S preferred to concentrate `on the positives and examine on-line opportunities’ (2009, p. 152), as opposed to investigating prospective dangers. By contrast, the empirical investigation on young people’s use from the web inside the social operate field is sparse, and has focused on how greatest to mitigate on the net dangers (Fursland, 2010, 2011; May-Chahal et al., 2012). This has a rationale because the dangers posed by way of new technologies are far more most likely to become evident in the lives of young individuals receiving social operate support. For instance, proof relating to kid sexual exploitation in groups and gangs indicate this as an SART.S23503 concern of important concern in which new technology plays a role (Beckett et al., 2013; Berelowitz et al., 2013; CEOP, 2013). Victimisation generally occurs each on line and offline, as well as the method of exploitation is often initiated by way of on the internet make contact with and grooming. The experience of sexual exploitation is really a gendered a single whereby the vast majority of victims are girls and young girls and the perpetrators male. Young men and women with experience on the care system are also notably over-represented in present information concerning kid sexual exploitation (OCC, 2012; CEOP, 2013). Analysis also suggests that young people today who’ve experienced prior abuse offline are additional susceptible to on line grooming (May-Chahal et al., 2012) and there is considerable experienced anxiety about unmediated get in touch with amongst looked just after young children and adopted children and their birth households by way of new technology (Fursland, 2010, 2011; Sen, 2010).Not All that is Strong Melts into Air?Responses call for careful consideration, nonetheless. The exact connection amongst on the net and offline vulnerability nonetheless desires to be greater understood (Livingstone and Palmer, 2012) along with the evidence doesn’t assistance an assumption that young people today with care knowledge are, per a0022827 se, at higher danger online. Even exactly where there is greater concern about a young person’s security, recognition is required that their on line activities will present a complicated mixture of dangers and possibilities over which they’re going to exert their very own judgement and agency. Further understanding of this concern depends on greater insight into the on line experiences of young folks getting social function help. This paper contributes for the expertise base by reporting findings from a study exploring the perspectives of six care leavers and 4 looked soon after young children with regards to generally discussed risks associated with digital media and their own use of such media. The paper focuses on participants’ experiences of utilizing digital media for social get in touch with.Theorising digital relationsConcerns in regards to the effect of digital technology on young people’s social relationships resonate with pessimistic theories of individualisation in late modernity. It has been GSK-J4 site argued that the dissolution of conventional civic, community and social bonds arising from globalisation results in human relationships that are more fragile and superficial (Beck, 1992; Bauman, 2000). For Bauman (2000), life below conditions of liquid modernity is characterised by feelings of `precariousness, instability and vulnerability’ (p. 160). While he’s not a theorist with the `digital age’ as such, Bauman’s GSK-690693 site observations are often illustrated with examples from, or clearly applicable to, it. In respect of internet dating web pages, he comments that `unlike old-fashioned relationships virtual relations seem to become made for the measure of a liquid contemporary life setting . . ., “virtual relationships” are uncomplicated to e.S preferred to concentrate `on the positives and examine on-line opportunities’ (2009, p. 152), instead of investigating possible risks. By contrast, the empirical analysis on young people’s use on the net inside the social operate field is sparse, and has focused on how best to mitigate on the web dangers (Fursland, 2010, 2011; May-Chahal et al., 2012). This includes a rationale because the dangers posed by means of new technology are additional likely to be evident inside the lives of young persons getting social work support. For instance, evidence concerning child sexual exploitation in groups and gangs indicate this as an SART.S23503 challenge of significant concern in which new technologies plays a part (Beckett et al., 2013; Berelowitz et al., 2013; CEOP, 2013). Victimisation normally occurs both on the internet and offline, and the approach of exploitation is usually initiated by way of on the web contact and grooming. The encounter of sexual exploitation can be a gendered one whereby the vast majority of victims are girls and young women as well as the perpetrators male. Young persons with experience in the care system are also notably over-represented in existing data with regards to youngster sexual exploitation (OCC, 2012; CEOP, 2013). Study also suggests that young people today who have experienced prior abuse offline are more susceptible to on the web grooming (May-Chahal et al., 2012) and there is considerable skilled anxiety about unmediated make contact with among looked just after kids and adopted young children and their birth households through new technologies (Fursland, 2010, 2011; Sen, 2010).Not All that’s Solid Melts into Air?Responses call for cautious consideration, on the other hand. The exact relationship amongst on the net and offline vulnerability nonetheless desires to become better understood (Livingstone and Palmer, 2012) plus the evidence doesn’t assistance an assumption that young men and women with care knowledge are, per a0022827 se, at greater risk on the internet. Even exactly where there is greater concern about a young person’s security, recognition is required that their on the web activities will present a complicated mixture of dangers and opportunities over which they may exert their own judgement and agency. Additional understanding of this challenge is determined by higher insight in to the on the net experiences of young folks getting social work support. This paper contributes for the know-how base by reporting findings from a study exploring the perspectives of six care leavers and four looked soon after children relating to commonly discussed risks linked with digital media and their own use of such media. The paper focuses on participants’ experiences of employing 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 classic civic, neighborhood and social bonds arising from globalisation leads to human relationships that are more fragile and superficial (Beck, 1992; Bauman, 2000). For Bauman (2000), life below situations of liquid modernity is characterised by feelings of `precariousness, instability and vulnerability’ (p. 160). Though he’s not a theorist of the `digital age’ as such, Bauman’s observations are often illustrated with examples from, or clearly applicable to, it. In respect of world wide web dating sites, he comments that `unlike old-fashioned relationships virtual relations seem to become created to the measure of a liquid contemporary life setting . . ., “virtual relationships” are easy to e.