Many parents are asking themselves these days about how to keep kids safe on social media. There are many different ways to keep kids safe on social media. One suggestion to keep kids safe might be to never allow them to go online in the first place! However, this is rather counterintuitive as it’s the reality that we now live in. Social media is an inseparable part of our and our kids’ lives.
Social media has become a big part of our lives since the days of Orkut and other older platforms. Then came along Facebook, and other platforms like Twitter and Instagram, and now Tiktok. Nowhere is this more true than with children. Children spend countless hours online. They are glued to their computers and television screens, playing games, connecting with friends and classmates, and basically having a great time!
This type of saturation is not good for children. The longer they spend online, the more they will be exposed to negative influences and online predators who might use tools to violate their privacy, which this research-based website examines. Many studies have shown links to violence and other bad behaviors, such as bullying and sexual assault. By teaching our children to ignore certain social media applications and to be careful about who they give their passwords to, we can limit this type of harm.
Table of Contents
Ways to Keep Kids Safe on Social Media
Teach Them Not to Share everything Online
One of the most important ways to keep kids safe on social media is by teaching them not to share everything they see online. This includes photos and videos. Many social media sites allow users to post short summaries of what they are doing in one place, such as on Facebook. It’s important to teach children that if they do not wish to share every photo or video they see on their social media pages, then they should share it privately. Even if they are posting things online that they think are funny or entertaining, this information could be misinterpreted by those who do not know what they are looking at.
Facebook allows you to do this with its sharing options, where you can choose to share your uploads with the public at large, your friends, select groups, or even a selected group of close friends. On the other hand, Instagram allows you to set your account as private, so only your kids’ followers can see what they post.
Update Their Accounts’ Privacy Settings and Filter Contacts
Another way to limit the impact of social media is to block the number of people who can see certain posts. This includes everyone in the person’s friend list, as well as anyone they have recently added to it. Of course, it also means that they cannot post anything to that group in the first place. That sounds like a tough set of rules to live by, but there are apps available for both smartphones and tablets that allow parents to block certain social media applications from being used by their children. As long as the children know the rules beforehand, this will help keep them out of trouble.
Teach Them the Differences Between Good and Bad Contact
Kids come across various people when they’re on social media. Additionally, at a rather tender age, kids also love the idea of having thousands of friends on their social media accounts, which often leads them to accept random friend requests and even send these requests to random people. While this in itself can prove to be dangerous, sometimes, there isn’t much one can do about this. However, what parents can do is to teach their kids the difference between what is a good form of contact and what’s a bad one.
For example, if one of their friends on social media asks them to share private images, teaching your kids that this is wrong is up to you as a parent. This is especially so if it comes from a stranger who your kid just befriended on a whim. There are various predatorial people on social media, and many even use fake accounts, so teaching your kids to remain vigilant at all times can be a great asset in their lives and can help them for years to come.
Teach Kids How to Block or Restrict a Contact
When children face uncomfortable situations on social media, some often tend to worry that telling their parents might result in them losing their privileges and freedoms. As a result, they tend to keep these issues to themselves, and many a time, without knowing how to put a stop to them. As a parent, you must assure your kids that they can always come to you with any issue, especially if it concerns their safety.
Additionally, you must also give them the tools to be able to take action themselves. For example, if someone on their Facebook is harassing them, teach your kid how to block and report this person or profile for that reason. Hi equips your child with the ability to but up their own guard and look out for their safety.
Know When to Set Restrictions
When it comes to keeping kids safe on social media, knowing when to step away is the most important part of the process. When the parent notices that their child is becoming increasingly reclusive on a social media platform, they need to make sure they do not block the site completely. There is plenty of discussions online about how to stop this trend, and parents should be aware of them. If there is nothing that can be done to help the situation, then blocking social media altogether can be the only solution. There are other ways to limit the impact of these websites, as well.
As mentioned above, it is important for kids to understand that they should never put their private information online. This includes everything from their date of birth to where they went to school. They should also not post their personal phone numbers or their home addresses, because this is also a way for predators to find them. It is best for kids to simply limit the amount of time that they give online to friends, family, and classmates. This helps to limit the privacy that these social media applications have, and it allows kids to feel more comfortable about what they are doing on their own time.
Teach Them How to Treat Others on Social Media
As much as you’d want to assure your child’s privacy on social media, you must also understand that they’re a part of a larger community in the online world. As a result, just as much as it’s important to teach them how to keep themselves safe, it’s also essential to teach them how to respect others’ privacy and safety.
This is an important life lesson which will make them more respectful and sensitive adults, even in the offline world. After all, every individual has a responsibility towards themselves and those around them, and fostering s culture of mutual respect and privacy can go a long way in building a more helpful and positive community.
In Conclusion
There are many ways to keep kids safe on social media. The important thing is to allow them to use these tools in a responsible manner. No one wants to have to worry about being assaulted by someone they met on the Internet. Preventing it from happening is a lot easier than preventing it from happening in the first place.
