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Tips on Privacy and Social Media for Teens
The world of the internet can be scary for parents of teens. We hear the stories of abductions and luring, we worry about internet bullying and mean gossip. But the truth of the matter is there is probably no other time in their lives when having privacy from parents and other authority figures is more important than during their teen years. So how do we allow privacy on social media for teens without endangering them? Having spent a bit of time on various social media sites looking at the problem, here are a few tips to help so that social media for teens in your family can be safe.
Social Media For Teens – The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
The best place to start is by talking about it with your teens. We know that teens are leaving Facebook by the droves because of the ever-present adult accounts that make them feel spied upon. Let your kids know the good and bad about the new social media for teens these days. Let them know you will be monitoring their accounts, but don’t lurk.
Reward Smart Behavior
If you have discussed social media etiquette with them and you see them following it, give them some slack. It will prove you trust them, always important, and will also reinforce that following the guidelines has its rewards. If they say they don’t know how to protect themselves on the various social media platforms, show them how to set their privacy settings. Always follow up with any pro-active behavior, it shows you trust them and in the end it will help them.
Keeping The Lines Open
The bottom line is to keep the communication channels open, be aware of where you kids go online and be there for them if they run into trouble. Your teens are going to embrace social media no matter what you say. The best you can do is to prepare them for the down side and help them if it bites them back.
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