I was recently invited to a very intimate and important conversation with Meta called Supporting Families: Navigating Teen Online Safety, Together. I learned from industry experts and technology leaders on how to support our kids on social media and also how to keep them safe online.
As a mom of a pre-teen, who is already begging for a phone, I was very interested in how I can support her as she begins to navigate the online world, specifically with social media. Because of my presence in the digital space, she is fully aware of what social media is. We have already had preliminary conversations about it, but not about the safety aspect. Yet! But safety is first priority in our home, so having this education and passing it on, is very important to me. I also want to be proactive and preventative about online safety and make sure she feels supported. Having an open line of communication about topics like these is also imperative as she grows, so learning at this event was very key for me.
At the event, I learned that Meta has created 30 tools in the last couple of years that help parents support their kids while navigating the social space. Below are some of the controls and settings that help improve their experience.
Control and Setting Tools
* Hidden words to prevent bullying
* Supervisory tools
* Managing amount of time online
* Quiet Mode or Take a Break
* Defaults and settings to support teen online safety
* Nudging – if user is aimlessly scrolling – makes recommendations on new content to engage with (a study shows that 1 in 5 teens will switch topics)
* Hiding Like Counts – lessens competition and comparison with others
Privacy Settings on Teen Accounts
* For example, if a user is under 16, it’s an automatic default that they are a private account – others can’t tag them and it limits accounts of adults that can send a teen a DM.
* They also have a Sensitive Content Control – where the app will default a “less” setting so the teen sees less sensitive content online.
* Meta also uses and teaches AI to detect if someone is misrepresenting their age online to limit interactions with teens.
Takeaways From Speakers
We had some amazing speakers at the event including Dr. Holly Hatcher-Frazier, Nia Sioux, Dr. Earl Turner, Michael Preston, and Vanessa Kroll Bennett, as well as other executives from Meta.
* Be proactive and have conversations ahead of time before an issue happens
* Parents need to help kids navigate all the media they are taking on and absorbing
* You have control over social media and how you use it, it doesn’t control you
Additional Information and Resources
For more information, please check out the Supervision Tab in your Settings to visit the Family Center and the Education Hub for more resources (direct link in my Meta highlights).
Thank you again to Meta ( @instagram x @creators ) for including me in this event. I can’t wait to continue to conversation and help Meta’s mission to support and protect our kids as they learn how to navigate social media in years to come!
#metacreator
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