{"id":9072,"date":"2023-04-26T13:04:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T13:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/?p=9072"},"modified":"2023-04-28T16:20:15","modified_gmt":"2023-04-28T16:20:15","slug":"the-parents-guide-to-teaching-your-teen-online-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/parents\/the-parents-guide-to-teaching-your-teen-online-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"The parents&#8217; guide to teaching your teen online safety"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Online safety is near the top of the worry list for most parents today. More teens than ever are using social media channels on the daily, and they&#8217;re doing everything from learning to socialising, gaming to shopping. For teens, learning how to spot the risks and keep safe online is a life skill that will be helpful for years to come.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first step to keeping teens safe is to be aware of how your child is using social media. Rather than banning screens altogether \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/education-29550335\">research<\/a> has shown that confiscating teens&#8217; phones is futile \u2013 try to engage with their world as much as possible. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here, we&#8217;ve pulled together the top social media platforms, with the relevant online safety advice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"apps\">The most popular social media platforms for teens right now<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#1\"><strong>Instagram<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#2\"><strong>TikTok<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#3\"><strong>YouTube<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#4\"><strong>Snapchat<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#6\"><strong>Whatsapp<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#7\"><strong>Multiplayer video games<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/7. BeReal\" data-wplink-url-error=\"true\">BeReal<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 id=\"1\">1. Instagram<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instagram is one of the most popular apps with teens today. You might even use it yourself. But if you don\u2019t, it\u2019s an app where you can post images and videos to share with your followers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have the choice of having a private or a public account. With a public account, you can get your posts in front of more users by adding hashtags in your captions (i.e. #makeuptutorial).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_9076\" style=\"width: 421px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9076\" class=\"wp-image-9076 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/instagram.jpg\" alt=\"instagram-online-safety\" width=\"411\" height=\"289\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/instagram.jpg 968w, https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/instagram-768x540.jpg 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 411px) 100vw, 411px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 411px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 411\/289;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9076\" class=\"wp-image-9076\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/instagram.jpg\" alt=\"instagram-online-safety\" width=\"411\" height=\"289\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/instagram.jpg 968w, https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/instagram-768x540.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 411px) 100vw, 411px\" \/><\/noscript><p id=\"caption-attachment-9076\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Instagram has 2.35 billion active monthly users<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p><b>Pros:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It\u2019s a great way for your teen to discover inspiring ideas and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mytutor\/?hl=en\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">helpful content<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Users can report inappropriate comments, and offending users can have their accounts deactivated by Instagram. They have a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/about.instagram.com\/community\/parents\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">guide for parents of teens<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> here.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Cons:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The many Instagram filters mean it&#8217;s easy for people to promote unrealistic ideas of what\u2019s real or normal \u2013 especially when it comes to body image. Instagram has been criticised for not protecting young people from harmful content, which is an ongoing issue that they&#8217;re working on improving. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"2\">2. TikTok<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TikTok has exploded in popularity over the last year especially \u2013 it now has over 1.6 billion users. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might think of it as a bite-size version of YouTube. In a nutshell, it\u2019s a place where you can share or view videos which can be as short as five seconds. Read our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/parents\/the-parents-guide-to-tiktok\/\">parent&#8217;s guide to TikTok here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Pros:<\/strong> It\u2019s a fun way for teens to be creative and they can also use it as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@mytutoruk?lang=en\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a learning tool<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The platform is moderated, and users can report inappropriate or harmful content. It&#8217;s also a great way for your teen to tap into more niche communities, depending on their hobbies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Cons:<\/strong> In terms of online safety, TikTok can serve inappropriate content. Though users who are under 18 shouldn\u2019t be shown videos that include adult topics, they may still be exposed to videos that include explicit songs. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kids (and adults) are also able to comment freely, and unkind or rude comments can be shared on others&#8217; or their own content.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_12218\" style=\"width: 530px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12218\" class=\"wp-image-12218 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-24-at-17.03.18-520x306.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"306\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 520px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 520\/306;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12218\" class=\"wp-image-12218 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-24-at-17.03.18-520x306.