Social media in today’s society can be complicated, daunting and completely unknown to some parents. There are so many platforms to keep up to date with, that some parents may feel overwhelmed and have no idea what types of social media there are or what each one even involves. This can put children at risk as the more children can hide from parents due to their lack of knowledge, the less likely parents can protect them. Children may be unaware of the high-level risks that occur online and feel that behind a screen, they are safe. Therefore, it is important that parents and carers are aware of what social media platforms there are and fully understand the ones their children are using.

There are so many social media platforms that it is understandable that parents cannot keep up with the latest generation and their skills with technology. It has become second nature to some children and young people and it is simply the new way to communicate through a screen. With so many popular platforms, the most common and used across the world is Facebook. A social media site that can be used to communicate with people, share photos, and update friends and family with memorable events.

Here are a few of the current most popular social media sites so parents can understand them a bit more.

Instagram; Instagram is a picture and video sharing app. Users can follow friends, family, celebrities and even companies for the latest news, gossip and information.  The minimum age limit for Instagram is 13+

Facebook; Facebook lets you create a page about yourself and you can add friends, write on people’s pages, share photos and videos including live videos. The minimum age restriction is 13+.

 Snapchat; Snapchat is an app that lets you send a photo, short video or message to your contacts. The ‘snap’ appears on screen for up to 10 seconds before disappearing, although it can be screenshotted. There’s also a feature called Snapchat Story that lets you share snaps in a sequence for up to 24 hours. The minimum age restriction is 13+.

Minecraft; Minecraft is a game that lets you build and create a virtual world using building blocks. Other activities include using the multiplayer function to explore the worlds created by other users and to combat, chat and play with them. Minimum age restriction is 7+.

https://www.net-aware.org.uk/ is a helpful website to all parents and carers who may need more understanding of social media. It allows you to type in whichever social media platform you require more information on and what safety measures you can take to protect children.

Social media is an expensive aspect online and it is important to understand what your children are doing and what you can do to keep your children safe. Try to keep up to date with what your children are using and discuss with your child what they can do to be safe.