Kids on social media: 3 benefits, 3 risks
Written by Amanda Lee (Senior Program Manager, Tech for Good & TELUS Wise ®) The vast majority of Canadian youth are using social media daily. According to Media Technology Monitor’s MTM Jr. report, which researches media habits of youth from seven to 17 years old, seven in 10 children use social media, with half of seven- to 11-year-olds and 85% of teens using social media in the past month. Social platforms help them connect, develop digital skills, and express themselves. However, along with the benefits come risks. Parents, caregivers and educators can help create a safe online environment by being aware of both the advantages and challenges of social media. What’s great about it? There are a lot of benefits of social media for kids. Let’s focus on three. #1: It’s social Kids can connect beyond their immediate physical worlds of family, school and hobbies. They can seek out communities based on shared interests, whether they are music, sports, culture or causes. And within those communities, they can establish real friendships with people living in different places with different perspectives and worldviews. Social media also provides a great forum to join and participate in support networks. For instance, 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and kids from different cultural backgrounds can connect with people that share their experiences, access resources and find opportunities to further engage with the communities they belong to online and offline. #2: It promotes digital literacy Kids today are known as “digital natives”. They are growing up with technology and don’t know any differently. Social media can teach vital communication and technical skills that are part of both life and career training. Interacting face-to-face in our physical world is part of social development, but interacting online is also a vital element of learning how to relate, set boundaries and participate responsibly in relationships and communities. #3: It gives kids a voice There are so many inspiring stories of how kids have used social media to spark their own passions for social issues, raise awareness and effect change. Neb, a recipient of the TELUS Student Bursary, is a great example. He is the founder of Brothers4Brothers, a youth-led mentorship program aimed at combating stigma and promoting awareness of men's mental health and is also the driving force behind Community Cares, an initiative that provides care packages filled with essential items to underprivileged youth. As an artist, motivational speaker, content creator, social justice advocate, podcast host, youth ambassador, and mentor, Neb leverages social media to connect with others and advance his work. Whether it’s anti-cyberbullying events, fundraisers or marches that call attention to social issues, kids are turning to social media to promote social responsibility, community service and global awareness. In fact, Common Sense Media, a leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families and schools, lists 21 websites catering to kids aged eight to 16 that help them do good. What are the risks? Benefits also come with risks. While there are a lot of great things about social media, there are some risks too. Let’s focus on three. #1: Incessant marketing Many companies spend a lot of time and money figuring out how to best market to the coveted youth demographic. And social media is fertile ground for advertisers and marketers. There are regular ads, which are easy to spot. But sponsored and influencer content is more covert. The bottom line? Kids are being marketed to almost constantly on social media and advertisements like this have the ability to impact a child’s values, beliefs, self confidence and more. #2: Cyberbullying With so much socializing taking place on social media, there is a lot going on “behind the screen” that parents can’t see. And if kids aren’t sharing their experiences, parents often never know the frequency or severity of online bullying until the damage is done. Common forms of cyberbullying include verbal/emotional abuse, social exclusion, gossip and publicizing content that was meant to be private. Emotional consequences can include isolation, anxiety, depression and in extreme cases, even the tragic loss of life. There can also be legal consequences as we explored in our article, “Cyberbullying can be criminal.” You can also read more here about Cyberbullying and what to look for, what to say to your kids, and how to get help. #3: Unrealistic expectations and mental health There is most certainly a filtered reality on social media. Influencers and celebrities have full teams behind them to help capture and post the perfect selfie (this great video from Dove’s Self-Esteem project casts a critical eye on what really goes into that casual selfie you may see online). The unrealistic beauty standards flooding social can be damaging to kids who are just forming their own identities and relationships with their bodies. According to the Dove Global Beauty and Confidence Report, 6 in 10 (65%) girls believe that media and advertising set an unrealistic standard of beauty most women can’t achieve. The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto also found that social media and smartphone use increase the burden of mental distress. The Hospital has seen admissions for mental health reasons increasing, and suicide has become the second most common cause of death for Canadian youth. 3 things you can do If you’re encouraged by the benefits of social media but are concerned about the risks, there are things you can do with your kids to mitigate them. #1: Start responsible social media use early Modeling responsible behaviour on social can help your kids understand what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour. And if you start having these conversations early, you’ll help your kids form healthy habits that will follow them throughout their digital lives. #2: Set boundaries Create rules for social media together and decide on the appropriate consequences if they aren’t followed. By involving kids in the process, they understand your concerns and have contributed to their own boundaries online. #3: Have honest conversations Dove’s #NoLikesNeeded campaign teaches kids that the only “like” that counts is their own. Campaigns like this are great conversation starters about what we see online and how it makes us feel. Explain the importance of having a critical eye and healthy scepticism on social media. View the unrealistic images together and talk about how they are created and why. Talk about AI influencers who aren’t even real and strategies for how to spot them! And then find positive role models who are not only real humans, but are revered for their strength, intelligence or abilities rather than just looks and/or entertaining content. Social media can be a productive, inspiring and empowering place for kids. With limits, digital literacy and ongoing conversations, it is easy to find the balance between the benefits and the risks. For more tips on how to help your kids navigate our digital world, take the TELUS Wiseᵀᴹ parent workshop online. You can also encourage your child to complete the TELUS Wiseᵀᴹ happiness workshop. Or better yet, do it together! Visit telus.com/WiseWorkshops. FR versionMaking the most of parental controls on devices and apps