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"306\" \/><\/noscript><p id=\"caption-attachment-12218\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@mytutoruk?lang=en\">MyTutor TikTok<\/a> account helps teens learn and feel their best<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"3\">3. YouTube<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll know about YouTube, the video-sharing site. Make-up tutorial videos, video game demos, singing and music videos are all hugely popular on the platform. Some users who have thousands of followers, including children and teens, get paid \u2013 sometimes enough to live on \u2013 by companies for creating branded content or reviewing their products.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_12219\" style=\"width: 530px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12219\" class=\"wp-image-12219 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-24-at-17.12.22-520x360.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"360\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 520px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 520\/360;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12219\" class=\"wp-image-12219 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-24-at-17.12.22-520x360.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"360\" \/><\/noscript><p id=\"caption-attachment-12219\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>YouTube live events, like with MyTutor Squad group tutorials can help teens keep on top of their studies<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p><b>Pros:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It&#8217;s a great source of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/MyTutorWebCoUk\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">free educational <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and entertaining videos. YouTube has better <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/intl\/ALL_uk\/howyoutubeworks\/our-commitments\/fostering-child-safety\/?utm_campaign=1008960&amp;utm_source=paidsearch&amp;yt_product=ytgen&amp;yt_goal=eng&amp;utm_medium=googlesearch&amp;utm_content=txt&amp;yt_campaign_id=hyw&amp;yt_creative_id=&amp;utm_keyword=youtube%20child%20safety%20policies&amp;utm_matchtype=e&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw5P2aBhAlEiwAAdY7dOVgCQHB__7N6kDIY83_A577G4b01psvH15CNTCH9_p-gvsraDw78hoC1akQAvD_BwE\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">child protection rules<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than many other sites, with great content filtering tools. Teens can also interact with video creators and others through YouTube live events. MyTutor Squads offer <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pages.mytutor.co.uk\/mytutor-squads\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">free group tutorials <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this way to students all across the UK.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Cons:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Similar to Instagram, influencers can encourage an unrealistic view of what\u2019s normal. I<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">f your child isn&#8217;t logged in, it&#8217;s possible for them to stumble across inappropriate content, too.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"4\">4. Snapchat<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Snapchat is now declining in popularity, with around 180 million users. The app lets you take a photo or short video \u2013 with the option of face-recognition filters \u2013 to send to your friends. The video\/photo then deletes itself straight after being viewed.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_9080\" style=\"width: 447px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9080\" class=\"wp-image-9080 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/screen-shot-2019-02-01-at-95256-pm-w1000-o.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"437\" height=\"364\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/screen-shot-2019-02-01-at-95256-pm-w1000-o.png 1000w, https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/screen-shot-2019-02-01-at-95256-pm-w1000-o-768x640.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 437px) 100vw, 437px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 437px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 437\/364;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9080\" class=\" wp-image-9080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/screen-shot-2019-02-01-at-95256-pm-w1000-o.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"437\" height=\"364\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/screen-shot-2019-02-01-at-95256-pm-w1000-o.png 1000w, https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/screen-shot-2019-02-01-at-95256-pm-w1000-o-768x640.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 437px) 100vw, 437px\" \/><\/noscript><p id=\"caption-attachment-9080\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Snapchat has lots of face-recognition filters that let you send funny selfies<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Pros:<\/strong> It makes video and picture sharing easy and means content doesn\u2019t fill up the memory on your phone. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s also a fun way to connect with friends.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Cons:<\/strong> If users send content that&#8217;s inappropriate or offensive, it can delete itself before the recipient gets the chance to report it.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"6\">5. Whatsapp<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll probably have this on your phone too. Used by billions across the world, it\u2019s one of the most popular ways to instant message \u2013 both one-to-one and in groups. You need someone\u2019s phone number or email address to be able to message them, and messages are &#8216;end-to-end encrypted&#8217;, which means they\u2019re (basically) unhackable.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_9082\" style=\"width: 477px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9082\" class=\"wp-image-9082 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/whatsapp-is-whatsapp-encrypted-are-whatsapp-messages-private-safe-1154692.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"467\" height=\"277\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 467px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 467\/277;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9082\" class=\" wp-image-9082\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/whatsapp-is-whatsapp-encrypted-are-whatsapp-messages-private-safe-1154692.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"467\" height=\"277\" \/><\/noscript><p id=\"caption-attachment-9082\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Whatsapp is now a household name and most people&#8217;s instant messaging app of choice<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p><b>Pros: <\/b>Whatsapp m<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">akes messaging quick and easy. It\u2019s an easy way to stay in touch with friends and family, and for friendship groups to message each other. Users can adjust their privacy settings to protect themselves \u2013 see this guide for more on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.internetmatters.org\/parental-controls\/social-media\/whatsapp\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whatsapp privacy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Cons:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It can be addictive, especially if your teen is in any active group chats. Depending on your teen&#8217;s privacy settings, Whatsapp can share when they were &#8216;last active&#8217; and their location with others \u2013 check out the privacy guide to adjust this.