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| Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash |
If you are reading this blog post, it's safe to say that you have some basic knowledge of how the internet works. With that, I am sure you are using some form of technology to access this post. Whether it is a cell phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer—you understand that you live in an online world. If you are reading this post because of a post you saw on social media, please let me know in the comments! I would like to really see who my audience members are.
For now, I am going to boldly suggest that like me, most of you who read these blog postings have also experienced a time where all of these nice technological devices we have did not yet exist. However, we are all aware that there is a new generation growing up that has never gone without technology. Many of these children were raised watching YouTube videos on tablets and playing games on smartphones—all under the age of five. These children, who have never known a world without the internet are finally old enough to be classified as teenagers.
Speaking from personal experience, I have a 12-year-old sister who falls into this category. It does not happen often, because I try my hardest to stay in the know; however, she sometimes understands how to work a new social media platform faster than I can learn it. Our social media platforms are constantly evolving into the next best versions of themselves. My iPhone reminds me to update different applications in the app store daily. As she nears her teenage years, I cannot help but worry about some of the things she will inevitably be exposed to online, no matter what we as a family say or do to try to stop it.
Okay, okay. I know you're probably thinking "Well, I can stop it. My child won't have a social media account." You're right, you can. However, it may not be as easy as you think. Trust me... as a college recruiter, youth leader, and oldest sibling of 4, a lot of kids will do a lot of things to fit in if they feel left out. Even if that means sneaking behind your back. I wish this wasn't the case; however, I have seen it happen to friends too often to pretend that it's unlikely.
My suggestion is to talk with your pre-teen about the good and bad motives behind social media, then monitor their posts, likes, followers, and direct messages! Being a helicopter parent when your child is still under your roof is cool! They may not appreciate it now, but they will in several years!
The internet is not a safe enough place for you to leave your teen there alone.
If you would not leave your child alone in a park at night, don't leave them on the internet alone at night. It can change from innocent and fun to dark and demeaning in the scroll of a finger... Plus, they still get to experience all that social media has to offer in the best and most positive ways! You'll also be able to take away social media privileges if things start to go south.
Maybe you're saying, "Cayden, what do you mean?" Well, in my experience with my social media accounts, I have no control over the types of advertisements that appear on my news feed. Of course, there are some days where the ads are oddly specific to something I have discussed with someone over the course of the days prior to seeing it; however, there are also random ads for life insurance, heart disease medication, and dry cat food. All of those things are great, but I don't necessarily need any of them right now—so why are they on my feed?
In 2000, an article was posted that stated, "The internet is like no other communication medium because of its ability to combine several of the unique qualities of each medium (that is, print, sound, and visual) into one, while allowing for two-way communication between advertiser and customer" (Ferle et al., 2000). If the authors of this article, who are well-respected in their field, recognized the potential mass communication medium that the internet would become twenty-one years ago, it is imperative that we recognize its power today.
Not only is social media used by brands to communicate with their audiences, but it is also used by mainstream news media providers to deliver breaking news stories to you as they are happening. According to a Pew Research Study, more than eight in ten Americans get some of their news from a digital device. The same study showed that the percentage of those who receive their news digitally is higher than those who receive it from television, radio, or print mediums (Shearer, 2021). This number will only continue to rise as this next generation enters this next phase of their lives.
Most print papers are dying off and resorting to online subscription methods. Many teens are reading news stories on Snapchat, or watching funny 60-second recap videos about it on TikTok. Adults are scrolling Facebook waiting for the next post. Young Adults are tapping through stories that their friends post from all around the world.
Every time we watch a video, like a photo, or comment on a post, our history is stored forever. Any time we search for someone or something on social media or in an internet browser, our history is stored forever. This information can be deleted from your local device; however, once it is on the internet, it can always be recovered. Maybe not by me or you, but there are professionals who could recover those searches in seconds. With that data, the service providers we use put that information into their algorithms to make using their service very enticing for us.
"So what does that mean for my teen?" For teenagers growing up in this world, they will always be catered to online. Their preferences will always be taken into consideration by the algorithms social media platform creators and editors are making. Their trends will always be the focus of marketing campaigns run on TikTok and Instagram. Their lives will be shared with whoever you allow to follow them through a highlight reel of images and captions.
At the end of the day, it's a teen's world—we're just living in it!
References:
Ferle, C. L., Lee, W.-N., & Edwards, S. M. (2000). Teens' Use of Traditional Media and the Internet. https://www.warc.com/fulltext/JAR/49270.html.
Shearer, E. (2021, January 12). More than eight-in-ten Americans get news from digital devices. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/01/12/more-than-eight-in-ten-americans-get-news-from-digital-devices/.
Hi Cayden! I enjoyed reading your blog post. First the title alone grabbed my attention because I am heading towards my thirties, and media is constantly changing with these new trends and technology. I really do feel as if I am living in a teen’s world. I remember a time where it wasn’t necessarily safe, but it was safer to surf the internet for research, games, or just to talk to a friend. Now it’s so unpredictable and you never know who you’re engaging with on the other side of the screen. I do agree that teens can definitely be sneaky with their technology and especially social media, but do you think it is at all possible for parents to give them access with strict constrictions? For example I know Apple products have screen time where parents are able to stop their children’s screen usage once they reach it, and it’s passcode protected. They are also able to censor certain content or apps through the settings as well. Do you think they have safety measures like that for social media platforms? If so, I wonder how effective that would be. I myself am not a parent but I do see that most teens today are using social media as not only a tool for possibly professions but for harmful and malicious ways too. Well hopefully I will be able to keep up with the never ending changes that will continue as we move in to the future. I really enjoyed your piece and I look forward to seeing your upcoming posts as well!
ReplyDeleteBrianna Etienne-Thompson
Brianna,
DeleteSorry for the late response... Do I believe that it is at all possible for parents to give teens access to smartphones with strict constrictions? Honestly, it's possible. However, I do not believe that parents will want to commit to the large time commitment it will take to maintain these strict constrictions.
I have a 13 year old sister, and my mom has asked me on several occasions to help monitor her smartphone usage because she does not know much about phones. So, I have done a lot of research on this topic. There are different parental controls on most social media applications, and apple does have those features you were talking about. However, I would have to take my sister's phone for 30 minutes to an hour everyday to ensure that the restrictions were working the way they are supposed to.
Social media is great, and the "kids view" settings are awesome, but algorithms and filters are not impermeable. Inappropriate videos, posts, and songs leak through all the time. In my opinion, the best way to ensure that children are being safe online is to monitor their accounts, maintain an open line of communication with them, and take their phones at night. That may sound like an invasion of privacy; however, social media can be a scary place to be anytime, more so at night. When children are not being monitored they are more likely to do things they've been told not to. For instance, if a child is alone in the kitchen they may sneak another cookie even thought mom said no. So, I suggest to eliminate that temptation for your safety and theirs.
I hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Cayden H.