Social Media and Kids: Using in a Safer Way
I don’t think that when social media was first introduced to the public that any of us thought it would get as big as it has. The age at which kids start engaging with social media seems to be getting younger and younger as time goes on. Everyone has their own opinions on whether or not social media is for kids, but the fact is that kids are on there. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, teens spend 9 hours per day online, excluding school-related tasks. Additionally, the Pew Research Center found that in 2022, 95% of teens were on social media, and nearly 40% of tweens (ages 8-12) are also on social media, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.
Most of us are probably thinking that can’t be good, can it? The research suggests it’s not. Nonetheless, there are some undeniable benefits that social media can offer youth, including:
· A way to stay connected
· Community building
· Can be used as a learning tool
· Providing a source of news
· Helping with identity exploration
Unfortunately, these benefits do not come without a cost. In order to understand why the impacts are so severe, we must understand their brain functioning. Between the ages of 10-19, there is a critical period of development happening. This period in a child’s life is when their risk-taking behaviors are at their peak, their self-esteem and identity formation are taking place, and their brain development is most vulnerable to being influenced by their peers. Significant social media use has been linked to changes in the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, both of which have vital functions. The amygdala is responsible for emotional learning and behavior, while the prefrontal cortex is responsible for impulse control, emotional regulation, and social behavior. Now let’s get into some of the negative impacts social media can have on kids.
· Adolescents who spend more than 3 hours per day on social media are at 2x the risk of developing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
· Disrupts sleep patterns
· Lowers concentration
· Promotes poor body image, especially in girls
· Exposure to hate content
· Increased risk of exploitation
· Lack of interest in offline activities
· Exposure to cyberbullying
Fortunately, there are things that can be done to promote safer use of social media for children. One of the most vital things we can provide children with is information. It is not realistic to expect that kids will never use or be exposed to social media until an appropriate age just because they’re told they’re not supposed to. Instead of taking an abstinence approach, it may be more effective to educate and monitor. Here are some ways we can all promote safer social media use for children:
· Be a safe space for your child or the children in your life to come to if they run into issues on social media. A child who is fearful of what will happen if they disclose is not likely to do so.
· Talk to your kids about where they’re at developmentally, remind them that their brain is going through a lot of changes in this period of their life and that what they think might be cool to post now might not be later. Talk to them about digital footprints and the lasting impacts this will have on their lives. Nothing is ever truly gone on the internet.
· Set healthy limits when it comes to social media use. Discuss boundaries with your child when it comes to how much they can use social media and in what ways. Make it clear what will happen if those boundaries are crossed, not only safety risks, but also potential decreased access to social media
· Promote healthy self-esteem in kids. One great way to do this is by modeling it for them. Teach them to be kind to themselves. Additionally, remind them that much of what they see on social media is altered; therefore, holding themselves to those standards is not realistic.
· Utilize privacy settings and monitor use. You can find apps that help with this. This one might be hard for your child to understand at first, so it is important to approach this topic with empathy. Be sure to assure your kids that this is for their safety, and not simply a way to violate their privacy. Let them know that you value their need for privacy and help them to understand why social media can’t be an outlet for those private matters.
· Educate your child on the very real and unfortunately very prevalent safety concerns that kids on social media face. It’s best to do this in a way that is developmentally appropriate while also transparent. There are great video resources and reading materials out there.
For more information and resources, check out these sites.
· https://www.healthychildren.org/English/fmp/Pages/MediaPlan.aspx
