Smart
phones have certainly impacted our lives.
We can check our email, listen to music, organize our calendars and find directions. Technology, in many ways, has made our lives easier and more efficient. Our
kids today are navigating this world of technology with great ease and
proficiency. They seem to be able
to keep up with the ever-changing evolution of the new devices and
applications. There are thousands
of “apps” that can be downloaded onto our smart phone, allowing us to do
just about anything and everything. But do you know what apps your kids are using and what they are for? Most parents are struggling to keep up with the latest applications that are popular among teens.
As a Counselor of teens, as well as, having my own teenager, I have learned a lot about these apps. I think
I have it sorted out – at least for now.
Next year, we will probably have a whole new set of apps to understand.
Here
are the “apps” that most kids are using today:
Instagram: Users can post pictures of anything. And most kids do!
Photos range from what they are eating, where they are going, who they
are with, to “selfies” or pictures of themselves. You can follow a person’s Instagram account, see all of the
photos they have posted and know what they are doing. While Instagram has restrictions regarding photo content,
some inappropriate images can get through. Additionally, there can be some concern about who might be
viewing pictures of your child.
I
would suggest changing the privacy settings on your kid’s profile from “public”
to “private.” To do this, open
your child’s profile page (you will need their passwords), at the top of the
page hit the “edit your profile” button, scroll down to bottom, and glide
“privacy” button to “on.” You
should monitor their profile, discuss any inappropriate content, and don’t
hesitate to limit or restrict use, if you feel it is necessary.
Snapchat: This is my least favorite app.
With Snapchat, users can send photos and videos that disappear
after 10 seconds once they are received, giving kids a false sense of security
about the photos they are sending. Many kids feel safe sending inappropriate photos and videos
because they believe the photos/videos wont be seen by others after 10 seconds. However, that is not true because the
images can be saved in photos and then resent to others. If
your child has this app, explain to them that everything they send has the
potential to be saved and viewed by others.
Kik: Kik is a third-party, instant messaging service allowing users
to anonymously send messages and photos. Over 70 million teens and preteens are
using this app. The danger is that
this app allows anyone to chat with your teen anonymously, and messages go
unrecorded. Make sure to set
boundaries for this type of social media.
Explain the dangers of anonymous chats with your kids, and give them
guidelines about what topics are inappropriate to message with others.
Ask.Fm: Users can post questions anonymously on another’s profile. Over 65 million people are currently
using Ask.fm. Unfortunately, I
have seen this platform used for cyber-bullying and several teen suicides have
been linked to harassing comments or questions left on Ask.Fm. Explain to your kid that mean and
hurtful comments can happen on this form of social media. Monitor the questions made on your child’s profile and be prepared
to restrict use if you think it may negatively impact your child.
Vine: Users can make and view
6-second videos that run continuously on a loop. These short videos can be very funny and innocent but like
most social media sites, inappropriate material can show up on your kid’s Vine,
sexual, violent and drug-related. Fortunately,
Vine is currently putting heavy filters on what can be uploaded, but teens can
still be exposed to inappropriate material.
This
information is not meant to scare you but to educate you about your teen’s
technological world. Technology is
not a bad thing, but as parents we have to be informed so we can better guide
and protect our kids. Keep in mind
you may need to monitor your teen’s phone and restrict activity, if needed. Of course, you can expect some
resistance from your teen, but this is just good parenting. Good luck!
To learn more, please go to DrSemich.com
