Social Media

It is commonly accepted that the vast majority of teenagers have some form of a digital social media platform on their devices and will have a profile on a social network. Many of them will visit them multiple times a day, sometimes accruing several hours per day of social media screen time. Whilst there are many good aspects of social media there is a plethora of pitfalls which we should try to help our teenagers avoid. Here are some tips on what is important to talk over with your children and their social media experience: The Good: Social media helps kids:  Stay connected with friends and family – it’s probably the main reason you got your child a smart phone,  Get involved with charity work and other good causes,  Enhance their creativity by sharing music, art and ideas. TicTok have made their fortune from this,  Meet others with similar interests,  Communicate with other students who are studying the same subjects as they are. The Bad: Usually without meaning to, teenagers will share information about themselves which enables the less savoury elements of social media take advantage of them. Studies have shown that most teens:  Post photos of themselves with their real names,  Reveal their birthdays and interests,  Post their school name and where they live. This can be an issue, especially if they have “Share my location” activated, or their device automatically tags their photos with a location. Both of these can be switched off in

“Settings”. This helps make them less likely to become a target for online pests or predators who might mean them harm. The Ugly: Studies have also shown that the majority of teens have:  “Friended” someone they don’t actually know,  Received advertising that is age inappropriate,  Lied about their age to get access to websites and online games. This is a concern as most of our Teens are living in the “now” and aren’t always thinking of their future selves. Telecommunication carriers are obliged to store the content of everything that is sent on their platforms, this can become an issue further down the track when a potential employer or University admissions officer does a digital footprint background check. Apart from the obvious dangers of cyberbullying and online predators, teenagers need to be aware that photos, videos and comments made online, once posted are virtually impossible to completely delete. Teenagers are not very responsive to adults looking over their shoulder, its almost genetic, but you can help your teenager make better, more informed choices. I always tell students that when online it is important to:  Be Nice. Being mean on purpose is never ok. As Granny says, “If you’ve got nothing nice to say, better to say nothing at all”. Never post deliberately hurtful or embarrassing messages, and always tell someone if you’re on the receiving end of such posts.  Think twice before hitting “enter”. Sometimes what teens post can work against them. “Off on holiday” lets potential burglars know the property is vacant. Teens should also think twice before posting the details of a party, nobody wants gatecrashers.  Use the What Would Grandma Say rule. Simply put, don’t share anything the future you would like to take back. If Grandma would be embarrassed if she saw it – don’t post it.  Use privacy settings.  Don’t Friend strangers.  Clicking “I Accept” nearly always means you have given up the subject of your post to the owner of the social media platform you are using. Some simple House Rules can help keep your teens grounded in the real world by putting limits on their usage of their devices. For example, no devices one hour before bed and recharge them in the kitchen. Keep computers in public areas of your house and setting a good example through your own virtual behaviour will go a long way to help keeping your teens using social media safely. It is with this in mind that the School has invited Mr Brett Lee from Internet Safe Education (ISE) to address the students in Term 4, Monday 31st October, with a parent session held in the evening (details to follow). Brett spent 16 years working as a police officer in cyber safety and founded ISE in 2008. He now works with schools to ensure that children are aware of the good, the bad and the ugly of the internet and that they can use it in a safe manner. He also helps educate teachers, parents and caregivers so they can support children online.