All moms keep worrying about their kids’ well-being and safety hence; they become quite hyper if their kids indulge in some sort of activity they have no idea about. Many moms do not have their own Instagram account and are, therefore, pretty clueless about this versatile and powerful social media platform. Many moms are not too active on social media platforms so they are quite skeptical about the role and the risks of such platforms. Let us discuss everything that moms would love to know about this phenomenally popular social networking site.
Reasons Why My Teens Love to Be on Instagram
Instagram is one of the most powerful and popular social media platforms across the world. 72 percent of the teenagers admit to using Instagram while 22% claim that they are in the habit of using Instagram the most. As a mom who is not so familiar with this amazing photo-sharing app, you could be wondering why kids love Instagram.
Teenagers love Instagram simply because all their friends and favorite people are on Instagram. They are happy to keep track of their favorite movie stars, sports personalities, writers, and other celebrities. They enjoy following the accounts that seem to align with their dreams, aspirations, and interests. They religiously maintain their profile that is an expression of their personality and helps to create their first impression and reflects their image to the world. Now businesses could get in touch with a reliable digital marketing company to buy 50 Instagram likes to boost their online presence.
Does Instagram Mean Trouble for My Kid?
Just like any other social networking site, Instagram could prove to be a major breeding ground for real trouble. Your child could be exposed to a tremendous amount of adult or mature content. Moreover, if your child is actively interacting on Instagram, he may experience peer pressure. Many children become obsessed with maintaining a perfect profile. They are scanning posts all the time and deleting the posts that are not up to the mark. They would be checking their feeds practically all day. This could seem like a cause for concern to some mothers. However, moms must realize that with a little bit of supervision, restrictions on use, guidance around settings, etc. Instagram could be a fantastic platform for your children to connect and generate creativity.
What Is The Right Age For Kids To Be On Instagram?
Officially, kids, who are 13 and above are allowed to use Instagram; however, it is advisable to restrict your child until 15 if you wish to protect him or her from access to strangers, mature content, data collection, and marketing ploys.
What Types Of Content Would My Child See On Instagram?
The types of content children would come across would depend mostly on the people they follow on the platform. If they follow only their friends, they would see photos of their friends vacationing, relishing good food, having fun, and cherishing great moments. However, if children interact with strangers, they may see adult content, sexual comments, and hashtags about anorexia, suicide, and some other concerning topics. They may see marketing gimmicks if they are following celebrities.
Do I Need To Warn My Child Against Instagram Account Security Issues?
Yes, you must. As per https://www.forbes.com, Sophos’ security researchers have sounded an alert and warned everybody of a novel phishing campaign that has come up to target Instagrammers. This phishing campaign comes with certainly a tricky twist. The attackers try to look legitimate with a 2FA but in reality, they are focusing on stealing login credentials, gathering passwords and usernames.
What Tips Could Help Me in Monitoring My Child’s Activity on Instagram?
You could ask your child to help you in exploring his Insta account. Ask him to consider explaining comments and memes, discussing friends, and sharing whatever comes up. You may implement one of these strategies:
- Consider creating your Instagram account and best follow your child. You could see precisely what all he is posting on his Insta account. However, you would have no access to his Direct Messages.
- Take your child’s Instagram password and username. You may consider logging in and examine their accounts.
- Follow your child’s friends if you are pretty close to them to constantly keep tracking your child.
- Conduct surprise checks. Browse meticulously through your child’s feed.
- Use third-party monitoring applications. Remember parental controls like Bark could help you get substantial visibility into your child’s activities on Instagram.
Conclusion
Moms must realize that if Instagram is leveraged positively, it could be a great platform for children to connect with their friends. Teens could use this versatile social media platform for being creative by posting poetry, art, and even videos for showcasing their creativity, originality, and profuse talents. When Instagram is utilized in a positive manner striking a perfect balance with other responsibilities and activities, children could feel enriched, positive, and well-connected!