Written by Nimmi Kanji (Director - Social Purpose Programs, For Good & TELUS Wise) Discussing online privacy with your kids is an important part of creating safe online experiences for them. While it may seem that kids are in their own worlds when they are using devices and apps, parents and guardians still have an important role to play in protecting kids’ privacy, gatekeeping the content they see and ensuring their online interactions are safe. Most device operating systems and the apps kids use offer a suite of parental controls and privacy settings. By familiarizing yourself with what’s available and taking advantage of the settings, you can let the kids in your life experience the advantages of being online while minimizing the risks. Apple devices Apple provides, “tools that let parents know, and feel good about, what kids are doing.” Features let parents set limits on how and how often kids can use their devices including: Screen time: track how much time kids spend on apps, devices and websites and set limits for specific apps and websites. Downtime: block apps and notifications at a specific time (i.e. bedtime or during homework hours). Ask to download/buy: approve or decline kids’ app download/purchase requests from your device. App store: direct kids to the “made for kids” section on the app store and add content restrictions (age range) so they only see age-appropriate apps. Combined limits: combine individual apps and websites and set limits. In app purchases: block the option of in app purchases. For instance, you can block the purchase of power-ups and other in-game options. Android and Chrome devices Google offers Family Link with tools to keep the entire family safer online including: Screen time limits: schedule downtime, set time limits for apps and guide children to age-appropriate content. Permissions management: set specific permissions for websites and extensions accessed through Chrome. Account management: change or reset passwords for kids’ accounts, edit personal information or delete an account if necessary. Location settings: locate kids on one map (if they are carrying their device) and receive notifications of arrivals/departures. Parents can also use the controls available on popular apps that kids use all the time. It’s not just about how much time kids spend online, it’s also about the content they consume. TikTok TikTok offers Family Pairing, which allows a parent or guardian to link their TikTok account to a kid’s account to better control content, privacy and well-being settings. Some of the key features in Family Pairing include: Private account: set your child’s account to private for restricted access. Comments/direct messages: limit who can comment on your child’s content and send them direct messages. Daily screen time: set time restrictions for app usage and track how much time kids spend on the app. Restricted mode: enable this feature with a password to limit exposure to unsuitable content. Video keywords: filter keywords and hashtags and choose which feeds your kids can see. In March 2023, TikTok released several new features to help parents ensure safer use of the app: 60-minute screen time limit: for kids under 13, parents need to enter a password to extend time on the app. Daily screen time: customize based on the day of the week and kids’ schedules. Screen time dashboard: at-a-glance view of app usage. Notifications: mute notifications to minimize disruptions. Meta In 2022, Meta introduced Family Center, which offers supervision tools for parents/guardians, as well as expert resources. The vision is to extend these capabilities across all Meta technologies with centralized management. Currently, parental controls are available for Instagram and include: Account management: kids can invite parents/guardians to manage their accounts or parents/guardians can request management access. Time management: see time spent on the app and set usage limits. Notifications: if your child reports someone, you receive a notification. Follow updates: get notifications when your kids follow someone or when someone follows them back. YouTube YouTube offers parents the option of creating a supervised account for kids under 13, so parents have more visibility into and control over age appropriate content. Many parents opt to create a YouTube Kids profile for their younger users and gain access to parental controls including: Block or share content Change content level settings Turn off the search feature Review watch history Disable autoplay. Parental controls and privacy settings are two great tools parents and guardians can use to help keep kids safe online but ongoing dialogue about online safety is still critical. If you are going to use parental controls, be upfront and let your child know you will be monitoring their online activities. Introduce controls early and proactively rather than waiting until your kids are older or using them as a consequence. By doing so, you can help your kids see parental controls as tools that give them more freedom online rather than hampering their independence. Learn more about how to keep your kids safe online with our online workshop for parents at telus.com/WiseWorkshops. FR versionHelping seniors stay safe in our digital world
Written by Nimmi Kanji (Director - Social Purpose Programs, For Good & TELUS Wise) Whether it’s navigating online shopping, avoiding common scams or even remaining connected with loved ones through digital platforms, seniors may face challenges navigating the online world. With added issues like loneliness and isolation, as well as an increased sense of winter blues at this time of year, it’s important we all do our part to help them stay safely connected in our digital world. Census data shows almost one in four Canadians aged 65 and older live alone and about half over the age of 80 report feeling lonely, according to a report from the National Seniors Council. With this in mind, Linda Hoang, Influencer and TELUS Wise advocate, sat down with David Handelman, Board Member of BC 411 Seniors Centre Society and Stephanie Senecal, Senior Support Unit Coordinator at the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre to discuss how to best support seniors as we enter 2023. View the panel discussion Here are a few key takeaways: Address social isolation and loneliness: Numerous studies have linked loneliness to health issues including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, mental health struggles, and the onset of Alzheimer’s and dementia. There’s no doubt about it—staying connected socially improves your overall physical health and mental health, regardless of age. Technology can play a critical role in helping connect seniors and ultimately, reduce feelings of isolation and the associated risks. Identify common scams - what are the warning signs and how can you protect yourself? Did you know that as of Oct 31, 2022, there have been over 75,000 reports of fraud, over 47,800 victims of fraud and $420.8M lost to fraud? Visit theCanadian Anti Fraud Centre to browse recent scams and fraud, learn more about how to protect yourself as well as what to do if you’re a victim of fraud. One common trend is spoofing, which is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity or trick you into thinking the caller is someone they aren’t. To protect yourself from unwanted robocalls enable call control on your home or mobile phone. Support seniors with digital literacy: Learn about everything from connecting to the Internet to video chatting in theTELUS Wise online basics video series or check out the TELUS Wise seniors guide to learn more. For more tips on how to help support the development of digital literacy skills amongst seniors click here. Check out the full conversation here. FR version
