Is your child aware of Social media safety?
The world is ever changing and social media definitely has a major role to play here. The children of this generation are super advanced and when it comes to technology, they know it all. Ask them about any social media platform or app and they will know all about it. Gen-Z children are tech-savvy. They might as well have their accounts on some of these social media platforms.
So is there anything wrong in this?
Well, there is nothing wrong in having accounts on social media platforms but there is something that is of prime concern. It is the safety of your kids on these social media platforms. Children are easiest to fool and they can quickly fall in a trap laid by hackers or scammers. For this reason, it is of the utmost importance that a child who is on social media knows the whereabouts of it in detail. Continue reading to know more about this concern.
What Is Social Media Safety?
Social media is the most easily approachable place for information breach and misuse of it. Staying safe on social media platforms without falling prey to hackers or scammers while keeping secure your personal information is Social media safety.
The best way to stay safe on social media is to post minimal personal information. Staying away from disturbing elements who can bully or harass you mentally or emotionally also counts in keeping social media security. The main aim to stay safe online is to protect your private information.
How Do I Explain Social Media Safety To My Kids?
Follow the points below to discuss Social media safety with your kids.
Social media mindfulness
Children of the same age group like to have some fun among them. They sometimes use snarky or mocking comments on their friend’s posts. Or they may even upload something morally inappropriate.
This may sound casual but in reality it is a complex matter. Know that what goes online stays online. A lot of people will read what your child has posted. Someone can get offended by it or someone can even try to bully your child. Teach your kids to be mindful and double sure before posting anything on social media to stay safe.
Social media has a number of advantages and disadvantages. Some of the merits of using such platforms is that the creative and imaginative spectrum of a child widens. They can share news or ideas with some great minds and can learn a lot of new things. They can come in contact with some like minded people from across the globe and use it for their benefit.
However, if your child is using social media for foul or concealed expressions, then it can hinder its development. Using these platforms in a correct manner will ensure that your child stays safe on social media.
It is impossible to stop your child from creating a social media account. The discussion is absolutely futile. But what is important here is that you communicate openly with your child about the information it is providing on its profile. Try to review your child’s profile and if you find any information elaborative, ask your child to hide or remove it.
Furthermore, to ensure Social media safety for your child, make sure you double check the privacy settings of your child’s account. It is not necessary for your child to disclose which school it is attending or where he lives. Make your child understand that such information should be kept undisclosed to stay secure on social media.
Social media safety on smartphones
Since handheld devices like smartphones and tabs are frequently utilized by all for accessing social media platforms, we rarely use computer devices for accessing these platforms. Hence it is now tedious to find out if your child has marked its presence on a new social media handle. To know this, you must keep a close look at the apps your child has on its smartphone or tablet.
It is highly likely that your child may be using multiple social media platforms through their smartphones. Try to ask them the reason behind making a new social media account or switching to the new platform. If they are trying to expand their social circle or they have been bullied on a previous platform. Doing so will help you maintain Social media safety for your kids even through smartphones.
Verdict
This may look like a tedious task but as a parent, to assure that your child is safe on social media, you must work on the points given above. Comfort your child and talk it all out. Awareness and openness are very crucial if you wish to keep your child safe.
If possible, convince your children to add you in their friend list. This will make things easier and you will be able to keep a close check on what your child is doing. Other than this, keeping privacy settings intact will also help you maintain social media safety for your kids. Do let us know in the comments section if you have more such points to share.
You can also make sure your children are completely protected when using their mobile devices by using Bit Guardian Parental Control , one of the best parental control tools.
2 Comments