There are so many different social media sites online today that is can be difficult for parents to know exactly which ones that their children have signed up for. Kids want to have a way to interact with their friends online just like their parent’s do so they may get on the computer or their smart phone and sign up without their parent’s consent. While some sites have age restrictions, the savvy child knows how to change their year of birth to get around this issue. So who is responsible for children accessing social media, the social media sites or should the parents be more aware of what their children are doing online? Twitter is one of the largest social media sites and if you want your child to have an account then you need to know how to keep your children safe on Twitter as well as other social media sites like Instagram or Facebook.
Who Should Be On Your Child’s Twitter Account?
There is no problem with your child having a Twitter account as long as you are aware of it and that you monitor it for inappropriate tweets. If your child is friends with adults they could be exposed to swearing and other forms of adult content that is inappropriate for children’s eyes. So you should always watch what they are doing and if there is some reason why you cannot monitor them when they are online then don’t allow them to have an account until they are at an appropriate age. While it is possible for you to make sure that they are not being followed or are following anyone who is not approved by you, there is no way to keep track of what others tweet or retweet.
Teach Your Child the Proper Twitter Etiquette
Everyone who uses any social media site needs to understand that there is a definite type of etiquette that needs to be followed and the same can be said about Twitter. One thing that can be difficult is learning that what is said on the internet can be just as hurtful as what is said in real life. So, if your child is normally a nice person to others in real life then they should also be the same when online. However, the anonymity of the internet can cause some to turn into what is called internet or cyber bullies. There are few repercussions for this type of activity so it is up to the parents to teach them not to cyber bully.
Protecting Your Child’s Tweets
One other thing you can do is to protect anything that your child tweets from others with the exception of those who are on their follower list. A child will not be purchasing any followers in the same way others might so all followers should be known to the child and to you. In order to make sure their tweets are protected, you need to go to the Twitter settings and click on the link for protecting my tweets. Everything your child does is now protected from the prying eyes of strangers and this goes a great way in keeping your child safe.
Only a parent knows what their child is emotionally ready for and only a parent can decide when it is time for them to have a Twitter account. The main thing to remember is that it is the parent’s responsibility to keep the child safe at all times when they are online.