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"7\">6. Multiplayer video games like XBox, Playstation, Minecraft, Fortnite.<\/h3>\n<p>Popular with lots of teens and adults, video games that are linked to the internet let you play with people from anywhere else in the world.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_9083\" style=\"width: 469px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9083\" class=\"wp-image-9083 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/FortniteBattleRoyale.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"459\" height=\"258\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/FortniteBattleRoyale.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/FortniteBattleRoyale-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 459px) 100vw, 459px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 459px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 459\/258;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9083\" class=\" wp-image-9083\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/FortniteBattleRoyale.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"459\" height=\"258\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/FortniteBattleRoyale.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/FortniteBattleRoyale-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 459px) 100vw, 459px\" \/><\/noscript><p id=\"caption-attachment-9083\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Fortnite is one of the most popular multi-player games at the moment<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Pros:<\/strong> State-of-the-art gaming is really fun, and it can also be creative and educational. Instant message and audio chat options mean players can easily talk to each other while playing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Cons:<\/strong> It\u2019s possible to play with and chat to complete strangers, so online safety can be compromised.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>7. BeReal<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though BeReal only launched in 2020, it\u2019s growing fast in popularity \u2013 with over 10.4 million monthly users. The app sends users notifications at random times of the day. Once you get the notification, you have two minutes to post a photo. Ther<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e are no filters in the app. The idea is that you\u2019re being \u2018real\u2019, versus sharing a filtered version of yourself and your day. The pictures are shared with friends (though you can also share them publicly too) and disappear after 24 hours.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_12220\" style=\"width: 530px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12220\" class=\"wp-image-12220 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/BeReal-screenshot-App-Store-520x360.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"360\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 520px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 520\/360;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12220\" class=\"wp-image-12220 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/BeReal-screenshot-App-Store-520x360.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"360\" \/><\/noscript><p id=\"caption-attachment-12220\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>BeReal has around 10 million monthly active subscribers<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p><b>Pros:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The app can promote positive body image and a more realistic view of life since there are no filters.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Cons: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inappropriate pictures can be sent to your teen, either from their friends or total strangers (if they\u2019ve got their setting on \u2018public\u2019). BeReal also shares user location. This combined with the two-minute posting window means that your teen can easily be tracked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>7. Twitch<\/h3>\n<p>If your teen loves video games, chances are they&#8217;re into Twitch \u2013 the latest videogame-streaming platform. It&#8217;s a fun, social way to watch other people play games \u2013 you can do this through the Twitch app and online at Twitch.tv. Gamers broadcast their matches and can also share a running commentary. Skilled players with big personalities draw the biggest audiences, like Twitch influencers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pros:\u00a0<\/strong>It&#8217;s free to download and watch. It&#8217;s a way of making gaming more social, with lots of content including charity fundraising streams, e-sports tournaments, and game awards shows.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cons:\u00a0<\/strong>Users can come across inappropriate content as there&#8217;s no way to moderate live streams \u2013 they happen in real-time. Content can only be reported and removed after it&#8217;s been posted or broadcast. Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nspcc.org.uk\/keeping-children-safe\/online-safety\/online-safety-blog\/is-twitch-safe-for-children\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"risks\">Online safety risks for teens, and how to protect them<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#information\">Sharing personal information<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#socialising\">Teens socialising online \u2013 staying safe online and avoiding cyberbullying<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#content\">Harmful content<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a style=\"font-size: inherit;\" href=\"#influencers\">What are influencers and why are teens so obsessed with them?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#bodyimage\">Body image and mental health for teens online <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 id=\"information\">1. Sharing personal information<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whatever platform your child is on, they should know to never to share personal information about themselves publicly. That includes their whole name, address, phone number, email address, bank account details and what school they go to.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any accounts they have on post-sharing sites or apps (like Instagram and TikTok) should be set to private, so that only people they know can see what they share.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A good rule of thumb is to never share anything online that they wouldn\u2019t be happy to publish on the front page of a newspaper.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"socialising\">2. Socialising online \u2013 staying safe and avoiding cyberbullying<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to communicating with people online, the first rule should be to speak in the same way that they would to someone face-to-face. That includes both what they say to others, and how they let themselves be treated too.