How to Make Sure Your Kids Navigate Social Media Safely

Social media has become a constant in our daily lives, and children are no exception to this, with around 87% of children aged 12-15 having at least one social media account and astonishingly, despite age limits on many platforms, around 30% of children aged between 5 and 7 use social media. If your child already uses social media or has been asking you if they can set up an account, here are some ways to help them navigate social media safely.

Why Is It Important to Monitor Your Child’s Social Media Use?

There are many reasons why parents need to be vigilant about their child’s social media usage.

Scams

Children are more likely to fall victim to scams and divulge personal information that shouldn’t be shared online. This is particularly if the scam offers something appealing to them, such as vouchers or freebies for games in exchange or if it suggests they will be in trouble if they don’t supply the information.

Predators

Child predators are nothing new but unfortunately, the internet has made it easier than ever for predators to make contact with children online and begin grooming them.

Misinformation

Many children will take everything they see, hear or read online as the truth, which means social media with its fake news can be a minefield and result in them believing or sharing mistruths.

Cyberbullying

Bullies no longer have to rely on intimidating their victims in person, they can also create fake profiles and hound their victims in their own homes too through cyberbullying. This can have devastating consequences for those targeted who may feel that there is no respite from the bullying.

Social Media Addiction

Social media is designed to be addictive, for both adults and children alike but kids are particularly susceptible as their brains are still developing and primed for the instant gratification that scrolling, posting and receiving comments and ‘likes’ can bring.

Unsafe Trends

European lingerie brand Hunkemoller analysed TikTok health and fitness trends and the potential dangers behind behaviours being promoted as ‘healthy.’ Their research found that younger people were more likely to try fitness trends they saw online with over half (53%) of the 18–24-year-olds they surveyed saying they were currently trying one or had done previously. However, when Hunkemoller consulted experts, they discovered that many so-called health trends could actually be harmful to health, for example, the Gallon of Water challenge and the controversial 75 Hard Challenge, which encourages participants to exercise daily without any rest days.

What Can You Do to Keep Your Children Safe Online?

Fortunately, there are measures you can take to help your children stay safe on social media.

Make Them Wait

A key step is to not let very young kids have any social media accounts and insist that they wait until they are old enough to understand the potential dangers of life online. Many children report that “all their friends” have social media and so they are missing out by not having it but this is often greatly exaggerated and if you speak to other parents, you will likely discover that they are also cautious.

Monitor Their Devices

Check your child’s phone, laptop and tablet regularly to see what they’re spending their time doing, the content they’re being exposed to, what they’re posting and who they’re interacting with.

Set Rules

Don’t let them post pictures or videos in real-time without checking with you first. Children might not understand that the innocent image they are posting could be misconstrued or taken out of context and this could have harmful consequences for them further down the line, as once something is online it’s difficult to control what happens next. You should also make sure they only have people they personally know on their social media and encourage them not to accept friend requests or read messages from people they don’t know.

Be Open

If they’re old enough to have social media, then they’re old enough to know the potential dangers that await them online. Talk to them in an age-appropriate way about the risks and be open with them about the dangers of the cyber world and what to do if they run into problems.