A PARENT’S GUIDE TO
social media Get to know the apps, sites and networks your teen spends time on BY KRYSTEN GODFREY MADDOCKS
J
ust because you are friends with your children on Facebook — if they are even still on the platform — doesn’t mean you are privy to the full scope of their activity on social media.
New social media apps pop up every few months, sprouting innovative ways in which teens can connect with one another. This furthers the digital divide between what kids are communicating and what their parents can see. It’s now more important than ever for parents to know about the myriad of social media apps popular with teens including the potential risks each brings, experts say. “Kids have dropped off Facebook now that their parents are using it. It’s not as visual and not as video-centric, and it has tons of ads,” said Kris Bowden, who owns Social Guru, a local
14 www.parentingnh.com | AUGUST 2019