The amount of time teenagers spend on social media
Instagram Facebook according to a 2022 survey of 13-to 17-year-olds, 35% of teenagers use at least one of five social media platforms (YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat) more than several times a day.
Another study showed that teenagers spend an average of 9 hours a day on the internet. At the same time, rates of depression among young people have reached record levels.
According to media reports, children from 11 to 15 years old spend from 6 to 8 hours a day in front of screens of all kinds.
Keeping teenagers safe on social media
How to keep teenagers safe on social media:
- Preparing a family plan for using social media
Establishing clear rules with teenagers about using social media would help achieve a healthy balance. Experts also advise to prepare an agreed family plan that will include when to use technology at home and what rules to follow.
- Determining the right time to use social media
Teenagers are advised to maintain a balance between following social media and other leisure activities to ensure their psychological health. Reasonable limits should also be set for the use of technology, including not allowing its use during meals or school homework.
- Encourage staying away from social media for periods
Teenagers admit that the idea of staying away from social media makes them very anxious. So, they should be encouraged to try it for specific periods of time to discover the health benefits.
- Providing psychological and social support
Social media makes it possible for teenagers to create online identities, chat with others and form social networks. Such networks can provide an opportunity for adolescents to get support from other people. Therefore, it is important to encourage teenagers to use these features in a positive and supportive way.
- Education about online safety and Privacy
Teens should be educated about online safety standards, privacy settings, and the importance of maintaining a positive digital footprint. They should also be instructed not to trust everything that is posted on social media and take the necessary caution.
- Promote open communication with adolescents
Parents are advised to maintain open and positive communication with adolescents, encouraging them to share their negative and positive experiences on social media. Judgments should also be avoided when the child raises any questions.
- Caution about possible risks
Social media offers teenagers great opportunities, but it is accompanied by serious risks such as cyberbullying and forms of peer violence. Therefore, adolescents should be made aware of these risks and take care of their safety.
Conclusion
In general, the combination of setting clear rules, maintaining open communication, education about safety and privacy on the internet, and warning about possible dangers will help keep teenagers safe on social media. Parents and educators must find the right balance to protect their children without completely isolating them from these technologies that have become an integral part of their lives.