Parents have struggled for years to decide what limits they should place on social media usage by their children. Now, there are some answers. A presidential panel of the APA released this week new findings and recommendations regarding social media usage by tweens, teens, and tweens.
“Social media usage among adolescents is quickly becoming a major public and mental health problem. As such, these recommendations by the APA are especially welcome because they are evidence-based and practical,” says Dr. Nathan Carroll, resident psychiatrist at .
The new guidelines are based upon short-term studies performed on thousands of adolescents. Experts are still learning about the effects that social apps have on young people. Here’s what parents should know for now:
Like adults, teens can also benefit from social media.
This is especially important for teenagers who find it difficult to communicate in person.
Social apps that are tailored to the social and cognitive abilities of adolescents can be very beneficial.
Psychologist and parenting expert advises parents to assess the social and emotional development and readiness of their kids — as in, their ability to think and reason when faced with a challenge. “Ask yourself questions like: How impressionable is my teen? What are the behaviors that show a high level of self-esteem? How do they react to peer pressure? Do they have a tendency to model negative behaviors?” says Patel.
Sanam Hafeez is a psychologist and director at. She recommends parents to consider their own behavior before allowing their children to use social media. This includes following rules, showing respect to others, and being able regulate their emotions.
To tailor a child’s social media experience, Hafeez also offers the following steps:
-
Disable private messaging at least “until the child has demonstrated the ability to communicate respectfully and responsibly online.”
-
Disable location sharing.
-
Disable commenting “until the child has demonstrated the ability to communicate respectfully and positively interact with others online.”
-
Disable in-app purchases.
-
Disable live streaming “until the child has demonstrated the ability to handle peer pressure and make responsible decisions online.”
Monitor all social media usage by young adolescents (ages 10-14).
It is important that parents and children agree on the terms of accessing their social media accounts, phones/devices from day one. Asking to see the device regularly to see what was posted, liked, or followed is a good idea. This is a smart idea. As they grow older, kids can gradually gain more freedom.
Before allowing teens and tweens to create social media accounts, they should be taught the basics of social media literacy.
Hafeez suggests that conversations begin at a young age about online safety and responsible behavior. “Talk to them about the potential risks associated with social media, such as cyberbullying, sexting and online predators,” she says.
She also suggests developing critical thinking skills. “Teach your children how to evaluate online content critically and question the credibility of sources. Encourage them to fact-check information they come across online and discuss any doubts or questions they have with you,” says Hafeez, who suggests seeking out resources for social media literacy training, including , and Internet Matters.
Minimize adolescents’ exposure to problematic and hateful content, including content that prompts self-harm, eating disorders and prejudice against people of marginalized backgrounds.
“As a parent, it’s important to prepare your children for the possibility of encountering disturbing or inappropriate content on social media,” says Hafeez. She advises parents to talk to their children as early as possible about what the child might encounter online, how important it is to be careful, and what to say if something upsets them.
It is important to set ground rules from the beginning. “Establish clear guidelines for what your children can and cannot do online, and monitor their usage of social media apps to make sure they are following the rules,” she says. “Encourage your children to be cautious when clicking on links, following strangers or giving out personal information online.”
Hafeez recommends that parents use parental control settings and features to limit access to inappropriate content.
And finally, limit social media use and be vigilant of signs of “problematic social media use.”
Most parents know that social media can be addictive and interfere with sleep, work, and other social activities. Hafeez advises parents to check in with their child regularly and pay attention to changes in mood and behavior that might relate to the child’s social media use.
“Social media algorithms ultimately reward behaviors of excess,” adds Carroll. “Users are reduced to data points, with popularity decided by likes, reactions and views.”
Carroll points to APA chief science officer to the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this year, in which Prinstein noted that children “do not have the ability to restrain themselves from using social media too much.” Social media, he continued “offers the ‘empty calories of social interaction’ that appear to help satiate our biological and psychological needs,” but doesn’t contain the “healthy ingredients necessary to reap benefits.”
“We need strong regulatory action to prevent social media companies from profiting from their addiction,” says Carroll.
Learn about wellness, parenting, body images and more. You can also find out more about the people behind this website. Behind the scenes Hoo Yahoo Life’s Newsletter Sign up Here.
