Case Study 3: The Dangers of Social Media & Keeping Kids Safe Online
This is the third of a series of case studies to be released during October for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Vanderbilt IT will publish new case studies Mondays and Thursdays throughout the month.
An estimated 80 percent of teens online use some form of social media and, in doing so, share more information about themselves on social networks than they have in the past. While navigating online has its benefits, the web poses new risks. Between cyberbullying, oversharing and sexual predators, a child’s misuse of a social network can quickly spiral into a serious problem.
YouTube star Coby Persin, 21, set out to help some New York-area parents teach their children how real the threat of pedophiles, rapists and abductors truly is. He posed as a teen himself and lured their young daughters into potentially dangerous situations by first striking up conversations with them on Facebook.
How Can You Keep Your Kids Safe Online?
Below are a few guidelines to help you and your children develop safer online habits.
1. Educate yourself about social media.
Familiarizing yourself with popular social platforms will give you a better understanding of how each service works. You may also want to create your own profile on these sites and apps to experience the networks firsthand.
Kids are actively using the following popular social networks:
- Snapchat
- Vine
- YouTube
- Tumblr
- Kik
2. Establish an age limit.
If you do not currently allow your children to use social media, it’s a good idea to let them know at what age they can start. When children feel like it is never going to happen, they are more likely to set up a secret account without their parents’ knowledge or consent.
3. Talk to your kids about the dangers and consequences of social media.
Many of today’s youth do not realize the consequences and responsibilities that come with using social media. They tend to underestimate how easily accessible their information is and can forget that others are watching their online activity. As demonstrated in the previous video, talk to your kids about the danger signs of social media, and they will more likely think twice before posting a photo or sharing their locations with others online.
4. Keep the computer in a common area of your home.
Rather than keeping a computer in your child’s bedroom, keep it in a centralized and open location in your house. This way, you can easily keep an eye on your child’s social media usage. Kids are less likely to engage in inappropriate behavior if they think their parents are observing over their shoulders. Additionally, establishing a cell phone curfew and centralized charging station for cell phones is another way to ensure that you are aware of your child’s online and social media habits.
5. Set guidelines or rules.
Establishing a set of guidelines or rules is a way to instill positive social media habits in your child. For example, set a time limit for how long your child spends on social media during the week or set specific times for you and your child to go online together to practice social media safety.
6. Check your child’s privacy settings regularly.
Make it a priority to check your child’s privacy settings on each social network consistently. Social networks are constantly updating and changing their sites and apps, so you will want to make sure your child’s profile is as secure as possible.