Your kids are experts on social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Today’s youth also enjoy posting videos on YouTube.
Below you can find some thoughts about teaching social media and how to allow kids to safely use online social media.
- Kids are supposed to be thirteen before they can sign up for a Facebook account. Stick with that guideline and register for Facebook with your child when they are thirteen or an age you deem appropriate. Talk with your child about not “friending” people they don’t know and to never reveal private information or meet someone they don’t know in real life.
- Facebook privacy settings have recently been revised, so make sure you find out the best settings for your child. Search your child’s name occasionally to see if they have set up other accounts. The best approach seems to be teaching social media and staying involved with your kids as they use social media instead of completely restricting it.
- Encourage your child to set a Facebook page for their poetry, or a blog. By keeping tabs on internet use and teaching responsible online behavior, you will be protecting your child to the best of your ability.
- Parents must really be careful about kids using YouTube’s site. Parents teaching social media can perform video searches and create a membership page with appropriate videos. Kids can post videos, but parents should monitor the comments because they can be profane. Parents can check out browser add-ons that keep kids away from obscene videos, but these may not be foolproof.
- Research shows that kids and teens seem to prefer Facebook to Twitter. Twitter allows users to post their status in short bursts. This can be dangerous for kids as stalkers can see where you may be located. Twitter also has no filters for profane language.
- Teaching social media can be fun for kids, with supervision. For young authors, a blog may be the best way to share poetry or short stories. Friends and family can leave comments. Facebook can be used in this way also, but a blog could be more controlled as far as privacy settings.
- Teachers can set up a classroom blog or Facebook page. When teaching social media, kids learn proper online etiquette and it allows kids to experience the fun of online writing. Kids and young teens are going to use social media; parents and teachers must find ways to work with kids on these issues.
