At what age should kids be on social media? Should they be on it at all? If they aren香蕉视频直播檛, will they be social pariahs? Should parents monitor their conversations? Do parental controls work?
Navigating social media as a parent 香蕉视频直播� not to mention a child 香蕉视频直播� is not easy. Using social media platforms is still the default for most American teenagers, with the Pew Research Center reporting that 58% of teens are daily users of TikTok, including 17% who describe their TikTok use as almost constant. About half of teens use Snapchat and Instagram daily, with near-constant use at 14% and 8% for each, respectively.
But parents 香蕉视频直播� and even some teens themselves 香蕉视频直播� are growing increasingly concerned about the effects of social media use on young people. Lawmakers have taken notice and have held multiple congressional hearings on child online safety. But even with apparent bipartisan unity, making laws and regulating companies takes time. So far, no regulation has passed.
What are parents 香蕉视频直播� and teens 香蕉视频直播� supposed to do in the meantime? Here are some tips on staying safe, communicating and setting limits on social media 香蕉视频直播� for kids as well as their parents.
IS 13 THE MAGIC AGE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA?
There香蕉视频直播檚 already, technically, a rule that prohibits kids under 13 from using platforms that advertise to them without parental consent: The Children香蕉视频直播檚 Online Privacy Protection Act that went into effect in 2000, before today香蕉视频直播檚 teenagers were even born.
The goal was to protect kids香蕉视频直播� online privacy by requiring websites and online services to disclose clear privacy policies and get parents香蕉视频直播� consent before gathering personal information on their kids, among other things. To comply, social media companies have generally banned kids under 13 from signing up for their services.
But times have changed, and online privacy is no longer the only concern when it comes to kids being online. There香蕉视频直播檚 bullying, harassment, the risk of developing eating disorders, suicidal thoughts or worse.
For years, there has been a push among parents, educators and tech experts to wait to give children phones 香蕉视频直播� and access to social media 香蕉视频直播� until they are older, such as the 香蕉视频直播淲ait Until 8th香蕉视频直播� pledge that has parents sign a pledge not to give their kids a smartphone until the 8th grade, or about age 13 or 14. Some wait even later, like 16 or 17.
But neither social media companies nor the government have done anything concrete to increase the age limit.
IF THE LAW WON香蕉视频直播橳 BAN KIDS, SHOULD PARENTS?
香蕉视频直播淭here is not necessarily a magical age,香蕉视频直播� said Christine Elgersma, a social media expert at the nonprofit Common Sense Media. But, she added, 香蕉视频直播�13 is probably not the best age for kids to get on social media.香蕉视频直播�
The laws currently being proposed include blanket bans on the under-13 set when it comes to social media. The problem? There香蕉视频直播檚 no easy way to verify a person香蕉视频直播檚 age when they sign up for apps and online services. And the apps popular with teens today were created for adults first. Companies have added some safeguards over the years, Elgersma noted, but these are piecemeal changes, not fundamental rethinks of the services.
香蕉视频直播淒evelopers need to start building apps with kids in mind,香蕉视频直播� she said.
Some tech executives, celebrities such as and parents from all walks of life have resorted to . While the decision is a personal one that depends on each child and parent, some experts say this could lead to isolating kids, who could be left out of activities and discussions with friends that take place on social media or chat services.
Another hurdle 香蕉视频直播� kids who have never been on social media may find themselves ill-equipped to navigate the platforms when they are suddenly allowed free rein the day they turn 18.
TALK, TALK, TALK
A more realistic and effective approach to social media, experts say, that gives children the tools and information they need to navigate a world in which places like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat are almost impossible to escape.
香蕉视频直播淵ou cannot just expect that the kids will jump into the world of social media, learn how to swim on their own,香蕉视频直播� said Natalie Bazarova, a professor of communications and director of the Cornell Social Media Lab. 香蕉视频直播淭hey need to have instruction.香蕉视频直播�
Start early, earlier than you think. Elgersma suggests that parents go through their own social media feeds with their children before they are old enough to be online and have open discussions on what they see. How would your child handle a situation where a friend of a friend asks them to send a photo? Or if they see an article that makes them so angry they just want to share it right away?
