptable to be engaged in sexual activities at their age. Suzui et al. (2006) found that 77.2% of high school girls view sexual activities being acceptable. If teenagers do not treasure their bodies and safety, sex seekers will have a greater chance in preying upon them. Teenagers need to know that the casualness of sex will lead to greater problems such as law breaking, sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancies. All in all, there should be a greater level of education at a closer life proximity with teenagers.

In conclusion, regulations and educations should work together in order to compensate the shortcoming of each other with regard to reducing the danger of social media usage by teenagers. While government regulation and monitoring can reduce new cases of teenage sex crimes, education from young can instill a sense or alertness at a massive scale that future or existing social media users will know how to protect themselves against the dangers presented by sex predators.

[1101 words]

References

Inoue, O. (2010, December 8). SNS wo nayamasu Deai kei mondai no Shinen, Hi-deaikei no higai jidosu wa saiaku suijun he [Abyss of troubles from SNS dating services, child victims numbers from non-dating websites increased to worst levels]. Nikkei Keizai News. Retrieved from http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZZO19323130T01C10A2000000/

Ministry of Home Affairs & Communications. (2011). Sosyaru media no riyoujyouhou: Heisei 23 nen ban, jyouhou tsushinhakusho [Usage on social media, white paper 2011 version] Ministry of Home Affairs & Communications Japan. Retrieved from http://www.soumu.go.jp/johotsusintokei/whitepaper/ja/h23/html/nc232310.html

Information-technology and Promotion Agency. (2014). Higai ni attara [In case there is a crime] (2014), Information-technology and Promotion Agency Japan. Retrieved from http://www.ipa.go.jp/security/kokokara/accident/

Suzui, E., & Hiraoka, A. (2006). Attitudes towards Sexuality among High School Students in Japan. 12(2007 89-96), 1-1. Retrieved from http://www.kawasaki-m.ac.jp/soc/mw/journal/en/2007-e12-2/05_suzui.pdf