3. Suggestions for keeping your child safe
Check age requirements and content suitability
Explore microblogging apps your child shows interest in. You should become familiar with the apps’ minimum age requirements, range of content and interactions. Assess whether the apps are suitable for your child and their stage of development.
Foster digital literacy skills
Help your child develop critical thinking and digital literacy skills. Help them to analyse what they see online and to identify content that could be intended to:
- misinform users
- guide users into radical thinking
These skills will also help your child consider the impact of their own posts and to recognise unsafe online situations.
Handle negative experiences
Talk with your child about how they can handle online conflicts like bullying and offensive language. Ensure they know how to:
- respond to unwanted or negative attention
- block users
- report inappropriate and offensive posts
Encourage your child to talk to you if any online interactions escalate into bullying, harassment or grooming.
Understand digital footprints
Encourage your child to think about what they say in a post before sharing it online. Remind them that everything they post online contributes to a digital footprint, and that once it is shared, they may lose control of it. Encourage them to carefully consider whether their posts could be:
- interpreted as harmful
- misunderstood
- embarrassing for them later in their life
Learn about safety features together
Many microblogging platforms have built-in safety features. These range from reporting and blocking to more specialised family settings. Familiarise yourself with these settings and ensure your child knows how to use them.