When is the right age for kids to use social media? Do they even need to be on it? Will they become social outcasts if they aren’t? Should parents listen in on their conversations? Are parental restraints effective?
It’s challenging to navigate social media as a parent, let alone a child. The majority of American youths still use social media by default; according to the Pew Research Center, 58% of kids use TikTok every day, with 17% saying they use it almost constantly. With 14% and 8% of teens using each nearly constantly, respectively, about half of teenagers use Snapchat and Instagram on a daily basis.
However, the impact of social media use on youth is worrying parents and some even the kids themselves. Taking notice, lawmakers have scheduled several hearings on the topic of kid safety on the internet. However, legislation and business regulation take time, even in the seeming bipartisan unanimity. No regulations have been passed thus far.
The cast of “Friends” was thankfully “isolated and protected” from social media during filming, according to Jennifer Aniston.
In the interim, what are parents and teenagers expected to do? Here are some guidelines for social media safety, communication, and limit-setting for both parents and children.
