Know What Your Child Is Doing on Instagram/TikTok

Check to see if they have joined inappropriate chat groups, forums or created their own forums. Below are some Social Media Safety Tips:

• Learn about location sharing. If your child adds a location tag to their post, their followers will be able to see it, which can be a safety risk. It’s recommended that they don’t tag the location on their posts or add any location-related hashtags.
• Reset passwords regularly. Suggest your child reset their password every 6-8 weeks to increase security.
• Keep an eye on accounts. If your child thinks someone has been using their accounts without their permission, encourage them to change all their passwords. Remind them not to share their passwords and to keep their software and apps up to date to help keep their data secure.
• Make a list of information that is okay to share. Have a conversation about what they would share with friends (e.g. name, location, age), publicly (e.g. name but not location or age) and what should be kept off social media completely (e.g. full date of birth, home address).
• Talk about making friends online. If your teen has trouble making friends, online spaces like social media can help them find the support and mateship they need. Chat about what qualities they are looking for in friends and what information they share with them. You can also discuss how they can spot people who might bully online.