The social networking platforms have gained huge popularity over a few years. When it comes to the post-millennial generation, the teens and tweens of the digital age are more dedicated to social messengers than anything else. They spend more than nine hours a day using social media and dating apps. These social platforms introduce youngsters with the people across the world and boost their self-esteem. However, the unmonitored use of these social network sites can lead them to several potential dangers.
The popularity of the social media apps has attracted bullies and predators to misuse these platforms to access, victimize adolescents. The privacy and security loopholes of the social messengers have made it convenient for the scoundrels to ill-treat teens and tween.
Must-Know Facebook Privacy Setting for Parents
In this digital age, the parents are needed to safeguard their offspring from the threats prevailing in the online world. The only way parents can protect kids from the dangers of social apps is that they must be aware of the potential dangers of these apps. It would enable them to educate their kids and train them to combat these vulnerabilities. This article discusses how parents can help their kids in using the hugely popular Facebook social media app securely and responsibly.
Immensely Popular Facebook App
Facebook is the most popular and most-liked social media platform at the moment. The social media site allows users to post and share statuses, photos, videos, links and whatsoever they want to share with their online buddies. The Facebook messenger allows users to exchange textual and visual messages; make audio and video one-on-one and group calls.
The use of this social messenger is more common in teens and tweens as compared to the adults. The immensely used Facebook app has more than 7.5 million active users who are below the age of 13. Though the Facebook app is intended for those who are above the age of 13, it is being used by many underage children. Tweens are more vulnerable to the risks attached with the use of this social networking site.
Must-Know Facebook Privacy Setting for Parents
There is neither any age verification process nor any other process to verify the information provided by the Facebook users. This is what makes this social media platform vulnerable for teens and tweens.
The immensely popular social media site also hosts adult and objectionable content which is not kid-friendly in any way. Moreover, the platform welcomes bullies and predators to exploit children for monetary or sexual gain.
Almost 88 percent of young Facebook users have reported experiencing cyber-bullying on the platform as a witness or victim. Many teen victims are suffering from depression, anxiety, virtual peer pressure, low self-esteem and mental and psychological health concerns.
Facebook Privacy Settings
The social media app offers a few privacy settings to enable the users to protect their profiles and content from the irrelevant and annoying persons. Parents must be aware of these settings to help their kids make their Facebook profiles secure.
1. Who can see your posts?
Facebook lets you choose with whom you want to share your posts. For example, if you want to share your posts with all of your Facebook friends, you can select ‘Friends’ going to your privacy settings. You can also choose specific people to share your posts with or restrict some from viewing your posts. Having a discussion can help your kids understand what type of content they should share with friends and what not.
2. Who can send you friend request?
The social media app lets you select from whom you want to receive friends request. If you do not want to receive request from any unknown person, you can restrict others from sending you Friend request on Facebook. Make sure you do not choose ‘Public’ to send you friend request.
3. Who can see your friend list?
You can show and hide your friends and followers list by scrolling through the privacy settings of Facebook. Your kids may hide their friends list to cover who are in their online friend circle. Make sure you are aware of your kids’ online and offline friends to make sure they are not engaged with any scoundrel.
4. Who can look you up using your email address?
Anyone having your email address can look you up on Facebook until you set your privacy settings to not allow others from searching you by your email address or mobile phone number.
Must-Know Facebook Privacy Setting for Parents
The privacy settings enable Facebook users to have a safe journey in the online world. However, it is not enough to protect kids from the potential dangers of the social media apps. There is social media monitoring app that allows parents to supervise the social media activities of their children to make sure they are doing well.
Monitoring of Facebook and other widely used social media apps enables parents to safeguard teens and tweens from the threats prevailing in the social media world.
