Welcome, everyone! Today, we're diving into how parents can navigate the intricate landscape of social media to ensure their children's safety and well-being online. We'll cover Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and BeReal, and provide practical tips and tools to help you stay informed and engaged.
Instagram: Ensuring a Safe Community
Instagram offers several parental controls to help you manage your child's interactions and content:
- Account Privacy: Set your child's account to private to ensure only approved followers can see their posts.
- Go to your child's profile, tap the three horizontal lines in the top right corner, select 'Settings,' then 'Privacy,' and switch 'Account Privacy' to 'Private.'
- Restricted Accounts: Limit interactions from certain users without them knowing.
- In 'Settings,' tap 'Privacy,' then 'Restricted Accounts,' and add any users you wish to restrict.
- Comments Control: Block comments from certain users or hide offensive comments automatically.
- In 'Settings,' tap 'Privacy,' then 'Comments.'
- Blocking and Reporting: Manage unwanted interactions by blocking or reporting users.
- Go to the user's profile, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select 'Block' or 'Report.'
Snapchat has features to help keep your child's experience safe:
- Ghost Mode on Snap Map: Keep your child's location private.
- Open the Snap Map by pinching the camera screen, tap the gear icon, and switch on 'Ghost Mode.'
- Privacy Settings: Control who can contact your child and view their stories.
- Go to 'Settings' by tapping the gear icon on their profile screen, then select 'Who Can…' and adjust settings to 'My Friends.'
- Reporting and Blocking: Manage negative interactions.
- Go to the user's profile, tap the three dots, and choose 'Block' or 'Report.'
TikTok: Managing Screen Time and Content
TikTok’s Family Pairing feature allows you to manage your child's TikTok experience:
- Family Pairing: Link your account with your child’s to manage screen time and content exposure.
- Open TikTok, go to 'Profile,' tap the three dots, select 'Family Pairing,' and follow the instructions.
- Screen Time Management: Set daily screen time limits.
- Enable in 'Family Pairing' or 'Digital Wellbeing' settings.
- Restricted Mode: Limit exposure to inappropriate content.
- Enable from the 'Digital Wellbeing' menu.
- Direct Message Controls: Turn off direct messages or restrict who can send messages to your child.
- Set in 'Family Pairing.'
BeReal: Emphasizing Privacy and Responsible Sharing
BeReal is unique with its real-time posting approach. Here’s how to manage it:
- Private Posts: Limit posts to friends only.
- When your child posts, they can choose 'My Friends' instead of 'Everyone.'
- Reporting Content: Manage exposure to inappropriate content.
- Tap the three dots on a post and select 'Report.'
- Open Communication: Talk regularly with your children about their online experiences.
- Education: Teach them about online safety, privacy, and responsible sharing.
- Engage Together: Explore content together and set clear guidelines on appropriate behaviour.
- Monitor and Review: Regularly check their friends list, followers, and interactions.
Understanding and utilising these tools can help create a safer online environment for your children. Encourage proactive engagement and keep the lines of communication open. For more resources, please refer to the handouts provided. Thank you for your attention!
