Category: Social Media
Official Age Restriction: 13+
Zoe Rating: 12+
Facebook is a well-known social media platform used by more than a billion people worldwide. Facebook’s challenges with hate speech, inappropriate content, and more have been widely discussed, primarily because it is the largest platform. That said, the dangers are still present. Facebook is a company that needs to sell ads, so it tries to keep us on the platform as long as possible to show as many ads as possible. By using algorithms and knowledge of our interests, Facebook’s algorithms are scarily good at finding content we want to see and agree with, over and over again. This can create addiction, affect mental health and self-esteem, and potentially lead to radicalized views.
Guide to Facebook
Limit Notifications
“Nudging” is a method used by social media to get you to look at content on their services. A significant part of social media “nudging” happens in the form of notifications. To protect yourself and your children from continuous distractions and disruptions, it is a good idea to limit or completely remove notifications from social media like Facebook. In your phone’s settings, you can search for the app’s general settings and remove notifications or choose how they are displayed. At a minimum, you should disable notifications when the phone is locked.
Privacy Settings on Facebook
It’s important to set privacy and security settings on all social media platforms, regardless of how often they are used.
Facebook has several different privacy settings, so it can be challenging to navigate them all. We recommend starting with the general privacy settings that control who can see your profile information, who can see your posts and post content on your wall, who can tag you in posts, and who can send you friend requests.
Facebook has a helpful feature that guides you through the essential privacy settings:
1. Click on your profile picture (in the app, it’s at the bottom right; on a computer, it’s at the top right).
2. Click on ‘Settings & Privacy’ (⚙).
3. Click on ‘Privacy Checkup.’
4. Here, you can choose different parts of your profile and review your settings.
For a detailed guide on privacy settings, you can get more information from our friends at the Center for Digital Pedagogy: **Extended Privacy on Facebook.
Talking About Facebook
Here are some guidelines to help you start the conversation:
1. Be open and approachable: Create a safe and open environment where your child feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns about social media. Show interest in their experiences and be receptive to their perspective.
2. Be prepared: Before talking to your child about Facebook, it’s important that you have a basic understanding of the platform and its features. This will help you have a more meaningful conversation and answer any questions.
3. Highlight pros and cons: Discuss both the positive and negative aspects of Facebook. Talk about the benefits of staying in touch with friends and family, sharing experiences, and discovering interesting content. At the same time, discuss the drawbacks, such as potential privacy issues, the risk of cyberbullying, or excessive screen time.
4. Online safety and privacy: Emphasize the importance of protecting personal information and being aware of privacy settings on social media. Advise your child to avoid sharing too much personal information and to be cautious about accepting friend requests from strangers.
5. Digital etiquette and respectful behavior: Talk to your child about the importance of maintaining healthy digital behavior. Explain that it’s important to treat others online with respect, avoid bullying, and think before sharing anything publicly.
6. Set boundaries and rules: Discuss and establish clear boundaries for how and when your child can use Facebook. This might include screen time limits, times when the phone should be kept out of the bedroom, and an agreement to ask for permission before creating new accounts or sharing certain content.
7. Be an active participant: Show interest in your child’s online activities by engaging in conversations about the content they see or share on Facebook. This can also help you identify potential risks or concerns.
8. Maintain ongoing dialogue: Keep the conversation about social media open and ongoing. As technology and the online landscape evolve, new challenges or concerns may arise that you’ll need to address together.
Remember, it’s important to tailor the conversation to your child’s age and maturity level. Be responsive to their concerns and questions, and ensure they feel safe sharing their thoughts and experiences with you.
As a rule of thumb, consider these four questions:
1. What do you use Facebook for?
2. Why is Facebook important to you?
3. How do you use Facebook?
4. When do you use Facebook?
The Center for Digital Pedagogy has published a great parent guide about children’s digital lives:
If Something Goes Wrong
Save the Children has created a good guide on how to delete content on Facebook and seek help to handle unpleasant experiences. Follow the link to the first aid kit: Shortcut First Aid.
Category: Social Media
A social medium is, simply put, a platform where people can talk or write to each other via the internet and mobile devices. Communication goes both ways, not just one way as it does in newspapers or TV shows.