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Social media has both positive and negative effects on teens. It helps them connect with others and find a sense of belonging, but there are dangers that adults need to guide them through. When evaluating apps, consider age recommendations and read reviews carefully. Parental controls can be used to restrict or monitor online activity. An active mediation approach, where you co-view their activity, is more effective than a restrictive approach. There are devices and apps available to help monitor internet and social media use. Keep an open line of communication with your teen and talk through their mistakes in a caring way to maintain trust and guide them through their mistakes. There are plenty of positive ways social media has helped teens. Teens now have a way to ask embarrassing questions. They can stay connected to other teens in various situations. During middle school and high school, some students have struggled to make connections at school, but find a sense of belonging through social media groups. Unfortunately, there are many dangers to the World Wide Web that teens often do not recognize. It is because of those dangers that adults need to guide the young people through this process of developing a digital identity and the mental health effects of the use of social media. As with all conversations, we need to consider our audience. The conversation I would have with my 13-year-old about social media is not the same conversation I would have with my 18-year-old. The age of the person will also affect the next four points I want to discuss. First, it is important to evaluate the application, which is often called an app. The Apple Store or Google Play Store will write up descriptions about the apps with age suggestions. There are many websites, such as Protect Young Eyes and Care.com, that review apps thoroughly and list the pros and cons in detail. One thing to consider when using these review affiliates is that they do not all share the same values as you do. Even though it may be listed as a 12 and over acceptable app or website, it may still hold access to content that you are not comfortable exposing your child to at their age. Read the reviews carefully. Do not just look at the age recommendations. You need to consider what approach you want to take as an authority figure as well. Restrictive mediation focuses on the governance of the online activity by the authority figure. For example, you may set up time limits for online usage. You might choose to whitelist certain websites, which means they would have access to them, or blacklist other websites, which means your child would lose access to those sites. Each smartphone has parental controls built within them to give you those capabilities. In contrast to a restrictive approach, take more of an active mediation approach. You may set less restrictions about what they can and cannot access, but you monitor by co-viewing their activity. You have shared accounts with them, so you can view their history and their current activity at any time. The study by Steinfeld indicated that adolescents who had more restrictive environments were more inclined to engage in risk-taking behaviors and were less prepared for living autonomously than those that fell under more of an active mediation approach. There are apps and devices that will aid in adults in monitoring a child's Internet and social media use if he or she chooses to use one. Circle is a device that is plugged into your home's router and analyzes anything coming in or flowing out of the home Wi-Fi. Time limits can be set as well as restrictions to websites. Each cell phone company has parental controls that can also monitor cell phone data use. Time restrictions and content restrictions are also available through your cell phone service provider. One website that will review the apps for you is called Kids Safe Seal Program. It will review websites, social networks, apps, and other virtual world products. Most importantly, as you take this journey with your young person, keep an open line of communication. Talk through their mistakes in a caring and concerning way. Resist a strong authoritative voice that makes them feel controlled. This type of communication will only break down the relationship and trust and create a desire within them to hide what they're doing as well as hide their mistakes, which means they will not have your guidance to help them maneuver through their mistakes.