Social media is a fast-emerging platform that has changed how people communicate and connect. Since these networking platforms are easy to use and entertaining, they have attracted the attention of most children. Therefore, it becomes essential to discuss the effects of social media on children. Social media, if used wisely, is a good platform to interact, learn, communicate, and have fun; however, if misused or excessively used, it may lead to cyberbullying, anxiety, and health problems. So, before allowing your children to access social media, you should be aware of its functionalities, privacy settings, and age limit. This post discusses social media’s positive and negative effects and tips to keep your children safe.
What Is The Right Age For Children To Be On Social Media?
Do not allow your child to access social media before adolescence independently. Even after adolescence, the age limit for using different networking sites will differ to avoid adverse effects (1).
Children of 13 years and above: Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok, and Youtube Children of 16 years and above: Whatsapp, LinkedIn, and Myspace Children of 18 years and above: Monkey, MeetMe, and Tagged
What Are The Effects Of Social Media On Children?
According to Pew Research Center’s last survey, 95% of teenagers have easy access to smartphones, and 45% are almost online all the time. Therefore, controlling their usage can become challenging (2). Before trying to control their social media activities, parents need to be aware of its positive and negative effects.
Positive Effects Of Social Media On Children
Social media helps you link up with people all over the world. The positive influence of social media on children include (3) (4):
Negative Effects Of Social Media On Children
Young minds are moldable, and social media can affect how your child thinks or behaves. At their age, they are innocent and cannot discern good and bad. Some common adverse effects may be (5) (6): Jackie Darby, a licensed clinical psychologist and certified group psychotherapist from Washington, District of Columbia, says, “The first area of risk of the apps is that they ask for location permission which can put the individual at risk of being tracked. The second area of risk is that the person can give out information, which makes it easy for hackers to steal their identity. The third risk is toward self-esteem. Studies have shown that overuse of social media can lead to lower levels of self-esteem in children because they are comparing themselves to unrealistic images. The last area of risk is the exposure to adult content.”
How To Help Your Children Be Safe On Social Media?
Since social media has considerable adverse effects, parents need to be vigilant about the safety of their children. “The best way to give advice to children about social media is to remind them that it is a tool to connect with others. It is not the end all be all for their existence. Additionally, help them understand the safety measures that are in the apps to stay protected from people. Scare tactics should not be used because they can be traumatizing to the child,” recommends Darby. The following guidelines could be of help (3) (7):
Talk to your children and help them understand that your involvement in their social media interactions is not about invading their privacy but ensuring their safety. Let your children know they should maintain good conduct over social platforms. Also, they should inform you immediately if they face harassment or cyberbullying issues. Ensure that your children do not interact with strangers or share much personal information on social media. Conduct research on the popular apps your children may be using and learn their functionalities, so you may know how it affects them. Ensure that children report to the site management about anything offensive they receive through online viewers. Encourage your children not to discuss about intercourse or lovemaking with anyone on social media. Alert them about online scams. If you suspect your child is being harassed, contact the police or the child protection center.
Screen name: Use your full name, first name, or a pseudonym. Profile picture: Choose a profile picture that represents you positively. You may even choose a graphical picture instead. Contact information: It is safe to create a separate email address for social media profiles. Identity: Create an identity you want to portray publicly by customizing your information. Manage the people who can view the posts, comment on them, or tag them.
