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International Youth Day: Social Media Engagement Tips for Parents

digital well-being Aug 15, 2022

By: Abderrahman Jalled, #ICANHELP Content Creation Specialist

 

August 12 marks International Youth Day, a time to honor youth and draw attention to the challenges children face. Today’s youth are in a unique position as the first generation to grow up with social media. The question is will these platforms empower kids to become changemakers or do they threaten children’s safety and wellbeing? What can you do to help your child have a positive experience with social media?

 

How have social media and technology shaped how people connect?

 

If the world of social media seems complicated to you, think back to how you grew up.

 

Do you remember how much you loved talking to your friends on the bus and during break times? What about sharing a landline with your family and worrying that someone would eavesdrop or overhear your conversation?

 

How about visiting a friend from out of town and spending hours catching up about how your lives had changed since you had last met in person? Maybe you even brought physical photos to illustrate your memories of special moments and milestones. 

 

No matter how the times change, humans are inherently social creatures: we derive energy from engaging with others and the world around us. Social media allows us to stay connected like never before, as we can tune into the daily lives of friends and strangers across the globe simply by scrolling through our feed. However, can too much connection turn sour as kids log onto social media at young ages? 

 

What are the positive and negative effects of social media?

 

Evidence has increased about the pros and cons of using social media sites. Research conducted in June 2012 at the University of Georgia proved that millions of people who log into social networking sites daily boost their self-esteem. Communicating with others and curating your online image can positively affect your view of yourself.

 

Understanding these nuances can help families better notice the disparity in their teens' positive and negative experiences in the digital world, providing new insight into how best to support them.

 

On the other hand, a study conducted in June 2013 at the University of Michigan proved that students who suffer from narcissism tend to have the highest percentage of posts on social networking sites to feed their egos and control others’ perceptions of them.

 

Another study, conducted by Flinders University in Australia, found an association between a girl's time spent on the Internet and poor self-esteem and dissatisfaction with her body image. After interviewing more than 1,000 high school girls, the researchers also found that social media increased conversations about appearance.

 

Although 80% of the girls participating in the survey were of normal weight, almost half (46%) were not satisfied with their bodies. These numbers indicate that many young women's concerns about their body image are not related to being overweight, but rather to comparing themselves to unrealistic standards set by celebrities, which are far from normal.

 

Research conducted at Stanford University linked the long hours spent in front of the screen and the constant scrolling between pages of social networking sites with experiencing negative feelings such as anxiety and exhaustion. 

 

The importance of spending time away from social media

 

Parents should realize that social networking sites have advantages and risks. Rather than fearing these platforms, parents should test them out personally to get a sense of their child's online experience. In other words, we have to ask our children the right questions, help them navigate social networks, and trust our intuition when things seem off or unusual.

 

FOMO, or the “fear of missing out,” is an overwhelming concern among young people. Some browse social media almost constantly to ensure that they are always up to date with the latest developments in their group.

 

Regardless of the importance your child attaches to social networks, you should monitor their use of social networking sites and set some rules for them to stick to. For example, help your child set up a charging station outside of their room so that they will not be tempted to scroll online for hours rather than getting a good night’s sleep. Seek out opportunities to talk to your kid about the content they see online and how they feel after engaging with social media. 

 

You can take #ICANHELP’s free Digital Safety Video Course as a family to start a conversation with your child about best social media practices and help them navigate the digital age. 

 

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