Navigating Social Media Safely A Guide for Parents This School Year
BY MADISON VOORHIES PHOTO BY KLEINPETER PHOTOGRAPHY 2023-24 COVER KIDS KYLIE B. AND KAYLA D.
A s the new school year begins, parents may face concerns regarding their children’s education, well-being, and social lives. One area that continues to be of the utmost importance is social media. With platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat dominating the digital world, ensuring your child's safety online has never been more critical. DID YOU KNOW? Louisiana found great legislative success in the last year when lawmakers and former Gov. John Bel Edwards signed into law the Secure Online Child Interaction and Age
Limitation Act. This law requires children 16 and under to get parental consent to create a social media account and includes safeguards for adult-minor messaging, minors' personal data collection, ads targeting minors, and parental monitoring features. While social media is vastly evolving every day, this law should grant parents some peace of mind knowing they have rights when it comes to the safety of their child’s online presence. So, just take a deep breath, and don’t let the internet scare you. Here are other tips and strategies we gathered based on research by the American Psychological Association and
Norton Security to help you keep your child safe online as they return to school. 1. OPEN COMMUNICATION IS KEY The foundation of social media safety starts with open and honest communication between you and your child. Encourage your child to talk about their online experiences, both positive and negative. Let them know they can come to you if they encounter anything uncomfortable or confusing online. 2. SET CLEAR BOUNDARIES
30 SEPTEMBER2024 | BRPARENTS.COM
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