We all know that many of us spend a lot of time on social media applications, and now our children are entering that world. This can be quite a worry for parents, as children may not be as widely knowledgeable on the risks as adults can be. So how can we ensure that we keep our children safe online when it comes to using social media. With that in mind, here are some of the things to think about.
Keep social media profiles private
One of the first things that you should do would be to keep social media profiles that they have private. This means that anybody who wants to follow or be friends with them will have to make the request to do so. It is a great way to ensure that they know exactly who is following them, but also that they are only sharing pictures and information with people that they know. This helps to protect their privacy and also ensures that information, especially pictures, does not get in the wrong hands or end up somewhere else on the internet.
Know where your child is sharing things
Another thing that you should do is know where your child is sharing things and what platforms they are wanting to be on. With so many out there you may need to have a better understanding of some of them yourself. Snapchat has recently become popular with younger people, as has TikTok and if you are unsure about how it works or the dangers of it you could look online at blogs for exactly that. While you don’t want them to appear not able to do the same things as their friends you also need to be strict as to where and how they share information.
Discuss internet safety when it comes to direct messages
There is a lot of information that you need to take in yourself but you will also need to have conversations with your children about internet safety and also about the possible dangers. Especially with things like direct messages. What may seem harmless as a direct message could potentially turn into something a lot more. There is a lot of danger surrounding the internet and vulnerable people are at risk if they are not careful.
Have access yourself
Finally, you need to ensure that you know exactly what is going on when it comes to your child’s usage of social media. It would be a good idea to follow them or be their friend there. However, it is worth remembering that while it may be tempting they may not want you to directly interact with them online. This is understandable as a teenager trying to fit in with their peers. If you can, it is also a good idea to try and have access to the profiles yourself. This means that you could log in sporadically to check things like direct messages or follow requests to ensure that things are staying safe and everyone is happy online.
While the internet can be a scary world, it is also part and parcel of daily life right now, so it is worth remembering that your child does need to have an understanding of it, as they get older.
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