{"id":64873,"date":"2024-07-02T10:00:11","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T10:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qustodio.com\/?p=64873"},"modified":"2025-09-23T07:47:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T07:47:29","slug":"following-your-child-on-social-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qustodio.com\/en\/blog\/following-your-child-on-social-media\/","title":{"rendered":"Should parents follow their kids on social media?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Of all the topics parents have raised over the years in my practice, social media and kids is certainly in the top 10 – and for good reason. <\/span>95% of teens<\/b><\/a> ages 13-17 are on at least one social media platform, with over 1 in 3 reporting they use these platforms \u201calmost constantly\u201d<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Parents have increasingly observed worse mood, behavior, anxiety, and more with their kids as social media use has become more common. Then we have the scientific researchers who have been raising alarm bells about kids and social media use for the past decade, with <\/span>recent studies showing<\/span><\/a> serious concerns about the negative impact of social media use on child and teen mental health and functioning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Should children be on social media?<\/b><\/h2>\n

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Now today, as I am writing this, the Surgeon General of the United States is <\/span>demanding that a warning notice be placed on social media apps<\/span><\/a> about the danger these platforms pose to child mental health. Similar to what the US government has done previously with alcohol and cigarettes, he believes the evidence has reached a tipping point where <\/span>parents need to be visually warned about the dangers that the use of these platforms pose to their kids<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All of this begs the question of whether our children and teens (and perhaps any of us) should be on social media in the first place. However, given that many kids are currently on these platforms, and that older teens can benefit from \u201cpractice\u201d with managing social media use with parental guidance prior to leaving their parents\u2019 home, <\/span>it seems very relevant to provide guidance to parents on how best to manage social media with kids<\/b>. Here I will specifically address the issue of whether parents should follow their kids on social media apps.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The question involves many layers, including considerations of well-being, privacy, trust, and safety. In this article, we\u2019ll explore why parents need to be aware of their kids’ social media activities, what to do if your child is secretive about their social media use, the pros and cons of following them, the best practices for monitoring, and how parents can set a positive example with their own social media usage.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Why parents need to be aware of what their kids are doing on social media<\/b><\/h2>\n

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While many parents may think of social media as a way for their kids to stay connected to friends and up on the most recent trends, there is a serious dark side to be aware of. Social media exposes kids to potential risks such as <\/span>cyberbullying<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>inappropriate (even dangerous) content<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>online predators<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond these safety concerns, there are major mental health and overall wellness issues to consider. <\/span>Research shows the significant negative impact<\/b><\/a> social media use has <\/b>(especially for longer periods of time daily)<\/span> on kids\u2019 focus, sleep, social relationships, self-esteem, body image and eating behaviors, anxiety, mood, overall behavior, and more. <\/b>You can select virtually any area of child mental health and find a study showing at some degree of negative impact related to social media use.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Given this, it makes sense for parents to take responsibility not only for making an informed choice about allowing their children access to these platforms, but for supporting healthier social media use and habit development.<\/span><\/p>\n

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I think my child is on social media, but they don\u2019t want me to know about it<\/b><\/h2>\n

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Whether a child is on social media or not is a decision for parents to make<\/b>, despite what kids want to believe. You need to take into account all the things you know about your child, and make a decision about when and how they are able to access these platforms on their devices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, children\u2019s natural curiosity (and the normal drive to sometimes test or break the rules) means <\/span>parents need to have extra layers of protection in place to ensure kids can\u2019t access apps and content<\/b> you\u2019ve determined are inappropriate. This should involve utilizing parental control options on the devices themselves, as well as installing and consistently monitoring an external <\/span>parental control <\/span><\/a>tool<\/span> like Qustodio. These tools are your partner in helping ensure your children aren\u2019t able to access things until you\u2019ve determined they\u2019re ready.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If a child has installed and is using social media on their device without your permission, know that <\/span>it\u2019s common for teens especially to seek privacy and autonomy<\/b>. This extends to their online lives. It\u2019s important for you to <\/span>approach the situation with sensitivity<\/b>. Start by having an open and honest conversation about your concerns and the reasons behind them:<\/span><\/p>\n

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