Social media has slowly developed into one of the primary means by which teens find their community and connect with friends after school.
One study found that 81 percent of teens say social media helps them connect with friends, while 68 percent of teens feel their social media community will provide emotional support during tough times. Another study found that 64 percent of teens who have made a friend online met them on a social media platform.
While parents may not have used these tools growing up, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, notes they have a variety of tools and resources that teens and parents can use to help navigate online platforms safely.
Tools like Take a Break and Quiet Mode help teens manage their time online, while the Hidden Words tool lets teens prevent unwanted comments and messages. Take a Break encourages individuals to make mindful choices about their time usage on the app. If someone spends too long scrolling, we prompt them to pause Instagram, recommend setting future break reminders, and provide expert-endorsed advice for self-reflection and rejuvenation.
Instagram’s Quiet Mode disables notifications and sends an automatic response when DM’d, allowing users to concentrate on tasks such as driving or studying without interruption. Hidden Words is a feature that, when activated, filters out DM requests containing offensive language and emojis, ensuring users never have to encounter them.
Meta also says has even taken steps to address cyberbullying through the ‘Restrict’ feature. This tool can increase the safety of your teen’s Instagram experience by eliminating some of the stress of blocking a bully or inappropriate account through its more subtle nature of blocking the account without them knowing they are blocked. With this feature, your teen can take their well-being into their own hands for a more enjoyable experience on Meta’s platforms.
“At Meta, we are dedicated to empowering parents with information and tools to help them create the most positive and safe online experience for their teens. We work alongside safety experts as we develop tools so parents can ensure the well-being of their families,” said Jen Hanley, the head of U.S. Safety Policy at Meta. “We support parents so they can have an open conversation with their teens about social media safety while using any of Meta’s easy-to-use tools.”
Parents can also gain insight into how their teens are spending time online with Meta’s Parental Supervision Tools. These features allow parents to view their teen’s social media settings, be notified of changes to those settings, and also see who their teens report or block.
These features, which can be accessed through Meta’s Family Center, can help facilitate healthy communication between parents and teens when it comes to new social media experiences.
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