AP – At what age should kids be on social media? Should they be on it at all? If they aren’t, will they be social pariahs? Should parents monitor their conversations? Do parental controls work?
Navigating social media as a parent – not to mention a child – is not easy.
But parents – and even some teens themselves – 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 – and teens – supposed to do in the meantime? Here are some tips on staying safe, communicating and setting limits on social media – for kids as well as their parents.
IS 13 THE MAGIC AGE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA?
There’s already, technically, a rule that prohibits kids under 13 from using platforms that advertise to them without parental consent: The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act that went into effect in 2000, before today’s teenagers were even born. The goal was to protect kids’ online privacy by requiring websites and online services to disclose clear privacy policies and get parents’ consent before gathering personal information on their kids, among other things. To comply, socia l media companies have 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’s 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 – and access to social media – until they are older, such as the ‘Wait Until 8th’ pledge that has parents sign a pledge not to give their kids a smartphone until about age 13 or 14. Some wait even later, like 16 or 17.
But social media companies have done anything concrete to increase the age limit.
IF THE LAW WON’T BAN KIDS, SHOULD PARENTS?
“There is not necessarily a magical age,” said social media expert Christine Elgersma at the non-profit Common Sense Media. But, she added, “13 is probably not the best age for kids to get on social media.”
The laws currently being proposed include blanket bans on the under-13 set when it comes to social media. The problem? There’s no easy way to verify a person’s 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.
“Developers need to start building apps with kids in mind,” she said.
Some tech executives, celebrities such as Jennifer Garner and parents from all walks of life have resorted to banning their kids from social media altogether.
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 – 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 said, is a slow, deliberate onboarding 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.
“You cannot just expect that the kids will jump into the world of social media, learn how to swim on their own,” said professor of communications and director of the Cornell Social Media Lab Natalie Bazarova. “They need to have instruction.”
Start early, earlier than you think. Elgersma suggested 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 said to approach them with curiosity and interest, “asking about what their friends are doing or just not asking direct questions like, ‘What are you doing on Instagram?’ but rather, ‘Hey, I heard this influencer is really popular.’” And even if your kid rolled their eyes it could be a window.”
Don’t say things like “Turn that thing off!” when your kid has been scrolling for a long time, said the director of the nonprofit Fairplay’s Screen Time Action Network Jean Rogers.
“That’s not respectful,” Rogers said. “It doesn’t respect that they have a whole life and a whole world in that device.”
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 “pulling back the curtains” on social media and the sometimes insidious tools companies use to keep people online and engaged,Elgersma said. Watch a documentary like The Social Dilemma that explores algorithms, dark patterns and dopamine feedback cycles of social media.
