As parents, we do everything to protect our kids—from choosing the right schools to ensuring they eat healthy meals. But with the rise of social media and other online websites, it’s also crucial to ensure the digital wellness and safety of our children. The latest Online Safety Assessment Report from the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) reveals that while social media platforms have safety measures in place, they are still falling short, especially when it comes to protecting children.
What Every Parent Needs to Know About Online Safety
IMDA evaluated six major social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and HardwareZone to see how well they protect users, particularly children.
While these platforms have community guidelines and content moderation in place, many still expose kids to harmful content and fail to act quickly on user reports.
1. Social Media Platforms Aren’t Doing Enough for Kids
Despite having child-friendly policies, some platforms are not enforcing them effectively. The report found that:
- Facebook and YouTube allowed children’s accounts to access content that should have been restricted.
- X (formerly Twitter) failed to prevent children from easily accessing explicit adult content.
- HardwareZone lacks proper restrictions for child users altogether.
As parents, we trust these platforms to be safe, but these findings suggest we need to take extra precautions.
2. Reporting Harmful Content? Don’t Expect Quick Action
The report also found that social media companies are slow to respond when users report harmful content. On most platforms, action was taken on only 50% or fewer of the reports, and even when they did act, it often took more than five days.
For parents, this means that if your child comes across inappropriate content, there’s no guarantee that the platform will remove it quickly—or at all.
How Parents Can Keep Their Kids Safe Online
With these findings in mind, here’s what you can do to protect your child:
- Don’t Promote Social Media – As much as possible, don’t introduce your child to using social media, especially when not needed for school. And if they’re already exposed to it, it would be best to set some ground rules.
- Use Parental Controls – Platforms like YouTube and TikTok have parental control settings. Make sure they’re turned on.
- Monitor Screen Time – Limit how much time your child spends on social media and know what they’re watching.
- Talk to Your Kids About Online Safety – Have open conversations about what they might encounter online and how to handle it.
- Report Inappropriate Content – Even if platforms are slow to act, reporting is still crucial.
- Stay Updated – Follow organizations like IMDA for the latest updates on online safety measures.
What’s Next? The Government’s Next Steps
IMDA is now looking into stronger age verification tools to prevent young users from accessing inappropriate content. In the next annual report, social media platforms will need to show improvements.
Until then, stay vigilant. Social media can be a great tool for learning and entertainment, but only if we ensure our kids are using it safely.
For more details, check out IMDA’s full report here.
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