REBECCA Hay (Letters, March 5) seems to be concerned that schools often use social media to promote their activities.

The fact is that young people today have grown up in a different world from Ms Hay and myself. In a world where there is a constant tension between technological determinism and social determinism I suggest that the former will always be the big cheese. Unless someone joins a group with a philosophy similar to the Amish then the social effects, intended or otherwise, which come with communication technology are here to stay in our daily lives.

This is not however a new aspect of life: Alexander Graham Bell patented his wonderful telephone in 1876 and yet I am still getting unwanted nuisance calls on mine. This aspect of modern communication is something I have learned to live with without being taught. Young people have to learn, firstly from their parents, that if something seems too good to be true then it almost certainly is.

The suggested over-use of social media by schools, which I feel is the core of the concerns she expressed, perhaps illustrates that the message is in the medium. One lesson her son must learn in this world of quick texts and instant publication of photos is to develop the life skill of a worldly scepticism and doubtfulness of any attempt to influence him through social media. Parents have a duty to drill down into all social media for their children and edit out or reveal what is really behind the seductive flimflam.

Bill Brown,

46 Breadie Drive, Milngavie.