9 Tips on monitoring your child's social media habits

Online Safety: 9 Tips for monitoring your child’s social media habits

Sarah Khan

25 Oct 2016

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Tips to monitor your child’s social media habits
Is your child on social media? Flick through the gallery for 9 tips to ensure your child has a safe and healthy relationship with it.
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Create ground rules
If your children are old enough to be using the computer or their smartphones, then they are old enough to comprehend that there are rules they need to abide by, and consequences should they break them.
Beyond just a verbal agreement on the rules, also consider creating a physical contract that both you and your child must sign. This ensures there is an agreed mutual understanding and no compromising on the rules. Have an open discussion with your child about why these rules are necessary, rather than just blindly imposing it on them, and Google samples of such contracts for inspiration.
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Keep laptops in a central location
Keep your laptop or computer in a central location in the house where you can easily monitor your child. Rather than letting them use it in the privacy of their own rooms, opt for the kitchen or living area so that you can visibly check on them.
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Filter content
Thankfully, there are various software you can use to monitor your child's internet and social media usage both on their computers and smartphones.
Some of these programmes include Net Nanny and PureSight PC, which let you monitor their social media sites and filter the content they can access online, much like a parental-control function on television channels. You can monitor your child's cell phone as well, which is where they are likely to have the most frequent access to their social media, with software like My Mobile Watchdog and more.
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Educate them on an ‘online reputation’
Many children, particularly teenagers, are naive to the permanence of the online world. Take steps to stress to your children what a 'digital footprint' is and the impact of the inappropriate content they post on their social media could have on a future college or job application.
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Monitor their social media habits
If your child wants to share photos with her friends via a social networking site, make sure you know which pictures are being posted. Ensure that the content of the photo is completely innocuous and that no identifiable locales in the background are noticeable. Explain to them if you think that something they posted is inappropriate.
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Give her perspective on the ‘likes’ factor
Any adult who has ever posted on social media knows how easy it is to become preoccupied with the number of "likes" a photo or post gets. Similarly, even our young are not immune to measuring their self-worth this way.
Experts caution that most social media platforms tend to focus on photos and videos that heavily emphasise on looks. Constantly viewing images that feature appearance, popularity, and even sex appeal can suggest unhealthy messages regarding self-worth to young girls. Encourage your daughter to post about the books she likes and follow accounts that promote healthy messages.
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Limit use
Set rules for their smartphone habits, just like you would with the television or gaming consoles. For instance, only allowing smartphone usage at certain hours in the evening or only after their schoolwork has been completed. If these rules are broken, make sure you are consistent with the consequences.
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Get to know their online habits
Be aware of your child's online habits - the websites they frequent, the people they communicate with on social media, etc. One of the rules you should establish prior to officially allowing them their own social media account is that you should have full access to their Facebook or social media account and friends, and can take a look whenever you wish.
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Be a good example
Lastly, be a good example to your children on healthy and safe social media usage. If you tend to excessively check your Facebook while driving or commuting, or during meals, you are setting a poor precedent for child. Also ensure that you demonstrate proper technology etiquette as well.

Tips to monitor your child's social media habits

Got a child or teenager on social media? Here are 9 effective tips to monitoring their social media habits.

It’s not news our young are growing up in the age of the Internet and social media. As beneficial as social media can be to their social and interpersonal development, it can also be a harmful influence if they have unregulated access to it at a young age. Low self-esteem, cyberbullying, and even addiction – these are real consequences that social media can have on the young.

Although most social media platforms have a minimum age requirement to register (typically 13 years), many young children are getting connected as young as six or seven. While it is advisable to put off your child from getting on social media until they meet the requirement, or when you feel like they are ready for it, the reality is that is not always the case. It is likely that most of their peers are already on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and the like, which will only pressure them to get these platforms as well.

If you feel like your child is ready to get on social media, we have narrowed down 9 effective tips to help you keep tabs on their habits and ensure they have a healthy relationship with it.

Sarah Khan

Photos: Getty Images

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