S preferred to concentrate `on the positives and examine online opportunities’ (2009, p. 152), rather than investigating prospective risks. By contrast, the empirical analysis on young people’s use on the web inside the social operate field is sparse, and has focused on how greatest to mitigate on line dangers (Fursland, 2010, 2011; May-Chahal et al., 2012). This has a rationale as the dangers posed by means of new technology are extra most likely to be evident within the lives of young men and women receiving social perform support. By way of example, proof concerning youngster sexual exploitation in groups and gangs indicate this as an SART.S23503 issue 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 the internet and offline, and also the method of exploitation is usually initiated through on the web get in touch with and grooming. The expertise of sexual exploitation is usually a gendered one particular whereby the vast majority of victims are girls and young ladies as well as the perpetrators male. Young people with expertise on the care technique are also notably over-represented in present data concerning kid sexual exploitation (OCC, 2012; CEOP, 2013). Study also suggests that young folks that have experienced prior abuse GSK2606414 offline are more susceptible to on the net GSK-690693 chemical information grooming (May-Chahal et al., 2012) and there is certainly considerable experienced anxiety about unmediated get in touch with in between looked following youngsters and adopted children and their birth households through new technology (Fursland, 2010, 2011; Sen, 2010).Not All that’s Strong Melts into Air?Responses require careful consideration, even so. The exact relationship among on line and offline vulnerability nevertheless wants to become improved understood (Livingstone and Palmer, 2012) and also the proof doesn’t help an assumption that young people with care knowledge are, per a0022827 se, at greater danger on-line. Even exactly where there is higher concern about a young person’s safety, recognition is required that their on the net activities will present a complicated mixture of dangers and opportunities more than which they’re going to exert their very own judgement and agency. Additional understanding of this problem depends upon higher insight in to the on the internet experiences of young men and women getting social work help. This paper contributes towards the information base by reporting findings from a study exploring the perspectives of six care leavers and four looked right after kids regarding generally discussed risks linked with digital media and their own use of such media. The paper focuses on participants’ experiences of utilizing digital media for social make contact with.Theorising digital relationsConcerns concerning 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, community and social bonds arising from globalisation results in human relationships that are far more fragile and superficial (Beck, 1992; Bauman, 2000). For Bauman (2000), life under situations of liquid modernity is characterised by feelings of `precariousness, instability and vulnerability’ (p. 160). Even though he is not a theorist on the `digital age’ as such, Bauman’s observations are regularly illustrated with examples from, or clearly applicable to, it. In respect of world wide web dating web sites, he comments that `unlike old-fashioned relationships virtual relations seem to be created for the measure of a liquid modern life setting . . ., “virtual relationships” are uncomplicated to e.S preferred to concentrate `on the positives and examine on the net opportunities’ (2009, p. 152), as opposed to investigating possible dangers. By contrast, the empirical research on young people’s use on the web inside the social perform field is sparse, and has focused on how finest to mitigate on the web risks (Fursland, 2010, 2011; May-Chahal et al., 2012). This features a rationale as the dangers posed by means of new technologies are far more likely to become evident within the lives of young people today receiving social operate help. As an example, evidence with regards to child sexual exploitation in groups and gangs indicate this as an SART.S23503 concern of considerable concern in which new technology plays a part (Beckett et al., 2013; Berelowitz et al., 2013; CEOP, 2013). Victimisation usually happens both on the net and offline, along with the approach of exploitation is usually initiated by way of on the internet speak to and grooming. The encounter of sexual exploitation is actually a gendered 1 whereby the vast majority of victims are girls and young females as well as the perpetrators male. Young people today with encounter from the care method are also notably over-represented in existing information regarding kid sexual exploitation (OCC, 2012; CEOP, 2013). Investigation also suggests that young individuals who’ve skilled prior abuse offline are much more susceptible to on line grooming (May-Chahal et al., 2012) and there is considerable professional anxiety about unmediated contact involving looked immediately after young children and adopted kids and their birth households through new technologies (Fursland, 2010, 2011; Sen, 2010).Not All that is Solid Melts into Air?Responses call for careful consideration, on the other hand. The precise relationship involving on line and offline vulnerability nonetheless requires to become much better understood (Livingstone and Palmer, 2012) as well as the proof does not help an assumption that young men and women with care experience are, per a0022827 se, at higher danger online. Even exactly where there is higher concern about a young person’s security, recognition is required that their on line activities will present a complex mixture of dangers and opportunities over which they’re going to exert their own judgement and agency. Additional understanding of this concern depends upon higher insight in to the on-line experiences of young men and women receiving social perform help. This paper contributes for the information base by reporting findings from a study exploring the perspectives of six care leavers and four looked after youngsters relating to normally discussed dangers associated with digital media and their own use of such media. The paper focuses on participants’ experiences of making use of digital media for social get in touch with.Theorising digital relationsConcerns concerning 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 traditional civic, neighborhood 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 below circumstances of liquid modernity is characterised by feelings of `precariousness, instability and vulnerability’ (p. 160). Whilst he’s not a theorist of the `digital age’ as such, Bauman’s observations are regularly illustrated with examples from, or clearly applicable to, it. In respect of net dating websites, he comments that `unlike old-fashioned relationships virtual relations seem to become made to the measure of a liquid contemporary life setting . . ., “virtual relationships” are straightforward to e.