Social Media: A Parent's Primer
Times have changed. Instead of going to a friend’s house or hanging out at a popular bowling alley or skating rink, your child may prefer to stay at home, glued to the computer screen. While it might seem risk free to have your child safe in the comforts of your own home, there are some cautions you need to keep in mind.
Many children, pre-teens and teens are spending excessive amounts of free time on social networks—sites that promote sharing information and conversations about a wide variety of topics. Although this technology promotes communication and creativity, spending time on social networks with no filters can open the virtual door for cyber bullying, harassment and even predators.
To create a social media account, individuals must be 13 years old or older, but some sites can be created for younger children and pre-teens with parental consent. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires sites have parental consent unless the child is at least 13.
“Although COPPA allows children to create accounts at age 13, that doesn’t mean they are mature enough to manage the account wisely and safely,” says Lisa Isenberg, MSN, RN, CPNP, pediatric nurse practitioner at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “Ultimately, this decision needs to be made by the parents after talking with their child about social media and its dangers. If parents believe their teenagers are ready for the responsibility, guidelines should be set early on for social media use.”
Get in the Know
You and your child cannot effectively communicate about social media if you don’t understand how it works. Become familiar with social media sites.
- Facebook: one of the most popular social media sites that features the ability to post biographical information,
photo albums, status updates and more - Google+: a relatively new Google-based social media network that allows users to connect with one another and post links to sites, status updates, files and photos
- Twitter: a post in the form of 140 characters or less that can be directed at friends, celebrities or anyone else with a Twitter account
- YouTube: a video-based network
Keep Internet Use in Check
After talking with your child about social media, don’t forget to continue to monitor his or her Internet use. Many computers and websites have parental controls or privacy filters, so find out what types of protection work best for your family. Computers should also be in open areas of the house where the screen remains visible at all times.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends about two hours max “screen time”—including video games and television—daily for kids, so don’t forget to engage your family in active behavior that does not involve sitting in front of a screen.
“Let your child know you are interested in his or her online life,” says Jean Wagner, MD, FAAP, pediatrician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “One single talk about Internet use is not enough. Keep the conversation going, and learn more about your child and his or her interests in the process.”
