In recent years, there has been an expanding focus on seeing how social media influences teenagers. It goes without saying that the internet has become a place of high capacity for the recent generations, and most teens are glued to their phones almost 24/7.
But what about the not-so-good effects that social media can have not only on children's mental health, but also their safety? Emily Kline, a psychologist in Boston, shared five thing that she believes teens should never do on social media.
The No. 1 thing is to never keep social media profiles public. Emily kept in mind that private accounts allow teens more control over who is seeing and accessing their content. “Kids tend to think about privacy in relation to their parents or teachers but internet fame might be attractive for some."
Emily went on to share that teens shouldn't post harmful or embarrassing content, and also that they shouldn't treat social media as a place that's only for kids. She shared these tips as a way to prevent opportunities for cyberbullying and also so that parents can pay attention to what is appearing in their child's feed.
The last points Emily shared were to never think everything needs to be recorded and never avoid talking about social media with your family. "When we keep some pieces of our lives private and offline, it’s mental proof that social media is not a full or accurate depiction of our own life or anyone else’s."
