Social Media: What is Safe for Your Child?
In the last dec ade, the use of social media apps has occupied our time. There is a growing number of these apps, including SnapChat, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Discord, and TikTok. As these apps become popular with younger and younger children, many parents wonder if they are safe for their children to use. As a mom and teacher, I continuously see the benefits and downfalls of using social media apps. They allow kids to share information, be creative, promote their hobbies and ideas, and express themselves - but they are also a breeding ground for bullying, harassment, promotion of disordered eating and self harm, and can be very harmful. Below I outline a few social media apps that are popular with my students and my own children, including things to consider before allowing your child to have access: Twitter What is it? Twitter is a social media app that allows for up to 280 characters to share information, ideas, photos, videos, or links. Twitter utilizes a s