Convenient Internet access has made it inevitable for young children to be exposed to social media from the early days of their lives. As parents, we can still play a role in ensuring they remain responsible online.
But with hate comments and cyberbullying always posing a danger, how can we maintain social media safety for our children?
Being active on online media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and so on has brought us closer to not only our loved ones but people around the world. While it has brought convenience to our doorstep, it has also made it difficult to balance one’s mental wellbeing. This is especially true when we stumble upon online hate and trolling.
To shed more light on the importance of choosing kindness and compassion in our everyday interactions and combat online bullying, TikTok launched their global safety campaign: #CreateKindness.
To learn about the way TikTok is promoting the message of love and kindness online as well as helping parents ensure social media safety for their kids, theAsianparent reached out to Teresa Tan who is the Head of Public Policy at TikTok, Singapore and Southeast Asia.
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TikTok Features That Promote Social Media Safety For Parents And Their Kids
In order to promote cyber wellness and safety, TikTok introduced several tools for users and guardians. These features give them more control over their accounts and the content they see.
These include the following:
- Self-define comments
This allows users to self-define keywords they would like to filter from their comment section, empowering them to manage their online presence in a wise and safe way. - Screentime management
Users have more options to select from in terms of the time they spend online. They will be able to select if they want to spend 40, 60, 90, 120 minutes per day on the app. This feature is password-protected, if users reach their screen time limit they will need to enter a password to continue to use TikTok. - Restricted Mode
This is an account setting that will limit the appearance of content that may not be appropriate for all audiences. The feature is activated via password, which will be valid for 30 days. This tool, powered by AI, empowers users to take control of the content they watch. - For guardians, they have updated their Safety Center to include guides on bullying and harassment. These include:
○ Guardians Guide: Now offering more sophisticated and in-depth resources for families, caregivers, and teachers to support their families and teens on TikTok. Includes a deep dive into what TikTok is, how to get started, TikTok basics, Family Pairing overview, and more resources. - Bullying prevention
A renewed focus on providing resources for bullying prevention includes how to identify bullying, tools to combat bullying, and how to get help if you are a victim or bystander. - Encouraging digital literacy
○ Their Community Guidelines serves as a code of conduct to help people understand how to use the platform in a positive and appropriate way, and what not to post.
○ They have provided users with greater control allowing them to view and adjust the privacy control at any time, in terms of defining their public presence, commenting, direct messaging, and blocking users.
○ Furthermore, we partner with local digital safety organisations, such as Singapore’s Media Literacy Council on initiatives like #think4byoudo, to think before they post or comment on videos, ultimately, raising awareness on using the Internet responsibly, while inspiring others to do the same.
“On TikTok, we have a For Parents page within our Safety Center which offers more information and resources to assist parents in having an open dialogue with their teenagers about how to be responsible and safe in all online activities and helping them report any inappropriate behaviour,” shares Teresa.
They also have enhanced privacy and browsing options for families with their existing Family Pairing features.
This was launched with the aim to help parents guide their child’s online experience while also allowing time to educate them about online safety.
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Teaching Kids To Be Kind And Responsible Online
With their #CreateKindness campaign, Teresa says children will learn to be kind online.
“Cyberbullying and online harm often occur because of a lack of awareness on how to navigate the online space or having boundaries in place,” she explains.
“Safety is a shared responsibility and hence, it is critical to educate users on creating a safe and kind online space for all,” she says. Adding, “Keeping this in mind, we have launched a number of initiatives to teach youths on raising awareness and addressing the critical and latest challenges in online safety today.”
Apart from #CreativeKindness Conversations, their initiatives include #Youth for Good, ELEVATE and Singapore Wellness Hub.
- The Youth for Good initiative seeks to empower youths to raise awareness on mental and cyber wellness and create a peer support ecosystem on TikTok. This was organised by TikTok in partnership with MCCY, MOE and NYC.
