Essay Outline

Main problem:  Many Japanese social media sites such as 2-channel, mixi and LINE, colloquially known as deai-kei sites, have been manipulated for dating with compensation, sexual crimes such as child pornography and rape, especially against junior and senior high school girls.

Affected target group/stakeholder: Teenage girls, their safety, guardians, community.

Agent of change/stakeholder: Ministry of Technology, social media corporations, guardians

Solution 1: Enforcements of registration by real-names and particulars in media sites where they free-chat functions.

Evaluation 1: For users to be registered with real names and particulars, law enforcement bodies such as police and ministry of technology can faster track down on people who committed crime, and also to ensure an internet environment has been monitored for safety purposes. Social media sites are being used for dating purposes in many cases, and victims usually are unaware of the risks they might face. Individuals can therefore use fake particulars especially in Japan where there isn’t a system of identity registration of its nationals, even though adults can use driver’s license numbers and credit card information. Tracking might also be difficult when users register with fake addresses or other people’s addresses.

Solution 2: School and parental education on risks of using social media sites, with emphasis on how to identify hints or invitations on these activities. Social media sites contain more risks behind communicating only, and education on prevention on personal information is needed as well.

Implication/Conclusion: Teenagers might be reluctant to comply with since social media sites have become their main tool of communication and many made them their only window to see outside world.

Thesis: Even though strict institutional enforcement on usage and SNS users monitoring, the root of problems lie at the insufficiency of education on teenagers on risks of social media, and heavy reliance on social media sites.