The Quickly Evolving World of Social Media

A smart phone or tablet is an amazing gift. The entertainment and educational opportunities are nearly endless, but it also opens up the world of social media and cyberbullying. Parents give these amazing devices to their children without any plan for dealing with the inevitable drama that social media creates. As all School Resource Officers and school administrators know, the parent’s eyes will be eventually opened to the seemingly complex world of social media when their child finds themselves embroiled in a cyberbullying incident or victim of rude or inappropriate online comments. Parents need to be educated on social media’s inherent risks and given some essential guidelines on how to effectively monitor their children online.

I have been educating parents and their children for the past several years, helping them understand the quickly evolving world of social media and providing them with the tools and resources necessary for a safe and enjoyable experience online. The following steps will help a parent address their safety concerns with their child and help build boundaries needed for long-term safety.

Step 1 – Set expectations and open lines of communication.

First, parents need to understand that they are the sole owner of their child’s device. The parent is merely letting the child borrow it. It’s no different than when your employer gives you a phone or computer for work; you keep it, use it, and are responsible for it. ...