For older kids, Elgersma says to approach them with curiosity and interest, 香蕉视频直播渁sking about what their friends are doing or just not asking direct questions like, 香蕉视频直播榃hat are you doing on Instagram?香蕉视频直播� but rather, 香蕉视频直播楬ey, I heard this influencer is really popular.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 And even if your kid rolled their eyes it could be a window.香蕉视频直播�
Don香蕉视频直播檛 say things like 香蕉视频直播淭urn that thing off!香蕉视频直播� when your kid has been scrolling for a long time, says Jean Rogers, the director of the nonprofit Fairplay香蕉视频直播檚 Screen Time Action Network.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 not respectful,香蕉视频直播� Rogers said. 香蕉视频直播淚t doesn香蕉视频直播檛 respect that they have a whole life and a whole world in that device.香蕉视频直播�
Instead, Rogers suggests asking them questions about what they do on their phone, and see what your child is willing to share.
Kids are also likely to respond to parents and educators and the sometimes insidious tools companies use to keep people online and engaged, Elgersma said. Watch a documentary like 香蕉视频直播淭he Social Dilemma香蕉视频直播� that explores algorithms, dark patterns and dopamine feedback cycles of social media. Or read up with them how Facebook and TikTok make money.
香蕉视频直播淜ids love to be in the know about these things, and it will give them a sense of power,香蕉视频直播� she said.
SETTING LIMITS
Rogers says most parents have success with taking their kids香蕉视频直播� phones overnight to limit their scrolling. Occasionally kids might try to sneak the phone back, but it香蕉视频直播檚 a strategy that tends to work because kids need a break from the screen.
香蕉视频直播淭hey need to an excuse with their peers to not be on their phone at night,香蕉视频直播� Rogers said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey can blame their parents.香蕉视频直播�
Parents may need their own limits on phone use. Rogers said it香蕉视频直播檚 helpful to explain what you are doing when you do have a phone in hand around your child so they understand you are not aimlessly scrolling through sites like Instagram. Tell your child that you香蕉视频直播檙e checking work email, looking up a recipe for dinner or paying a bill so they understand you香蕉视频直播檙e not on there just for fun. Then tell them when you plan to put the phone down.
WHAT ABOUT PARENTAL CONTROLS?
Social media platforms that cater to children have added an ever-growing array of parental controls as they face increasing scrutiny over child safety. For instance, Meta unveiled tools last year that lets parents set time limits, see who their kid follows or is followed by, and allows them to track how much time the minor spends on Instagram. It does not let parents see message content.
But as with similar tools on other platforms such as TikTok, the feature is optional, and both kids and parents have to agree to use it. In order to nudge kids toward agreeing to set up the controls, Instagram sends a notice to teens after they block someone, encouraging them to let their parents 香蕉视频直播渟upervise香蕉视频直播� their account. The idea is to grab kids香蕉视频直播� attention when they might be more open to parental guidance.
By making the feature optional, Meta says it is trying to 香蕉视频直播渂alance teen safety and autonomy香蕉视频直播� as well as prompt conversations between parents and their children.
Such features can be useful for families in which parents are already involved in their child香蕉视频直播檚 online life and activities. Experts say that香蕉视频直播檚 not the reality for many people.
U.S. Surgeon General it香蕉视频直播檚 unfair to expect parents to manage what their children do with rapidly evolving technology that 香蕉视频直播渇undamentally changes how their kids think about themselves, how they build friendships, how they experience the world 香蕉视频直播� and technology, by the way, that prior generations never had to manage.香蕉视频直播�
Putting all of that on the shoulders of parents, he said, 香蕉视频直播渋s just simply not fair.香蕉视频直播�
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