Educating Kids on the Positive and Negative Impacts of Social Media

There are literally billions of social media accounts in circulation. You have one. Probably, you have several. Your children do too. Most kids do. It can seem Harmless, especially filtered through your own experiences. You use your social media to keep up with people you went to high school with—better that than seeing them in person—and maybe to keep tabs on what is going on around your neighborhood. 

If your child wants to stay in the loop about noisy neighbors and the occasional car break-in, why get in their way?

Of course, we all know the stakes are higher than that. Social media usage in teenagers is strongly linked to depression, anxiety, and even addiction. What can parents do to help their children safely navigate the digital world?

In this article, we take a look at what risks social media poses for children, and how you can set boundaries that will keep your kids safe. 

What are the Risks of Inappropriate Social Media Usage?

Where even to begin? Social media is very strongly associated with cyberbullying. Virtually every school-aged child experiences it in some form—either as a victim, a perpetrator, or a witness. What’s more, cyberbullying has been shown to have a very serious impact on mental and emotional health. Victims are twice as likely to have thoughts of suicide compared to the general population. 

Social media also has the potential for addiction. Grownups and children alike can easily grow overly attached to scrolling, to the point that they experience anxiety or sleeplessness when they cannot be on their phones. 

Social media use is strongly associated with other forms of depression and anxiety as well. The FOMO effect is very real. Children see their friends getting together online. They wonder why they weren’t invited. They see vacations and social experiences. They make unflattering comparisons between themselves and their classmates. 

There is also the risk of personal information being circulated more widely than was intended. Data breaches. Poorly thought-out posts. The potential, in other words, for a young person to get themselves into real trouble with what they say online. 

While these social media side effects do not immediately take hold of anyone who makes a Facebook account, they are real and common risks that parents should be on the lookout for. 

Does Social Media have Positives?

There’s entertainment value, sure. But does social media do anything at all to contribute to the sustainable health and wellness of the people who use it? The data on this point is not completely clear. Small amounts of social media do produce a dopamine response in the brain. This chemical can help reduce stress in the person who is experiencing it. 

However, it is also an experience of diminishing returns. The more a person leans on social media for stress relief, the less effective it becomes. This is the same basic set of circumstances that can contribute to any number of addictive tendencies. 

Social media does allow people to stay connected in ways that wouldn’t have otherwise been possible. This could be considered a benefit—particularly for a child who has online friends, or friends who live in physically remote locations. 

Social media can also be used as an outlet for self-expression. There are, of course, perils to this, as there is always the risk that the child will over-express, or communicate feelings in ways that are inappropriate. 

Still, assuming that social media is used as an appropriate outlet for emotions, it can be a good way for children to explain themselves to the world, or even call attention to causes that are important to them. 

The way in which social media gives people who would not otherwise have it a considerable voice should not be discounted. Many teenagers have used social media as a vehicle for calling attention to causes they are passionate about. Climate and gun safety advocates have brought their message to a global audience thanks in large part to their social media presence. 

So yes. When things go well and social media is used appropriately, it can be a positive influence on a young person’s life. However, it is up to the parents to set boundaries and expectations. 

Clearly Explain Your Position

No one responds well to the “because I said so,” rationale. Try it with a teenager and you are only inviting rebellion. Fortunately, it is a very unnecessary tactic. Kids are logical. If you explain the risk factors and illustrate your concerns effectively, you will immediately strengthen your position and increase the chances of compliance. 

Increasing the chances of compliance may sound like an unappealing objective. They are your kids. They are supposed to listen. Yeah, right. 

Social media is extremely easy to access. The best parental controls in the world won’t keep a child from getting online if they are determined to do so—not when every kid has a cell phone and a school-issued tablet. 

Layout your opinions clearly. Support them with facts. Your child may not be immediately swayed but they will respond better than if you had simply insisted based on the strength of your position as their parent. 

Set Clear Boundaries

Once you have laid out your case, it’s time to set boundaries. What are your expectations for their social media use? Make these guidelines both clear and enforceable. You may feel like a prudish parent telling your kid that they can only look at their social media accounts while you are in the room, or that they can only have X amount of screen time per day, but if that is your comfort level, it is important to stick to it. 

Enforce Your Position

Assign consequences for violations of your policy. For example, if your child cannot use social media under the conditions you establish, you may consider banning it completely. Make sure that any consequences you implement are laid out clearly before any violation of your expectations takes place. 

Why? This will further establish your expectations, and give your child a fair chance at complying with your conditions. Remember: this process will go more smoothly with everyone on the same page. Make yourself as clear and open as possible, and the odds that your child will listen increase substantially.

With effective communication, it is possible to help your child have a safe, ethical online experience.