Kids and Social Media

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Our cyber mom (and expert) gives you the lowdown on kids and social media

By Lynn Hargrove, Director, Consumer Solutions for Symantec (Canada) Corp.

It’s a cliché statement but, “Boy, how times have changed!”  Communication among kids today is a whole lot different than 30, 20 and even 10 years ago.  In many cases, quick, on-the-fly text messages have replaced a simple phone call and social networking sites are now the go-to source to share news, personal info, photos, videos and chat with friends.  This generation is by far the tech savviest and though social media is a great tool for kids to stay connected, it’s important that parents use their judgment to determine whether their kids are ready for social media.

Many of these types of sites have an age restriction of 13 years, however, your child’s maturity is just as important as his or her age and should play a factor in deciding when and if they’re ready to join. Some things to consider when weighing that decision is:

• Have you had “The Talk”?
• Do you have a set of rules for Internet use?
• Do you believe that your child has the maturity to act appropriately while on these sites?

If your answers are yes, there are four important things you need to do before you allow your child to join a social networking website:
1. Talk to you child about Internet security – Make sure your child knows the fundamentals about Internet safety, and work together to develop house rules for such things as who they’re friends with and who they are allowed to chat with, posting photos and videos, securing their password and posting/sharing personal information.

2. Know your child’s password – One of the conditions that should be in place from the onset is knowing your child’s password(s). If he or she changes it, they need to let you know.  As long as there is open dialogue between parent and child about the parameters of social media use, kids will have a better understanding (especially at a younger age) as to why mom or dad need that level of access.

3. Become a member– Even if you choose not to use it as a social tool, you should join the same social networking sites as just another way to stay connected with your child.  Periodically, you may want to log into their account, just to make sure you haven’t been blocked as a recipient of their posts (kids can get very creative!). If your child gives you a hard time about being their “friend,” offer to create an identity for yourself that won’t make it obvious that you are the parent. That way, your kid will know you’re there, but their friends won’t.

Social media is a great way for kids to stay in touch with friends and family, but moderation should be key with Internet use as a whole.  As they say, if you can’t beat them, join them, so do your best to stay well connected online to show your kids that you’re involved and an active participant in this evolving communication space.

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