Social Media apps are platforms to get information. They can be used to chat with friends and family. It can also be used to finalize the business deals. Kids and parents alike use social media. Kids enjoy the interaction with their friends and family. However, children may be exposed to dangers on the internet. They can be exposed to threats from strangers or obscene media. In this article, we will discuss some settings parents can do to keep their children safe.
Settings That Can Be Adopted To Keep Children Safe On Social Media
These are some settings that can be adopted:
Privacy Settings
The most important tools for limiting access to personal data are privacy settings. Strong privacy features are available on social media sites like Facebook, where users may restrict who can see their posts and personal information as well as make their profiles private. Parents may improve privacy and security by teaching kids to adjust these settings and turn off location sharing.
Content Filtering
Children must be protected from offensive or dangerous content with the use of content filters. Parents can restrict or exclude dangerous material from Instagram by using the platform’s content filtering tools, which are based on content categories and age. Parents may make sure their kids browse in a safer and more age-appropriate manner by personalizing these filters.
Manage Features
Parents can manage who has access to specific features and can interact with their child’s account by imposing account limitations. Users can restrict direct messages and friend requests from unknown individuals on Snapchat, for example. Parents can reduce the possibility of undesired contacts and access to improper content by implementing these limitations.
Location Sharing Controls
Location-sharing controls allow users to manage their children’s access to the internet. Children are oftentimes the prey of bad people. So, they need to manage the way they share information online. Your child may share important information about your house with strangers. Thankfully, social media apps such as Instagram have features that allow them to share information with close friends only.
Parents can do well to educate their kids. How can they do this? They can do this by telling their kids about the dangers of sharing important information with strangers. Parents can highlight the fact that some strangers are dangerous. They may include bad people like thieves and kidnappers.
Remain Vigilant and Alerts
To protect children on social media and to alert parents about their online activities, notification settings are essential. Parents should encourage their children to always increase the volume of their phones. When the notifications are too much, parents should act fast. Sometimes, these messages may come from people with ulterior motives.
Parents may efficiently monitor their children’s interactions with friends and messages by using platforms like Snapchat, which offers alerts for new messages and friend requests. Parents can be alerted to activity or material and take immediate action to address potential concerns by configuring these settings to receive such alerts.
How To Talk to Your Child About Social Media
Talking to your child about social media may be strange. Here are tips to follow if you find it strange to talk to your child about social media:
Talk About Your Personal Experience
The first tip is to talk to your child about social media yourself. Tell him about your experience using the various social media platforms. You can tell them about the social media sites you like and why you like them. Also, you can introduce them to some tricks that have helped you navigate the app. Lead by example. Do things that you wish your child can imitate. One of them is to drop their phone at mealtimes.
Ask Your Child What Social Media App He Finds Interesting
You may be amazed about the social media account your child has. Children need you to be close to them. Always find time to discuss with your child about his likes and dislikes. Tell them to teach you how to use the app.
Prepare an explanation if you believe that whatever your child is accessing is inappropriate for their age. Make decisions together with your child whenever feasible to ensure they understand the consequences of using something and will follow through.
Talk About Different Social Media App
Although the majority of social media sites have an official age restriction of 13+, most kids sign up for at least one of them far earlier. Instead of making them feel as though they must keep it a secret from you, you should encourage them to be honest with you. Furthermore, keep in mind that even if someone accepts your friend or follow request on one social networking platform, there’s a good chance they have additional accounts they’re not sharing with you.
Conclusion
Children need to be protected at all costs. They are always the target of online predators. To keep them safe, this article has listed some guidelines. Parents who follow this guideline would reduce the bad effects of social media on their children.
