Children should not get addicted to social media, for this, parents must do this work
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The increasing attraction of social media in today’s children has become a matter of concern for the parents. Children spend their hours in social apps like Instagram and Facebook. Francis Hogan of Whistleblower says, “The patterns kids see these days stay with them for the rest of their lives. A child who is bullied on Instagram keeps those things on her mind in her home and bedroom. The night before she goes to sleep.” He wonders how someone can be so cruel to him. Children are learning that the friends and relatives they care about are becoming more and more cruel to them.”
In today’s time it is very important to save children from such mentality. So what can you do for that? Experts say that parents can take certain steps by monitoring their children’s communication style, age and activities. Ever wonder why kids under 13 can be on Instagram and other social media? This is due to the Online Privacy Protection Act for Children enacted in 2000. Today’s youth were in their teens when social media came into existence and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was also in his teens.
The purpose of this rule was to ensure the safety of children by obtaining parental consent before disclosing the privacy policies of websites and online services, and by obtaining, among other things, children’s personal information. To comply with this rule, social media companies have banned children under the age of 13 from signing up. However, it has also emerged that children wrongly sign up without the permission of their parents. However times have changed and privacy is not the only concern when it comes to getting kids online. Research on bullying, harassment and Facebook has found that eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, or worse, are at risk. Hogan, who suggested raising the age limit from 16 to 18, said parents, teachers and technology experts should wait to allow children to use social media. until they become intelligent or enter the eighth grade. Parents should take a pledge that they will not give smartphone to their child till 8th standard. But neither the government nor the social media companies have taken any such step. Christine Elgzarma, a social media expert at the non-profit Common Sense Media, said, “There is no magic age to use social media, but the age of 13 is not appropriate for children to use social media.
Let me tell you that there is a complication here as well. Whenever a user signs up for an app, there is no surefire way to know his exact age. And the popular app among teenagers was made for adults. Companies have launched a number of security features over the years, but Elgarzma said it hasn’t been considered. Developers should also make apps with children in mind. We cannot trust companies that do not look after the interests of children.
Facebook says it has added features and security features for teens to Instagram over the years. Facebook’s head of global policy management, Monica Bickert, says the company has tested features to hide the number of likes. That is, when you post something and you are young then you do not have to worry about how many people will like your post and how many people will see it. But according to Facebook researchers, youth are not liking this feature.
Let us tell you that before going online parents should have an open discussion with their children about what they see while sharing their social media feeds, says Algarzama. How will your child handle a situation where a friend of a friend asks to send him a photo? Or doesn’t it notice when you see an article and want to share it? Communicate with children with curiosity and interest. Try to gauge their mood by keeping the reading simple instead of asking direct questions. Also, if your child is scrolling on the phone for a long time, do not ask him to turn off the device directly. But ask him what he does on his phone and see how your child responds. You can watch documentaries with kids like “The Social Dilemma,” which explores the algorithms, dark patterns and dopamine feedback cycles of social media, and explains how Facebook and TikTok make money. Children love to know such things and this will help them to understand.
Rogers says most parents are successful at reducing their kids’ scrolling on their phones overnight. However sometimes kids try to scroll again in the phone. But it is a strategy because children should also take a break from the screen. Parents should also keep in mind their limits on spending time on the phone. Rogers says it can be helpful to explain what you’re doing when you hold the phone to your child, so they understand you’re not scrolling through sites like Instagram for no reason. You tell the kid that you’re checking email for work or looking up a recipe for cooking or paying bills. So kids will understand that you are not using the phone for entertainment.
Roxana Maracchi, a professor at San Jose State University, says, “Parents need to understand that this is not a fair fight. Because social media like Instagram are an addiction. It is not an easy task without laws that reflect That these companies use our data and use algorithms to forward harmful content, leaving parents with limited steps. Marachi added that companies have no interest in raising children well. No, their only focus is on getting more and more clicks and increasing the number of people on the screen.