Everything You Need To Know To Make Sure Your Kids Are Safe On Social Media

Children are learning to be more versed in using technology, especially after the pandemic when schools shifted to online classes. As parents, we need to make sure they are using social media platforms safely. With overwhelming information available, this could be a great challenge, but thankfully, there have been ways created for us to digest the must-know things more easily.

Last February 16, Meta held a webinar on Online Safety for Teens and introduced three new webtoons to support their campaign. The creative illustrated stories “aim to help teens better understand how to take control of their privacy and safety online,” says Meta. They are available for free on the Digital Tayo website, and it takes a few minutes to read through each one. Teens and adults alike can appreciate the content and learn more about online safety.
 

 
Malina Enlund, APAC Safety Policy Manager at Meta, says that in creating and updating their guidelines, they actively work with safety experts, governments, civil societies, and the community, including children and teens.

“We prioritize having the youth's voices—not just youth advocates but even children on the ground from diverse backgrounds because their voices matter and it's really important for us to represent them all. We applied the same process to the development of the webtoons.”

The correct birth year adds an extra layer of protection for teens using social media. Adults with no connection to a teen cannot send them a message.

Here are the key tips from the webinar and the webtoons that all parents need to know.

Tips for parents guiding kids with social media use: 

1. Register with the correct birth year.

“Please make sure that teens are using the right year of birth so they can have an extra layer of protection,” says Malina. She further explains, “Teens have special protection. In order to be allowed onto [Facebook and other Meta platforms], you have to be [at least] 13 years of age, and it’s very important for teens to have the right settings.”

Some of the key things that the Meta rep highlighted were the allowed interactions and default settings for teens. For instance, if an adult with no connection to the teen sends them a message, they won’t see it. When an adult has been flagged or reported, they won’t be able to search for teens nor interact with them. So, parents, check your child’s registered data now.

2. Check your privacy and security settings. Update them as needed.

“Children need to be mindful of the people they interact with online because sometimes some people can’t be trusted. There are tools that can help them,” advises Child Rights Network representative Janice Tapil. In fact, as illustrated in the webtoon From URL to IRL, there’s an option to have a “Privacy Check-Up” on Meta’s platforms. You can access this via the Help Center, so that their system can run tests and let you know how to secure your account better.

When you do experience any data privacy breach, you might need to consult law experts in the worst case scenarios. Let’s say you got hacked or some financial information (like credit card details) got leaked. There are laws that can protect you against perpetrators.

“Philippines is one of the countries in the world that already has a Data Privacy Law,” mentions National Privacy Commission Director, Atty. Maria Theresita Patula. “It’s very important that aside from the tools, we also know our data subject rights, especially among the youth.”

Gen Z content creators were also at the webinar and shared their thoughts about the subject. Hannah Pangilinan mentions that she has been hacked before. Through the awful experience, she learned how important it is to enable two-factor authentication to ward off possible attacks to your private accounts.

RELATED: 12 Ways to Protect Your Family When You Share Those Selfies Online

3. Follow only personalities and pages with the same values as you. Report any suspicious account.

Platforms like Facebook can be an avenue for families and friends to connect, but it’s not always a positive place. As a mental health advocate, Hannah shares, “Social media has empowered me [and those I know by letting us find online] communities that you can connect and grow with. You are able to surround yourself with a community of people that also have like-minded values and beliefs—I think that’s so healthy online.

'As much as social interactions are important, they are only just reflections of your [social circles in real life]' -Hannah Pangilinan

However, you need to be wary of bad influences and report any account that doesn’t meet the community standards. Like in the webtoon The Cat in the Alley, you need to be cautious when a stranger is baiting you with things you like.

Hannah continues, “There may be those platforms that don’t share the best values. By collaborating with Meta and other privacy experts, we’re able to flag those people who shouldn’t have so much input into the lives of teens. There are ways to create that safe space nowadays.”

4. Be selective about the pictures you post in public.

In the webtoon Get Ready With Me!, you get to appreciate why not everything should be posted without worry online. Sometimes, it could lead to trouble, especially when you accidentally make your location details public. This may lead to strangers with bad intentions to exploit you. There are also cases when photos of kids may be used for illegal purposes, so it’s better to keep them private.

On a lighter yet still worrisome note, you also have to make sure that whatever you post in public is appropriate. If the photo features other people, make sure you get their consent before you post it. This way, you avoid misunderstandings and ensure that nobody gets embarrassed by an unflattering picture.

5. Establish boundaries and protect your mental health.

Socio-political influencer Janina Vela reflects, “Social media can be such a beautiful thing because we experience empathy without constraints. We experience compassion and care without any bounds, which is both a good and bad thing at the same time. When we physically could not see our friends and family members, social media gave us a medium to still live and breath our humanity of the love for community. But again, it’s a two-sided coin.” She later on elaborates how teens (and adults) should know how to use social media responsibly.

Facebook made a 'Nudge' feature especially for teens who may be dwelling on content that may be harmful to their well-being.

Hannah adds, “As much as social interactions are important, they are only just reflections of your [social circles in real life]. If within your private space, you don’t feel as if you are healthy and able to interact with people in a positive manner, being online will just increase that being uneasy or reactive.”

She says it’s important to learn how to filter information and interactions, so that you can do the same IRL. “I definitely love the ‘Not Interested’ button on our apps nowadays because we can actually say no, put our foot down, and [block out things we don’t want to see]. It’s especially important for our fellow youths to have those boundaries.”

Malina also mentioned some innovative features available on Facebook, such as “Take a break,” which you can select if you need to virtually step away and limit the posts of people that disinterest you. This is especially handy if you find that certain people in your network are becoming toxic.

There’s also a “Nudge” feature made especially for teens. When they are dwelling on certain content that might be possibly harmful to their wellbeing, Facebook will automatically send them a notice to explore other interests.
 
Learn more about Meta’s policies for online safety, data privacy, and more via the Help Center.

Read this story to keep your kids safe online.