Social Media – Are they old enough?

Social media is a big part of creating a social and creative life for many young people. Social media refers to any digital platform, system, website or app that enables people to create and share content and connect with each other.

As with most things, social media has many benefits as well as risks. Therefore, it is important to be aware of what apps young people are using, how these apps are used and the recommended age regulations.

Benefits of social media for young people: The online environment has become a part of everyday life for young people. It’s how they socialise, read news and learn. By connecting with others through social media, your child could:

Develop social skills
Make and maintain friendships and develop relationships with extended family
Feel less isolated
Learn about new cultural and societal ideas and issues
Have fun and relax
Be creative and share their interests and ideas with friends
Be better equipped to be active citizens in society
Develop real world skills to help them become more independent
Learn about world events and current affairs outside of their immediate environment
Connect to online global communities

Risk of social media for young people: Like any form of social engagement, social media comes with risks. Some of the most common risks include:

Spending too much time online and being disconnected from the real world
Cyberbullying or being harassed or annoyed by someone you do not want attention from
Being exposed to inappropriate or upsetting content, like mean, aggressive, violent or sexual comments or images
Damaging your online reputation
Having your personal information shared online, eg. phone numbers, date of birth or location
Being the victim of an online scam
Having reduced self-esteem (for some teenagers)
Exposure to too much targeted advertising and marketing
Data breaches, like having their data sold on to other organisations
Possibility of developing addiction to social media

Most Popular Apps for Young People

Below are the most popular sites that young people use and how they work:

Facebook

A free site where registered users can share pictures, links, videos, and other content with their 'friends'. Friends are other registered users you have connected with within the network. Most of the time, anything you share will only be seen by the people you have 'friended'. Facebook changes it's privacy settings regularly so it's important to stay up-to-date with their settings and policies.

Age Requirement: 13+ years

Instagram

A free image sharing service that is used mainly on mobile devices. On Instagram, it's common to connect with people you don't know but share common interests with. You can have a public account or a private account where only friends can see your posts. Instagram also has their own privacy settings to stay up-to-date with.

Age Requirement: 13+ years

Snapchat

A mobile phone messaging application that allows you to send video or picture messages to one or more people at a time. The messages are only viewable for a few seconds at a time, as determined by the sender. However, there are ways of saving the images using other phone functions.

Age Requirement: 13+ years

Tik Tok

A free video sharing platform where users can shoot, edit and share short videos. Like other social media apps, users can follow, like and comment on everything they see. The bulk of TikTok users are 24 and younger.

Age Requirements:

Under 13 years:	Can only watch videos
13 – 15 years:	Accounts are ‘private’ by default. Can create and share videos, but only friends can see/comment on them.
16-17 years:	Accounts can be ‘public’. They can live stream & send direct messages, however, are unable to buy, send or receive digital gifts
18+ years:	Full access.

Tumblr

A blogging website where people can publish their own articles and share it with people who follow their blog or profile. They also view the content of people they follow. On Tumblr, it is more common to connect with people you don't know in real life than people you do.

Age Requirement: 13+ years

WhatsApp

WhatsApp and messaging applications let you contact friends using internet data (or wifi) instead of your mobile carrier, which reduces the cost of messaging. It can be used without a sim card if connected to a wifi network. It is popular because it allows you to send messages to a group of friends at one time.

Age Requirement: 16+ years

For further information on Social Media apps and access, please click on the below links:

esafety:

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/skills-advice/are-they-old-enough

Reach Out:

https://parents.au.reachout.com/skills-to-build/wellbeing/social-media-and-teenagers

Raising Children:

https://raisingchildren.net.au/teens/entertainment-technology/digital-life/social-media#social-media-benefits-nav-title

Emily Flanigan - Social Worker

Liz Smith - Student Counsellor

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