As a parent of a teen myself, social networks are a part of my teen's world whether I like it or not. We as parents need to stay on top of what is "new" and most popular with teens. Facebook is "old hat." Right now, what's in is Vine and Instagram. Social networks have become so much a part of our culture that our teens may find it hard to believe that there was a time before the internet. As in all spheres of social life, there are dangers inherent in participating in social networking. Here is a basic guide to ensuring that your students stay safe on social networks.
Privacy and Trust
Don’t be offended if your teen rejects your friend request. Reading their social network sites is just like listening in on their phone conversations, reading their texts or peeking in their diaries. While students are entitled to a modicum of privacy and trust, you still have a responsibility to protect them. The internet provides a certain anonymity that means that people posing as their friends will have access to all their personal information.
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Social networking sites are inevitable and crucial for the modern teen to effectively communicate with their friends. Sharing photos and videos inspires creativity and written communications improve their writing skills. My teen told me the other day that she rather spend her “reading time” reading a continuing story that is posted on Instagram. Since your teen is going to be participating, it’s best to outline rules and guidelines to help them to safely navigate social networking sites.
Rules and Guidelines
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Talk about which sites your students can belong to; set up your own account so you can familiarize yourself with the way in which the site works. Help your student to set up the site (make sure that they are old enough to comply with the site’s age restrictions) and show them how the privacy settings work. Explain carefully to them why the privacy settings are important and regularly check that they have not been changed.
Make it a rule that your student doesn’t friend anyone that they haven’t already met in person and don’t know. You can even get younger students to check with you before they accept a friend request. Ensure that photos posted to ensure that they are appropriate and don’t reveal any information that could tell someone which school they attend or where they live.
Regularly Google your students to see what pictures and information are out there. Sometimes their friends may post personal information or pictures that you may not want online. Be vigilant and ask your student to show you what they have been up to online.
It is your responsibility to monitor the sites your students use and the information that they post. Set up guidelines and rules for internet use and be sure to discuss the consequences of posting inappropriate information or pictures. Discuss cyber bullying and how they should react if they receive any messages or posts that are offensive, inappropriate or hurtful. Ask the school for their policy on social bullying and discuss this with your student too.
Bottom line: we want to foster open communication with our teen. Openly discuss what to watch out for and be aware of in the cyber world to avoid problems. We don’t want to be “out of touch” with what is going on in the world today. It’s best to teach your student to be smart; instead of reacting based on fear, be aware!
