The average teen will spend about 9 hours a day on a screen, whether that be a phone, computer, or tablet. That is as long as a full time job. According to Monitoring the Future, just two hours on social media has been shown to contribute to anxiety and unhappiness among young kids and teens.

Kids these days would rather be online and talk with their friends on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram then go outside. The kids in this focus group even said, “My parents have no idea what my life is like at night and what I do on social media.” This right here would make anyone parent or non-parent see that these teens are doing something they shouldn’t be doing.

Teens and Social Media

Social media can make your child/teen very unsociable when they are around other people, because they only know how to communicate online. Limiting the time they are online and having them go outside and play with other kids will help with social anxiety.

Parents have their own opinions on whether they should monitor their child’s social media. Some parents believe that children need their privacy, and that we should trust them and not worry about checking on what they are doing or whom they are talking to.

Giving your child privacy and trust is one thing, but there are young tweens and teens that are not fully aware of the dangers of predators that are using these platforms to get close to them. The statistics reveal that 71% of teens admit to hiding their online activities from their parents.

The Top Dangers with Social Media and Teens

• Teens these days will receive online propositions from adults, male and females, and be asked to send inappropriate photos or videos. Others will engage in sexting with other teens or adults.
• Sex Traffickers worldwide are using social media to contact vulnerable teens. Teens will post on their accounts that they hate their lives, that their parents are too strict and won’t let them do anything. When these predators see these posts, they will contact the teens, telling them that they can give them a better life, with a promise of fun and adventure and that they can do whatever they want.
• The internet is the #1 tool that a child predator will use, because they use these platforms to become your child’s friend. Make sure they are not putting any personal information on their page, such as their address, phone number and email. This kind of information can help these predators find kids even faster.
• Teens are more susceptible to what is called “Catfishing”. People will post a profile picture of someone else who looks very approachable and nice. This helps lure teens into conversations and eventually meeting in person.

Parents and kids should be aware of all the risks. Parental controls on your teen’s device can help you know what your teen is looking at and whom they are talking to, but there are other ways for these predators to communicate online, via Tweet, a direct message, Snapchat, in a chat room, etc.

Tips for Parents When Checking Your Child’s Social Media Platforms

• Parents don’t have to sneak around and violate your teen’s trust. You can tell them upfront that you want to see who they are talking to for their own protection. It’s not that you don’t trust them, but the person they are talking to could be dangerous.
• For the younger kids, only allow them on the family computer. Show them how to use the online tools, and don’t let them have their own personal device until you know they are mature enough to handle the responsibility, then only allow certain features on their devices at first.
• Make sure they are clear on the rules for the computer/tablets and phones that they are using in your home, and the consequences that go with breaking those rules.
• Don’t allow kids that are too young to be on social media. Kids need to be kids, play outside, and interact with peers their own age.

You don’t have to lie to your child, and being upfront with what you are doing will help your child trust you more.

Article written by Jessica Christian, blogger for Safe Harbor International Ministries

References:
https://phys.org/news/2018-10-link-social-media-sex-trafficking.html
https://www.hotspotshield.com/blog/human-trafficking-social-media/
https://childmind.org/article/how-using-social-media-affects-teenagers/