5 Things Teens Should Never Do on Social Media
Like it or not, kids are on social media. A lot. According to a new report released by the U.S. Surgeon General, 95% of adolescents ages 13 to 17 use social media, and more than one third use it “almost constantly.” More than that, despite the fact that the minimum age for social media is 13, thanks to the Children’s Online Protection and Privacy Act, nearly 40% of kids ages 8 to 12 are using it as well.
Eliminating social media use among kids may be impossible, but that does not mean there should be no limits.
As laid out in a TODAY.com article, Emily Kline, a Boston-based clinical psychologist, highlights five social media habits teens should absolutely avoid:
1) Never keep social media profiles public
“Many kids growing up with social media have thousands of followers by the time they graduate from high school,” says Kline. Strangers should not be among them.
Private accounts offer a measure of protection, as teens must vet requests to access their photos and messages, asking themselves, “Do I know and like this person?” Teens should not use their full names or birthdays, opting for a creative alias instead.
2) Never post harmful or embarrassing content
Cultivate a sense of empathy in your teen. Posting screenshots of private conversations or revealing embarrassing moments or videos verges on cyberbullying.
“Get ahead of this by asking your teen why they think that happens or how they would feel on the receiving end,” says Kline. “Ask if your child has ever seen anything like that or if they would be tempted to do it to someone else.”
3) Never treat social media as a ‘kids-only’ space
Even if you aren’t friends with your child on social media, glance at your child’s feed from time to time to make sure harmful content isn’t getting through.
“Parents might want to occasionally sit with their teens while they scroll, in order to observe what’s coming up in their feed,” Kline explains. “If you see a lot of content about dieting or videos that seem mean spirited, for instance, then there’s a clear indication that maybe those accounts should be blocked.”
4) Never think that everything should be recorded
Life is meant to be lived, not recorded in minute detail. “Remind teens that (documenting) every moment can take away from the present,” says Kline.
Ensure your teens can put their phones away, in order to reclaim their lives from perpetual social media documentation.
“When we keep some pieces of our lives private and offline,” she adds, “it’s mental proof that social media is not a full or accurate depiction of our own life or anyone else’s.”
5) Never avoid talking about social media with family
Some parents set rules when their kids first get smart phones which fall by the wayside.
Keep the conversation around social media open. The social media landscape keeps evolving. “You could ask about the newest app, the latest drama or how social plays a role in their lives,” says Kline. “Kids might find your questions entertaining — or hilarious — and enjoy teaching you about it.”
The teenage years are a time for building necessary autonomy, and parents can’t always enforce social media rules “unless you follow your teenager around and look over their shoulder,” Kline explains.
The key is to talk to your teens. “If you hope to influence what comes next, it’s through conversations with teens,” she says. “That way, they understand your reasoning and come to you with problems.”
Read the full article here.
Solé, Elise. “I’m a psychologist. Here are 5 things teens should never do on social media.” TODAY.com, 23 May 2023, https://www.today.com/parents/teens/5-things-psychologist-teens-social-media-rcna85583.
Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash