VeryWell | Amy Morin, LCSW
Texting, social media use, and blogging are issues that no other generation has dealt with before. For parents of teens, establishing healthy rules and setting limits on internet use is unchartered territory. It’s important for parents to be well-educated about the potential risks teens face when their on the internet so they can make an informed decision about how closely to monitor a teen’s smartphone, social media, or internet browsing.
Potential Safety Issues
There are a lot of debates over how much parents should monitor their teens’ online activity. After all, many dangers lurk on the internet- cyberbullies, online predators, and thieves can take a serious toll on the well-being of young people.
Unfortunately, many teens also risk ruining their reputations on the internet. Sending scantily clad or nude photos, posting inappropriate comments or being associated with scandalous content on social media can be harmful. Colleges, future employers, or even law enforcement could obtain material that teens leak into cyberspace.
At other times, teens fall prey to “catfish,” who use false identities to lure others in. An adult from a foreign country may pretend to be a teen from a nearby school, or a teen bully may try to befriend a potential victim online by assuming an undercover identity. Sometimes catfish simply want to steal information, while at other times they ask for financial help.
Teens can often become easy targets to these types of schemes.
Varying Degrees of Online Monitoring
Some parents take a hands-off approach to a teen’s online activity. After all, many parents know less than their teens do about the internet and social media. And other parents aren’t sure how to monitor a teen’s internet activity.
The danger of being uninvolved is that teens can get themselves into big trouble. A teen who is being cyberbullied may not know how to broach the subject with a parent. A teen whose activity is never monitored may be willing to arrange dates with strangers or may give out private information online without thinking about the potential consequences.
On the other end of the spectrum are parents who want to monitor everything from the contents of emails to who their teen is friending on Facebook. There are apps and software programs that allow parents complete access to everything their teen does online.
The danger of being overly involved in your teen’s online activity is that your teen may not feel trusted. It could damage your relationship. It may also lead to your teen going behind your back and opening social media accounts that you don’t even know exist.
Teens need some freedom to talk to friends without parents present. Without some privacy and independence, teens will struggle to create their own identities.
Trying to maintain too much control can also lead to rebellion.
by MindMake via MindMake Blog
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