13 Jul How to Stop Your Kid From Using Your Social Media Account

The internet is a dangerous place and social media sites only increase the risks for users double-fold. As addictive as these sites are for adults, the same can be said for teens and toddlers as well. Irrespective of whether your child owns a gadget, he/she will find means to get into these sites and that is a concern that parents must think about. 

In today’s age, cyberbullying, cyber predators or offensive content are not the only concern for parents. If you remember, the “Blue Whale Challenge” had caused huge chaos for parents of teens all over the world. Imagine if such an app was designed for your toddler and you weren’t even aware of it? Isn’t it a scary thought. 

Nevertheless, the good news is that there are ways to keep them away and safe at least until they are at a more understanding age. Here are 5 ways to help parents to stop their child from using their social media accounts on their phones, tablets, or computers. 

Do not Encourage Them

The best way to stop your kid from being curious about your social media accounts is to stop bragging about the photos and posts in front of your kids while keeping them a secret from them. When you act this way, you are feeding your child’s interest in the wrong direction and instead encouraging them to dig up the dirt from others. What you should do instead is sit with your kid and browse through your profile with them. This way when you talk about it in front of others, they will be least bothered about it. This will also inculcate the message that you trust them and are their real friends.

Set Passwords and Do Not Reveal Them

Every phone and computer has a screen lock facility and it’s best that parents make good use of this. Keeping your screens locked will ensure that your child does not use any of your gadgets without your permission. Ensure that you do not, even by accident, reveal the passwords to your kids or you will lose control over their activities. To prevent them from figuring out your password, keep changing it every now and then.

Install a Lock For all Apps

Since your kid is still in his/her pre-teens and is using your phone for playing a game or two, the best way to ensure that they do not go snooping around your social media profile is to lock it. There are numerous apps that can help you lock away other apps with a pattern or key. Doing this will ensure that your kid sticks to his/her business even when you are doing other things. Some of these apps are AppLock For Social Media, AppLock – Fingerprint, Lock My App, and Norton App Lock.

Set YouTube on Parental Control

The biggest challenge in social media websites is YouTube. The app is even more so popular with young ones because of the numerous videos stored in them from various sources. The scary part is that some of these videos encourage violence, self-harm, and even body negativity, something that will leave an impression on children’s minds for a long time. As toddlers, children might not know much about browsing through the videos but they will grow at some point. Hence, it’s necessary that you go into the settings and enable the restricted mode to keep the content child-safe.

Do Not Give Them a Personal Phone 

Children don’t understand the risks of being on social media. As technologically advanced as these young minds are, being on social media is a matter of achievement for them. Without proper guidance from parents, the entire affair can lead to a major catastrophe. So, it’s best to keep them away from having a personal phone until you know that they are responsible enough to handle their actions. Many parents today give their children a personal phone at a very young age so their child’s whereabouts can be tracked. But, there are simpler gadgets to do this like a GPS watch or mini device that are much safer for them too. 

Children are innocent souls who discover something new every other day at their own pace. But, the world of social media can be a cruel place for them at a tender age and it could leave them scarred for life. The 5 tips above will ensure that your child remains safe and within your purview. If you are still in a rut about what you must do to stop their actions without being intrusive, try these tips today and become worry-free.