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remind them that any strangers they do communicate with online could not be who they say they are. You don\u2019t want to scare them, but share a few examples from the news of stories where things have gone wrong so that they know the risks that are out there.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They should not meet up in person with anyone they\u2019ve met online. In some cases where your teen has been having video calls with another teen who shares a common interest, you should be present if they ever want to meet in real life.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have regular chats together so that they feel comfortable sharing their problems with you. Usually kids who are bullied online are also bullied at school. So help them feel like they\u2019ve got a safe space where they can talk.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"content\">3. Harmful content<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The internet is full of stuff that teens and children shouldn\u2019t see. From fake news, to images that promote a negative body image, to pornography \u2013 it\u2019s no wonder that parents worry. While you can control what they see at home to an extent with the settings on your wifi account, it\u2019s still easy for them to come across harmful content. The best way is to educate them on how to tackle the dangers themselves:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encourage them to take a critical approach with any information they see or read online. Where is it published? What is the expertise of the author? What is the motive of the author, or publisher? Let them know that sources will have their own agendas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Show them how to report content and comments they find offensive, and how to block and report inappropriate or abusive users.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remind them that they should come and talk to you if anything does upset them, or if they\u2019re not sure how to respond to something, so you can work out what to do together.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"influencers\">4. What are influencers and why are teens so obsessed with them?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s a word that\u2019s become a job title in the past few years. In a recent survey, more kids in the UK said they wanted to be influencers than doctors! An influencer is someone with an account on an online platform who has thousands or even millions of followers. They usually recommend products to buy (often with sponsorship from the company) and promote their lifestyle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ask your teen what influencers they pay attention to, and about the sort of content they share. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/parents\/mytutor-for-parents\/how-to-support-your-teens-mental-health-through-the-spring-term\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Talking to your teen openly<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> about how they\u2019re using the web like this is a great chance to help them understand what\u2019s healthy and what might be having a negative impact.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"bodyimage\">5. Teen body image and mental health online<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A big problem for teens online is content that encourages negative body image. With all the filters and airbrushing apps, teens can have a distorted picture of reality. Most famously for girls but for boys too, influencers can push lifestyles that aren\u2019t actually healthy. They might post pictures of what they eat, and details about dieting. This can all affect your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/parents\/how-to-support-your-teens-mental-health-through-the-spring-term\/\">teen\u2019s mental health<\/a>, and give them a warped idea of what\u2019s normal and healthy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ask your teen about the sorts of images they\u2019re seeing online, and how they make them feel. Even if they\u2019re not totally open about their feelings, it\u2019s important to tell them how people are not always honest about their real lifestyle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reinforcing positive messages and habits at home can help to override any negative stuff they\u2019ve been seeing on the internet. You can also encourage screen breaks \u2013 and plan fun activities together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s tough as a parent to navigate the online world that\u2019s always changing. But staying up-to-date about online safety and what the risks are, and chatting openly with your child about them, is definitely a good place to start.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Further reading and resources on online safety:<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>From Anti-Bullying-Alliance<\/strong>&#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk\/tools-information\/advice-and-support\/if-youre-being-bullied\/find-help-and-support\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Find help and support: report cyberbullying<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>From the Government<\/strong> &#8211;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/child-safety-online-a-practical-guide-for-parents-and-carers\/child-safety-online-a-practical-guide-for-parents-and-carers-whose-children-are-using-social-media\">Child Online Safety &#8211; a practical guide for parents and carers whose children are using social media<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>From NSPCC<\/strong> (the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) &#8211;\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nspcc.org.uk\/preventing-abuse\/keeping-children-safe\/online-safety\/\">A Guide to Keeping Online Safety for Children<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>From MyTutor<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/parents\/the-screen-time-diet-helping-your-teen-find-the-balance-with-tech\/\">The Screen Time Diet: helping your teen find the balance with tech<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Online safety is near the top of the worry list for most parents today. More teens than ever are using social media channels on the daily, and they&#8217;re doing everything from learning to socialising, gaming to shopping. For teens, learning&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10926,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[108,788],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The parents&#039; guide to teaching your teen online safety | MyTutor<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From Instagram to TikTok \u2013 here&#039;s our guide to online safety to help your teen recognise the risks and stay protected\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/parents\/the-parents-guide-to-teaching-your-teen-online-safety\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" 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