The dangers of social media

There's no doubt that kids and teens love having access to devices, but for parents that access comes with a headache. The dangers of social media hits the headlines often, and it can be difficult to know how to limit the risk to your child. Find out about social media risks, age restrictions and how to be safe on social media below. 

10 negative effects of social media

Kids love sharing messages, videos and images with each other, and at first glance it might seem like harmless fun. However, using social media can negatively effect children in a number of ways:

The focus on likes

Whenever something is posted online, whether it be on Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok, it's done with the aim of getting responses- likes or comments. Receiving likes or comments triggers the release of dopamine in the brain- leading to an addictive cycle of chasing that reward. 

Oversharing

The culture of sharing everything online- breakups, anxiety and mental health struggles to name but a few examples- can sometimes come back to bite us. In a school environment, things that are posted on social media can become fodder for bullying and teasing. 

Sharing their location

If your child's social media account is open and viewable by all, then their daily movements are visible to anyone who views it. This opens up safety risks.

Lack of privacy

Often teen's social media accounts are viewable by anyone, rather than kept as a private account, in a bid to get maximum likes. This means that there is no control over who is viewing and saving the images and videos that have been posted. It also means they can be contacted by strangers who have viewed their profile.

Talking to strangers

Talking to strangers doesn't just happen on social media- it can also happen via online gaming too. It might start in a seemingly innocent way- with a comment or a private message- but the intentions of those contacting teenagers and children isn't immediately obvious. Ensure your child has their accounts set to private and that private messaging isn't available. 

Focussing on looks and body size

The focus on personal appearance on social media can cause unhealthy obsessions in young people. Gym videos, beauty reviews, and weight loss clips can all add up to create a negative focus for teenagers. 

Posting videos themselves can also lead to insecurity and fear of negative comments or not getting enough likes. 

Receiving or sending inappropriate content

Children and teens often don't realise the consequences of their actions, and sending inappropriate photos and videos can affect others. Offensive materials can upset or disturb young people and they can't always control whether they receive it or view it. 

Viewing content that affects mental health

Some content online can cause a deterioration in mental health in some young people. Examples include viewing pro-anorexia ('pro-ana'), self-harm or suicide-related content. The effects of this can be catastrophic- 14 year old Molly Russell took her own life after viewing such content on Instagram. 

Low self-esteem

Social media often only shows a very filtered, idealised version of life. For young people, spending hours a day viewing videos of curated lives (which are often filmed using camera filters), can give a distorted view of the world and the average person. This can then cause low self-esteem about looks, achievement and life circumstances. 

Social isolation

Continually spending hours a day on social media rather than in real-life interactions can create a feeling of social isolation and being removed from real life. 

How to stay safe on social media

There are a number of things you can do to keep your child safe and ensure they have a healthy experience of social media:

Educate yourself

Find out about the apps that your child likes to use, how they work and any risks involved.

Social media age restrictions

Look in to the recommended ages for using apps such as Whatsapp and TikTok. Even if your child is of the minimum age stated by the app, you may wish to use your discretion and delay them using it until they are older.

Set privacy settings

Go onto the privacy settings on your child's phone and ensure their location won't be shared, and their personal details will be kept safe. 

Set time restrictions

Set a cut off time for apps and phone use. Many smart phones have settings for this.

Monitor their activity

Via the settings you can view what your child has used their phone for each day and for how long. You might also want to regularly check their messages and online interactions.

Talk about the consequences of oversharing

Have a conversation with your child about the risks of oversharing online. This includes personal information, intimate photos, details of their lives and where they live. 

Never talk to strangers

A key rule for using social media is to never speak to strangers. If a stranger messages your child, it's important for them to never message back, even if the person is complimentary or friendly. This can be somewhat of a temptation when interacting with other people via comments or likes, but by explaining the risks and monitoring their activity you can keep on top of what is happening.

Report suspicious or worrying activity

Ensure your child knows they are your safe space, and if they are concerned by something they've seen or been sent online they can come to you. You can then report this activity to the platform. 

Check out parental controls

Look in to what parental controls are available on your child's phone settings, or via parental control apps. You can create settings that don't allow them to be messaged by strangers and set limits for what they can view or download. 

Create balance

The addictive nature of phones mean that many young people want to spent many hours on them a day. Ensure that their time is limited and that phones are kept out of bedrooms at night. Encourage your child to spend the rest of their time on more nourishing activities, which might include hobbies, sports, meeting friends or creative pursuits. 

For more advice and information about keeping your child safe online, check out our guide to internet safety with further helpful tips here.