In today’s times, social media has surrounded everyone and we have done nothing more than welcome it into our lifestyle. The younger generation that has seen smartphones since the day they were born is much more active and aware of what is happening on social media. Children are using social media in many ways, for reading, watching something, or staying in touch with their friends. Social media is much more accessible than ever because of the availability of faster broadband and internet connections. Almost, every child has a Smartphone and laptop now on which any social media apps can be downloaded or browsed. Social Media is really helpful in many ways if you use it the right way. For adults, it is one of the best ways to promote their business. But, is it safe for your kids? Is it really good for them to socialize? Are you monitoring their social media for their safety? How to keep your kids safe from social media?
Social Media has both pros and cons for kids. While it may be very informative and one can connect with the world but there are also many risks. We follow and communicate with many strangers on social media and we can hardly make out who is real or fake. Depending on the risks many parents have different views. Some say children should have restricted access to social media. Some say they should not interfere in their social life and many say they should not use social media at all. Social media has many risks that outweigh the benefits. Cyberbullying has been one of the most serious problems that can be fatal for both kids and their parents.
We at Bhartiyam International School present you with some tips on how to keep your kids safe from social media.
Educate the child about social media
Kids are attracted to social media and they are aware of those popular apps and sites that are quite trending these days. Most kids these days have access to Smartphones and laptops and they are spending most of their free time watching youtube videos, playing games, and browsing through Instagram or Facebook. If you know that your child has a social media presence then you should first make them aware of the dangers of social media. Tell them that they are not of the right age to use social media or how it can impact their studies. Also, tell them about the situation they might get into if they are not aware while using online apps.
Establish age limit
Before your kid has makes a social media account they must be of a certain age. Most social media apps have an age limit of 13 years. Kids can only join these platforms without the consent of their parents once they are 13 years old. There are some platforms like Youtube which have children’s versions called YouTubeKids. In this version, you will only find children-specific programs, cartoons, shows, and more.
Take control
If your child has set up a social media account or is using social media, you are responsible for their account to monitor usage. You also have to be wary about updating their security settings. If your kids object to invading their privacy, make it clear to them that monitoring their social media accounts is for their benefit. Such children are unaware of the dangers lurking in the world and will happily accept friend requests from anyone without analyzing whether the person is right or not.
Keep their profile private
There is an option on every social media site to keep your profile private. Ensure that your kid’s account is private so that only their friends can see the content posted by your child. In this way, they will be safe from strangers and their information will be known only to their private friends. This is the most important step and kids should not public their profiles until they are of a certain age.
Prevent them from posting personal details
Don’t let your child upload personal information on social media like photos, school, and home addresses, phone numbers, and check-ins on any of the social media sites. Such information can prove beneficial for People with bad intentions. They can also misuse this information and cause harm to your child.
Choose a strong password
Nowadays it is very easy to hack into an account and steal or tamper with personal information. So, to make it hard for the hackers you need to make sure that you choose a strong password for your child’s social media account. By strong password, we mean that it should have an alphanumeric combination which is the best way to keep your account secure. Also, it should not be so complicated that you and your child forget the password.
Don’t accept friendship requests from anyone
Children love to befriend new people, and it's this weakness that criminals take advantage of. Tell your child not to accept friendships from people they don't know, no matter who they are, a stranger is just that - a stranger is and if your child doesn't know him there is no way for him to add them as friends.
Conclusion
So, these were some of the ways by which you can keep your kids safe from social media. Almost every day there are reports of cyberbullying and kids being targeted by criminals. Despite so many safety features applied to social media websites, criminals still find a way to harm you and your loved ones. You all need to be very careful and monitor all the activities that your child does online.
We at Bhartiyam International School urge all the students and their parents to keep in mind social media safety. If you have any problems, talk to your teachers and parents because they can help you get out of them. Lastly, we would say - Stay safe, stay happy!