How You Can Monitor Your Child’s Social Media Activity
Teenagers have a lot of free time on their hands. Unlike their predecessors, they tend to spend so much of it scrolling through social media. A study by Pew Researchers reveals that 65% of parents worry their kids have too much screen time. However, social media has a dark side, making it a scary place for teenagers. Platforms like Twitter and Instagram record the highest rates of harassment. Research reveals that 59% of teens have experienced cyberbullying, while a staggering 70% have had rumors spread about them online. There is also the issue of your teen encountering inappropriate adult content. Therefore, it is crucial to keep tabs on them, so they don’t go astray. Here are a few ways to monitor your child’s activities on social media.
Consider parental control apps
Unfortunately, only half of the parents with children old enough to access social media use parental controls. However, these tools are one of the best ways to know what your teens are doing on social media. They can provide detailed reports on how much time your teen spends online and what apps they use. The geofencing feature is also powerful enough to tell you where your teen is at all times.
Restrict social media use on the computer
An excellent way to monitor what your teen does on social media would be to encourage them to use it on the home computer and not on their phones. The desktop should be in a public space, such as the living room, where you can easily log in and check what they are up to. If they are concerned about privacy, you can allow them to log out when they are done.
Block specific settings on their account
Some settings on your teen’s account can make them susceptible to harm. For instance, it wouldn’t be a great idea to have the geotagging feature on whenever they post a photo or video. In addition, you could change their social media to friends only so their posts and pictures aren’t accessible to the public. You never know who will stumble across their post and track their location without their knowledge.
Keep tabs on their online activities
Your teen probably wants to join social media so they can connect with their classmates and have something in common to talk about. However, there is a possibility they might encounter strangers or predators that want to take advantage of them. Therefore, it would help to be present on their social media accounts by following the accounts they also follow. You can go a step further and hire a hacker UK if you suspect your child is hiding something sensitive, for their personal safety. Remember, there are increasing cases of child grooming online. In fact, data from 41 UK police forces show an 84% rise of online grooming crimes since 2017/18. In this regard, you should be wary of your child falling prey to sexual predators on social media.
Help them set up their account
If your teen approaches you and expresses an interest in social media, you could offer to help them create an account. You could choose the platform you want them to join and read through the guidelines and settings so they understand what they are getting into. Once they know the importance of following these guidelines, you could set up their profile and help them understand why limiting the personal information they share online is essential.
Have “the talk.”
As a parent or guardian, you are the best person to advise your teens on how to use social media. As soon as they develop an interest, it would help to sit down with them where you inform them of all the things they would encounter and the dangers of using social media. You could also highlight the positives of having a social media account and emphasize they should be careful of what they post because they will leave behind a digital footprint that cannot be erased.
Leverage Google Family Link
Google Family link allows you to monitor your teen’s social media account by linking it to yours. The possibilities are endless with this nifty tool. You can use it to block any apps you don’t want them using or see what they are up to online. In addition, you can use Google Family Link to manage any premium memberships you allow your teen to enjoy under the same email.
Wrapping up
Tech companies invest a hefty sum into the teen market because they consider it a gold mine for data. There is no telling what these companies will do with this data. There is also the issue of overindulgence in social media, which could be detrimental to your teen and their future. Therefore, we hope you will take this issue seriously and implement the tips above to ensure your child is safe online.
