Connecting with friends on social media platforms is just one of the many things teenagers use these platforms for.
Entertainment, studying and playing games are others. Unfortunately, some teenagers fall victim to various scams and mishaps at the hands of individuals or groups with ill-intentions. This can come at a heavy personal cost. But there are a few easy tips for teenagers that can help to keep them secure. These tips are just as useful for different kinds of social media.
It is important that you start to talk to children about technology early, even before they are on social media.
Research shows that children as young as six have access to smartphones or tablets, giving them early exposure to the risks, as well as the benefits, of social media.
THINK BEFORE POSTING — let your child know that the same rules apply online as apply offline -if it’s not something you want others to do to you, don’t do it to others. Before they share anything on Facebook, ask them to consider whether the post could be misconstrued, insult or hurt someone.
TRY TO BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL — the adage that children will “do as you do, not as you say” is just as true online as it is offline. If you set time restrictions on when your child can use social media or be online (e.g. no texting after 10 pm), follow the same rules.
ENGAGE EARLY – research shows that many children as young as six have access to smartphones or tablets. Just as you lay the foundation for dialogue and conversation offline with your children early, you should lay that foundation early online. Talk to them about technology, before they are on social media. If your teen is on Facebook, consider befriending them.
IDENTIFY & SEIZE KEY MOMENTS – the day your child gets their first mobile phone is a good time to set ground rules. When your child is old enough to join Facebook and other social media, it’s a good time to talk about safe sharing. Your child getting their driving license is a good time to discuss the importance of not texting and driving.
STAY IN CONTROL — on Facebook, show your children how to control what they see in their News Feed, by clicking on the three dots at the top right of any post.
If they don’t like a story that appears, they can hide it.
If they don’t want to see posts from a specific person, they can Unfollow or snooze the person.
They can also give feedback or report a post for bullying.
Furthermore, talk to your child about issues of safety, privacy and security. Remind them of who they’re sharing with and to limit interactions with strangers.
They should only accept friend requests from people they know.
They should not share sensitive information such as their contact number or email address.
They should think before they share their location.
If someone is bothering them, they can always Unfriend the person, or block them in more serious instances.
The writer is a freelance journalist. He can be reached at [email protected] and Tweets at @KhurramZiaKhan