From reels to finstas: A guide to keeping your children safe on Instagram
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Loading... - sylvester Michael
- 14 Jun 2022
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Social media is one of the most defining characteristics of the 21st Century that has revolutionised the way the world works and has opened the door for near-universal exposure - which, as much as it has a good side, it also has a dark underbelly.
This presents a problem to parents who are rightfully cautious about what their child is being exposed to that they might not always be privy to such as cyber-bullying, negative influences and predatory behaviour.
So, what can you do to make sure your child is protected online? Here are a few tips from Dean McCoubrey, founder of social media education and training platform My Social Life.
- Watch out for 'finstas' Finsta accounts are alternative accounts people use that is not directly linked to their main accounts. Though finstas may provide some with an account they have more control over, it can also be used as a method for kids to hide their online profiles from watchful parents.
- Do some research Go on to Google and do some research on Instagram and how it works. Find out about the various tools Instagram uses such as Reels IGTV to see how they're used. You can also do research on how to block content you might not want your children to be exposed to, such as harmful comments, inappropriate posts and accounts and sketchy mentions. It's as easy as googling "Instagram plus parenting" or "Instagram parenting tips."
- Download a toolkit There are a number of useful toolkits and applications one can use to monitor their child's usage of Instagram such as FYI Play It Safe, which monitors screen-time as opposed to just user activity, so that if a finsta is used, the parent will still know what their impressionable bundle of joy is using the platform for. Read More…
