Kids like the internet and can spend hours texting, chatting, watching YouTube videos, and updating their social media profiles. While you may lose sleep about your kids on Facebook (hey, you bought them the smartphone), you can set limits and attempt to stay in the loop on what goes on in your kid’s cyber world.
Benefits of Social Networking for Kids
A new report released August 16 by Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics shows that most parents (83 percent) believe the benefits of kids’ social media use balance or outweigh the risks, and 72 percent of parents agree that kids participating in social networking can prep them for work success in an increasingly technology-dependent world. Facebook can be a way for kids to stay connected to parents and extended family on the go, perhaps increasing family communication.
The report did acknowledge lingering concerns—mostly for younger (under 13) children. Parents still worried about “sexting”, cyber bullying, cliques, shunning, or underdeveloped social skills, as well as depression, withdrawal, and lack of ambition.
Real Dangers for Kids on the Internet
Study findings released by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that 22 percent of teenagers log onto social media sites more than 10 times a day, and that 75 percent own cell phones. This much tech time can lead to exposure to inappropriate content and “sexting”. Kids may not be able to recognize spammy sites, resulting in viruses and data theft. The scariest threat is online predators; according to uKnowKids, one in five kids has been sexually solicited online, and 14 percent of kids have actually met face to face with a person they met on the internet. Nine out of ten parents will never know that any inappropriate contact has occurred.
How to Spy (Gasp!) on Your Kids Online
To give yourself some peace of mind, use software that can limit and/or track your kids’ internet usage and texts. Net Nanny ($40) can help block unapproved websites, and WebWatcher ($100) can both block and record, letting you watch your kids’ computer activity. Many computers (Macs and Windows) actually have built-in parental controls that you simply need to activate. iPhones have built-in parental controls, so you can restrict certain apps (YouTube or Safari, for instance) and you can even block kids from downloading apps without your entering a password.
Setting Standards for Kid’s Tech Use
Since you can’t know everything your kids are doing, make sure they know about online dangers—and set rules. Warn kids about online predators and that once they say or post something online, anyone can re-post it and reputations can be ruined. Don’t allow kids to post their location online, ever (but keep location services on so you can find them in an emergency). Set rules on when phones can be used and have kids turn in their phones at night.
“Neurological studies have shown that children’s and teenagers’ brains are not developed enough to always exercise self-restraint,” said Dr. Swanson, parenting and health blogger Dr. Swanson in a New York Times article. “We want these rich experiences on earth for our children. And part of that comes from the amazing technology we have access to, and part of that is because we also turn it off.”
