PARENTS AND THE WORLD OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Many parents take the social media habits of their kids lightly, the same way they regard the videogame playing of the kids. They think it’s simply childish pastime, and the kids will eventually outgrow the habits. Unfortunately, it’s not as innocuous as it seems.

The risks associated with the internet become a concern once again now that school is back. In between home and school, the kids are mostly left on their own, with no responsible adults to watch over their activities. A watchful adult, though, is not a guarantee of the kids’ online safety. It’s a fact that many adults are not quite familiar with the possible repercussions of certain online activities, theirs and the kids’.

For example, what’s so risky about posting smiling, finger-painting photos of kids on social media? “Surprisingly, a lot,” says Stephanie Smith at www. rd.com. Smith lists certain things that parents shall not to post to keep their kids safe:

The family’s location. It might just be a picture of the child saying “cheese” in front of their home, but posting photos of their private property can make privileged information public. Street signs, house numbers, and apartment addresses might seem like harmless background scenery, but once that picture is posted online, it could get around, making the child vulnerable to identity theft, digital kidnapping, where strangers lift the images and pretend the children are their own – or even actual kidnapping.

Personal identifiers. The kid is holding up a hand-written sign on her birthday that says, “I’m 6 today,” in adorable letters. It seems no big deal. But, actually, giving away information such as the child’s birth date or place of birth and full name isn’t ideal, as those identifiers are used to reference many private accounts. Parents might think that a welltaken passport photo really captures their kid’s smile and baby curls, or be so filled with exuberance that their son just passed the road test that they snap a congratulatory photo of his driver’s license. Before posting it on social media, parents shall think of the information they’re giving away.

Any state of undress. Babies splashing around during bath time are definitely adorable, but posting photos of children in any state of undress – even a teeny bikini – isn’t smart. These photos could fall into the wrong hands and be accessible to online predators. Kids are entitled to protection not only from physical harm but intangible harm as well, says an expert. Posting photos of other people’s kids without their permission shall also be avoided – because it’s not proper and is actually illegal in some areas.

Vulnerability and embarrassing moments. Posting a photo of one’s sick child might garner comments and compassion on social media, but the parent shall consider how it could affect her child. What’s considered as a moment to cherish – and posted – might be embarrassing to the child. Before they snap, parents shall consider the question: “Would the kids want to see this photo of themselves online in the future?” Same goes for “milestones” like using the potty for the first time, getting her period, or having a first kiss.

Acting out. The “cute” tantrum that the child is throwing – or the bumper one’s teen ripped off the car last night – might seem sort of comical at the time, but documenting poor behavior could come back to haunt the child down the line. While parents may have the right to share their kids’ photos, it’s important to consider the autonomy of the children and allow them to create their own digital footprint.

Behavioral struggles. Social media isn’t for child shaming. Whether it’s an issue of wetting the bed or trouble learning to read, taking a photo and captioning it in a way that highlights the child’s difficulties can be problematic. Exposing their weakness could open the door to teasing and bullying – and introduce labels that could stick. The family, including the kids, better discuss what should or shouldn’t be shared.

Poor grades. Shaming the child online by posting that report card “F” is not smart. While it’s understandable to reach out and ask for help, social media is not the place to do it. Not only will parents be crowdsourcing advice – much of which might not be sound and is better reserved for a parent-teacher conference – but it could potentially come back to hurt the child. Roughly a fifth of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates. More importantly, nearly 59 percent say they would be influenced by a candidate’s online presence. Parents should not start their child off in the red.