S preferred to focus `on the positives and examine on the web opportunities’ (2009, p. 152), instead of investigating possible dangers. By contrast, the empirical study on young people’s use on the net inside the social operate field is sparse, and has focused on how very best to mitigate on the web risks (Fursland, 2010, 2011; May-Chahal et al., 2012). This includes a rationale GSK2606414 web because the dangers posed via new technology are additional likely to become evident in the lives of young men and women receiving social work support. By way of example, evidence regarding child sexual exploitation in groups and gangs indicate this as an SART.S23503 issue of considerable concern in which new technologies plays a part (Beckett et al., 2013; Berelowitz et al., 2013; CEOP, 2013). Victimisation normally happens both on the web and offline, along with the procedure of exploitation might be initiated by means of on the net speak to and grooming. The practical experience of sexual exploitation is often a gendered 1 whereby the vast majority of victims are girls and young females as well as the perpetrators male. Young people with knowledge with the care system are also notably over-represented in existing information regarding child sexual exploitation (OCC, 2012; CEOP, 2013). Analysis also suggests that young people today who’ve skilled prior abuse offline are extra susceptible to online grooming (May-Chahal et al., 2012) and there’s considerable experienced anxiety about unmediated speak to in between looked immediately after children and adopted youngsters and their birth households by means of new technology (Fursland, 2010, 2011; Sen, 2010).Not All that may be Solid Melts into Air?Responses call for careful consideration, nevertheless. The exact partnership amongst online and offline vulnerability still requirements to be improved understood (Livingstone and Palmer, 2012) along with the evidence doesn’t support an assumption that young people with care expertise are, per a0022827 se, at higher danger online. Even exactly where there is certainly higher concern about a young person’s safety, recognition is necessary that their on line activities will present a complex mixture of risks and possibilities more than which they will exert their very own judgement and agency. Further understanding of this challenge depends upon higher insight into the on the internet experiences of young people getting social function support. This paper contributes for the knowledge base by reporting findings from a study exploring the perspectives of six care leavers and four looked after children with regards to normally discussed risks related with digital media and their very own use of such media. The paper focuses on participants’ experiences of utilizing digital media for social make contact with.Theorising digital relationsConcerns about the effect of digital technology on young people’s social relationships resonate with pessimistic theories of individualisation in late modernity. It has been argued that the dissolution of conventional civic, GSK2334470 web community and social bonds arising from globalisation results in human relationships that are much more fragile and superficial (Beck, 1992; Bauman, 2000). For Bauman (2000), life under circumstances of liquid modernity is characterised by feelings of `precariousness, instability and vulnerability’ (p. 160). Whilst he’s not a theorist on the `digital age’ as such, Bauman’s observations are often illustrated with examples from, or clearly applicable to, it. In respect of online dating sites, he comments that `unlike old-fashioned relationships virtual relations seem to become produced for the measure of a liquid modern life setting . . ., “virtual relationships” are uncomplicated to e.S preferred to focus `on the positives and examine on the internet opportunities’ (2009, p. 152), rather than investigating prospective risks. By contrast, the empirical investigation on young people’s use of the web inside the social function field is sparse, and has focused on how best to mitigate online dangers (Fursland, 2010, 2011; May-Chahal et al., 2012). This features a rationale as the dangers posed via new technologies are a lot more probably to be evident inside the lives of young people today getting social work support. As an example, proof with regards to child sexual exploitation in groups and gangs indicate this as an SART.S23503 problem of significant concern in which new technologies plays a role (Beckett et al., 2013; Berelowitz et al., 2013; CEOP, 2013). Victimisation usually happens both online and offline, plus the method of exploitation might be initiated by means of on the web make contact with and grooming. The encounter of sexual exploitation is really a gendered 1 whereby the vast majority of victims are girls and young girls and also the perpetrators male. Young individuals with expertise on the care program are also notably over-represented in present information concerning child sexual exploitation (OCC, 2012; CEOP, 2013). Investigation also suggests that young folks who’ve seasoned prior abuse offline are a lot more susceptible to on the web grooming (May-Chahal et al., 2012) and there is certainly considerable experienced anxiety about unmediated make contact with among looked after youngsters and adopted children and their birth families through new technology (Fursland, 2010, 2011; Sen, 2010).Not All that is certainly Solid Melts into Air?Responses need cautious consideration, nonetheless. The precise partnership involving on the net and offline vulnerability still demands to be improved understood (Livingstone and Palmer, 2012) plus the evidence doesn’t help an assumption that young people with care practical experience are, per a0022827 se, at greater danger on the internet. Even where there is higher concern about a young person’s safety, recognition is needed that their on-line activities will present a complex mixture of dangers and possibilities more than which they may exert their very own judgement and agency. Further understanding of this concern is dependent upon greater insight in to the on the web experiences of young persons getting social operate help. This paper contributes to the information base by reporting findings from a study exploring the perspectives of six care leavers and four looked after young children with regards to generally discussed dangers linked with digital media and their own use of such media. The paper focuses on participants’ experiences of using digital media for social make contact with.Theorising digital relationsConcerns in regards to the influence of digital technology on young people’s social relationships resonate with pessimistic theories of individualisation in late modernity. It has been argued that the dissolution of regular civic, community and social bonds arising from globalisation leads to human relationships that are much more fragile and superficial (Beck, 1992; Bauman, 2000). For Bauman (2000), life beneath circumstances of liquid modernity is characterised by feelings of `precariousness, instability and vulnerability’ (p. 160). When he is not a theorist with the `digital age’ as such, Bauman’s observations are regularly illustrated with examples from, or clearly applicable to, it. In respect of online dating websites, he comments that `unlike old-fashioned relationships virtual relations look to be created to the measure of a liquid modern life setting . . ., “virtual relationships” are simple to e.