Social Networking and Popular Apps
Social Networking and Young People
Young people’s use of the internet has increased dramatically in recent years, with 96% of 9-16 year olds using the internet daily. Young people use the internet for a wide range of purposes, from completing school work, communicating with friends to watching videos and playing games.
Social networking sites have played a huge part in changing the way young people interact with others and they use them as a platform to learn, share views and demonstrate their creativity.
However, they could also be vulnerable to many risks and it exposes them to experiences which they may find upsetting such as:
- Bullying online (cyberbullying)
- Sharing too much information
- Vulnerability to predatory adults
- Sharing videos or photographs that they later regret
- Exposure to age-innapproprite material
- Risk of identify theft
In a recent survey by the NSPCC, they found out that 28% of 11-16 year olds had experienced upsetting encounters on social media sites:
- 37% being targeted by trolls
- 22% being excluded from social groups/friends
- 18% recieving aggressive or violent language
- 14% pressured into looking a certain way
- 12% cyberstalking
- 12% receiving unwanted sexual messages
- 10% experiencing racism
- 7% experiencing homophobia
- 3% encouraged to self harm
General Advice
Young people maybe experts on using the internet, but they still need guidance and protection. To help keep them safe on social networks, make sure you continue talking about what they are doing online:
- Discuss and agree your expectations before they use any site, app or feature that allows them to communicate.
- Check the minimum age requirements.
- Talk to them about the dangers of oversharing information about themselves that they may regret – teach them to Think Before You Post.
- Encourage them to check the policies and privacy settings on any sites and apps they use.
- Remind them that the same rules apply online as they do at home or school – they shouldn’t post anything they wouldn’t say face-to-face.
- Check that your child knows how to block and report contacts.
- Discuss the use of parental controls.
Popular apps
With the proliferation of tablets and all the benefits they bring, children can potentially become exposed to apps that bring with them a degree of risk due to social networks. Many are clearly labelled as inappropriate for young people, but some that are can carry dangers: parents need to have a clear view of what apps are installed on their children’s devices, especially as some of the more risky such as Facebook often come pre-installed.
Here is a list of some apps that contain degrees of social networking and a short description with relevant information regarding safeguarding.
We feel it is important to point out to parents the risks of underage use of such sites, so you can make an informed decision as to whether to allow your child to have a profile once they reach the age of 13.
Tik Tok
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TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to express themselves through dancing, lip-synching, comedy sketches, makeup tutorials, and by telling stories about their lives in short videos that can be shared with others in the TikTok community. Videos are between 15 seconds and three minutes long. There are also a range of TikTok Influencers who create videos which get viewed millions of times. Age requirementsTo sign up for TikTok, you must verify that your age is over 13. Safety adviceTikTok’s safety centre has advice and guides on the content that is and isn’t allowed on the app. They also provide information on the tools and controls that users can utilise to manage their experience within the app. |
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Instagram is a photo and video sharing app that is popular with teens. People on Instagram can connect with one another through comments, captions, reels, stories and hashtags on photos and videos. Young people use Instagram as a way to engage with their friends, share pictures and videos of their lives or things they like doing, and as a way to share their creativity in stories. Age requirementAnyone 13 and older can create an Instagram account by registering an email address and selecting a username. Safety tools and adviceInstagram’s Safety Centre has advice about what’s okay and not okay on the site, as well as advice about the safety features available. This includes the Safety Tools section which provides more information about the safety and security essentials. |
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Facebook is a social network that is popular globally with over a billion users. It has a range of safety features and advice, including advice about how to deal with concerns and how to protect your privacy. People use Facebook to connect with friends or family, to see and share updates and posts, and to follow brands, celebrities and influencers they like. Age requirementTo be eligible to sign up for Facebook, you must be at least 13 years old. Safety tools and adviceInstagram’s Safety Centre has advice about what’s okay and not okay on the site, as well as advice about the safety features available. Safety Centre (facebook.com) |
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WhatsApp is a free mobile messaging app which allows users to send and receive messages, images and videos to their existing phone contacts, using an internet connection. WhatsApp users can create groups and send messages to lots of their friends at the same time. WhatsApp is end-to-end encrypted meaning that only the sender and recipient can see the contents of a message. Age requirementsTo be eligible to sign up for this service, you must be at least 16 years of age. Safety adviceWhatsApp's safety centre has advice and guides on the content that is and isn’t allowed on the app. |
You Tube |
YouTube is a video-sharing website that is owned by Google. There are a range of safety features such as reporting tools and restricting access to inappropriate content in Safety Mode. Age requirementsIn order to create a YouTube account, you must be at least 13 years old. It is possible to watch videos without registering an account, but you would not be able to post your own videos. Safety adviceYouTube's safety centre has advice and guides on the content that is and isn’t allowed on the app. They also provide information on the tools and controls that users can utilise to manage their experience within the app. |
Snapchat
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Snapchat is a messaging app that is popular with teenagers which allows them to share user-generated photos, texts and videos which only last on screen for a matter of seconds, these are called ‘snaps’. Once a snap is sent to someone else, it can last on the screen of the receiver for between 1 and 30 seconds before disappearing. Users can also add images or videos to their story for their followers to see for 24 hours. Age requirementsTo be eligible to sign up, you must be at least 13 years old. Safety adviceSnapchat’s safety centre has advice and guides on the content that is and isn’t allowed on the app. They also provide information on the tools and controls that users can utilise to manage their experience within the app. |
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Twitter is a social media platform that allows users to communicate in short messages called tweets. Many people use Twitter for news, as well as to follow their friends, favourite celebrities or brands. Age requirements:To sign up for Twitter, you must verify that your age is over 13. Safety adviceTwitters safety centre has advice and guides on things such as spam, fake accounts, sensitive content and abuse. |
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Livestreaming
Livestreaming is when an individual or a group of people broadcast themselves or others to an audience online in real-time. Many social media platforms offer a livestreaming feature that is available to anyone but often used by gamers, celebrities or influencers to communicate with a chosen audience. Livestreaming can be an enjoyable way to share content with followers but can also present risks around privacy and coercion as well as potential harm towards those watching.
If a young person likes to watch livestreamed content, there is a risk of being exposed to harmful online content. This can be from the streamer themselves or comments from the audience watching. Discuss how to report content as well as how to use privacy settings to help with setting some boundaries. Most online platforms will have a reporting procedure but for further support, if the content is legal but harmful, make sure to use Report Harmful Content.