Children and social media

[Inneedofanewwardrobe]

I am on maternity leave with my first and I am terrified reading the threads on here about social media, mental health and what kids are exposed to on there. And it also seems some parents are very naive (recent thread about a seven year old with their own smartphone). Do you think that by the time this new generation of babies are ten, there will be much more stringent controls and well documented research into the effects of social media on such a young age? It seems like a ticking time bomb.

No, I don't think so

I remember the first time I saw a child in a stroller, in New York, with an ipad or similar - it was about 12 years ago.

Everyone knows the damage, nobody cares.

You will have to be the one keeping your DC away from it and of course you can't police what they are shown in school.

I always say, limit your own use of this, it's the best way. Like many others, I resorted to MN because of lockdown despair but I don't do social media usually.

I read a post from a 17 year old who said that her whole life she’s had cameras thrust in her face and as a result has gone completely the other way and doesn’t want to have photos of herself or any social media

I wonder if this generation will start to feel like that tbh. It’s relentless

I just can't understand it. We all made mistakes growing up (I'm in my early 30s and Facebook was just becoming a thing in my early days at uni) but thank god it wasn't all played out on social media.

It wasn't until my friends children started getting pressure from school to do things like join class Facebook, that I realised the problem is not just peer pressure but constant pressure from people who are in charge of you.

I was lucky in that I mentioned to bosses about stalkers and things so kept pictures of myself off company websites.

The only way this stops is if enough people stop it and say no and really object and sadly I cannot see this happening.

I think every generation thinks that the interests of the next are a ticking time bomb. I remember in the 80s when heavy metal music and role-playing games were the ticking time bomb. I honestly think these things are just part of the way society changes over time.

@Stompythedinosaur

I think every generation thinks that the interests of the next are a ticking time bomb. I remember in the 80s when heavy metal music and role-playing games were the ticking time bomb. I honestly think these things are just part of the way society changes over time.

Social media isn't the next generation, it's the one behind mine?

The bomb already exploded about 15 years ago? - see "no privacy". Numerous other examples but I don't want to make the thread political.

As a parent, you can control what your child is exposed to. You just need to stick to what you believe is right.

I am hopeful (my children are 5 and 2) that by the time mine are old enough for SM to be a thing that there will be more stringent controls over things like how old children can be before they have accounts etc.

I know it's my responsibility to police this, and I will when the time comes, but I cannot see how it's right that primary aged children can easily have access to things like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (and as someone in their late thirties I honestly have no idea about things like Tik Tok and other platforms!). Some of the vile filth I've seen on Twitter is horrible as an adult let alone as an impressionable very young person.

Parental responsibility plays a huge part, but there also needs to be a stepping up by these companies to ensure that their content isn't accessed by those who are too young to do so appropriately. It is illegal for children to buy knives, lottery tickets, alcohol and tobacco and it is (rightly) strongly enforced by the providers of these items. Should be the same with SM in my opinion.

OP it's good that you're thinking about it

Mum was asking me why my friends aren't worried about their children's privacy. I am baffled but many posts on MN suggest no one cares about it.

It must be dreadful to have parents putting pics of you on social media.

In the park at the weekend, a couple were taking selfies all the way round. I was there about 90 mins. They were taking selfies when we arrived and when we left and we got out of their way but you can see across the circular path. They had a selfie stick so you couldn't miss it.

I don't get the "future generations" comment at all so I will say I think they were in their 50s.

Presume they go home and gaze adoringly at pictures of themselves. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I honestly find it so bizarre when I read comments on threads like "my 11 year old has a phone but I don't check it, they can talk to me about anything"
What the actual fuck?

@Inneedofanewwardrobe

I honestly find it so bizarre when I read comments on threads like "my 11 year old has a phone but I don't check it, they can talk to me about anything" What the actual fuck?

I imagine checking the smartphone of an 11 year old seems too daunting and they will thoroughly delete anything dodgy before they get home anyway!

@tuliprosedaffodil I completely agree with you.

I think its all moving a bit too fast I wish we could have social media sites made just for the little ones where we can be in control a bit more I wonder if that will be a thing in the future I want to keep them safe from online :/