- Meanwhile, ELEVATE is a programme that has partnered with over 40 local non-profit organisations to create educational TikTok videos on youth mental wellbeing and cyber wellness.
To make it easier and more convenient for their users to access mental health resources, TikTok also created Singapore Wellness Hub. This contains tips and information on all things wellness and self-care under four separate categories:
- Wellness Matters
Shares grounding techniques, from safe space visualisation; breathing exercises to body awareness techniques, by following step-by-step short-form videos created by non-profit partners — CARE Singapore, INSIGHT Care Corner, Limitless and TOUCH Community Services. - Weekly Dose of Wellness
Users are encouraged to ask any questions they have around mental health and wellness. These questions will then be addressed by local non-profit organisations and mental health professionals through short-form videos. - Stories
Space for users to draw strength from peers who have boldly shared their personal lived experiences and recovery journeys. - Support Helplines
Through the information provided here, users can reach out directly to various non-profit organisations who are also TikTok wellness content creators — be it crisis and suicide prevention hotline by Samaritans of Singapore, free online counselling or peer support programmes.
Teresa continues to explain that “when children understand what it means to exhibit responsible online behaviour, they will not only be equipped with the skills to make informed decisions on how to discern, analyse, and evaluate information found online but also be empowered to carve positive spaces for others to enjoy and thrive in.”
“All in all, teaching children to be kind and responsible online citizens can make a world of a difference in redefining their online experience for the better in the modern digital landscape,” she makes sure to add.
Image source: iStock
5 Tips On How Parents Can Ensure Social Media Safety For Their Kids
1. Having open conversations about using social media
“Having open and candid conversations about the digital space can help children better understand and rationalise their thoughts about what they encounter on the Internet,” says Teresa.
She also shares, “Moreover, it establishes a safe and reliable channel for children to tap into when they come across questionable content online. These conversations could delve into topics like how to avoid strangers online, how to refrain from revealing too much about oneself on the Internet, as well as what can be constituted as ‘red flags’ or ‘warning signs’; in the digital space.”
2. Be aware of available tools to ensure social media safety for your kids
“It is also important for parents to be aware of the available tools that can help ensure safer and healthier experiences online,” Teresa tells theAsianparent.
She admits that this does require some research on the parents’ end but many platforms are working to make this process more seamless for parents.
“With these at hand, parents can have healthy and comprehensive discussions with their children on what these in-app safety features entail as well as which ones they feel most comfortable with implementing or trying out,” she adds.
3. Encourage kids to reflect on the comments they make and receive in their posts
“The long-lasting impact that comments have on users can be weaved into meaningful discussions, wherein parents can encourage their children to reflect on the emotional remnants left behind by comments they received in the past or to put themselves in the shoes of creators who have to constantly deal with hateful comments,” advises Teresa.
She adds how this can also prompt children to think twice before they post a comment.
4. When encountering inappropriate behaviour online, give time to explain why it is not acceptable
Teresa suggests, “Having candid conversations about the encountered behaviour is important.”
“While parents instinctively want to shield their children away from such content – and understandably so – it is beneficial for parents to explain why such behaviours are inappropriate or dangerous so as to help children make sense of the situation at hand,” she elaborates.
Parents can also use available privacy controls such as restricting interactions with other users, making an account ‘private’ or removing followers. Whichever you think would best help to comfortable resolve the issue.
5. Spend time to cultivate your child’s digital literacy
“With the slew of content now available on the Internet, on top of the rapid pace of tech advancement, it is more effective for parents to spend time cultivating their children’s digital literacy such that they are empowered with the knowledge and resources to make well-informed decisions about the content they consume on their own no matter what age they’re at,” explains Teresa.
In conclusion, she says, “While it is certainly beneficial for parents to start cultivating their children’s digital literacy at a young age, conversations about their experiences online as well as evolving ‘red flags’; in the digital landscape is a continuous process and learning journey for both parties.
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