Teaching Your Child to Use Social Media Responsibly
Social media has become a big part of our lives. For some it’s a way of exploring their passions and finding a similar community of people while for others it’s about staying connected with friends and family. Whatever they choose to use it for, it’s vital that children are taught about how to stay safe online and use social media responsibly. We’ve been working alongside a group of teachers to help create guidance for parents.
Add Their Social Media Accounts
While it may not seem like a cool thing to do, keeping an eye on your child’s social media can help you to make sure that they aren’t using it in the wrong way.
Talk to Them About Misinformation
Fake news can also be just as harmful. It can spread misinformation on important topics like Covid for example, potentially putting lives at risk. Thanks to tools like Snopes, it’s quick and easy to perform fact checks and ensure that what you have seen or are thinking to share is true and credible.
Responsible Posting
When they post online, children put information about themselves out in the public domain. While posts can be deleted, they are often out there forever as they can be screenshot which is why it’s important that they think carefully about what they post.
Stranger Danger
Privacy is another to explore. As highlighted above, with access to their social media profiles will be able to see what they post which is why it’s important that they make use of their privacy settings. This will protect them from stranger danger and other sorts of malicious online activity.
Adding Strangers
This point leads on from the last. While making new friends online seems cool, it’s easy to hide behind a fake identity. Whether they know them or not, you should advise your child against adding and talking to strangers online. They should also never plan to meet anyone online or share any of their personal information like where they live or go to school.