Social Media Safety Tips for Kids
As much as we love social media, we know there are risks to safety. Just like any parent would be cautious about allowing their child outside to play without supervision, the internet is no place for a child to be alone.
Here are some safety tips for you and your little one:
Monitor their social media activity
Allowing your child to have social media accounts can come with conditions like having them be “friends” or “connections” with their parents who can monitor, random checks of their accounts to see who they are talking with, or time limitations such as “the phone sleeps in the kitchen/parent’s room from 9pm to 8am”. You as the parent can establish these rules and expectations - it’s ok to be the ‘mean parent’!
Remember who you are
Don’t let friends or strangers turn you into someone you are not. Don’t let others pressure you into making any decision you are uncomfortable with. Help your child feel
Use the golden rule
Treat others the way you want to be treated. Or in other words; be nice. People who hide online to bully are a risk to themselves and those they interact with. Don’t encourage them by socializing. Just keep to yourself. This also applies to teaching your children etiquette for phone use while with other people physically - if you are at a family gathering, remind them beforehand that the main focus is to connect with the people in the room and not to spend time on their phones.
Remember what you are posting.
Once it’s on the internet, it is hard to take something back. Remind your child not to share your address, or any other sensitive personal information with anyone. Remind your child as they get older that colleges and future employers may look back at their social media accounts to get a glimpse of their character.
Don’t share passwords
Passwords are private and for only the account holder’s use. Only parents should know the password to their child accounts. You can also teach them how to make a good password by not using dates, names, or common items that other people would know about them.
Read between the lines
Not everyone on the internet is nice. Some people pretend to be nice to get something they want out of others. Be sure that if someone is trying to persuade risky behavior out of you, stop talking to them! Ask your child to share anything with them that feels ‘off’ in their interactions online - friend requests from people you don’t know, messages from off-the-wall accounts, etc. You can help them make a good decision about whether to accept the request or not.
Talk with your children often
It’s important to set limits and to have healthy conversations about the importance of personal connection outside of a digital world. Asking them about the new trends on Tiktok, or asking them if they are using Reels on Instagram can be a powerful way to start the conversation and show that you care. Yes, this means that you need to stay up to date on the trends and new features on Social Media. If you are going to let them play in the sandbox of social media, you need to play too!
There are lots of different ways to stay safe on the internet, above is just a short list of those many things. Be sure that you are being smart about what you share on the internet and who you trust.
