Parenting kids of the digital age and protecting them against the dark side of social media is not an easy task at all. They cannot protect their kids from the horrors of social media on their own. That is where parental control apps step in and save the day. Let’s explore how the dark side of social media affects kids’ lives.
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The Dark Side of Social Media
Though social media has numerous benefits, it would be foolish to ignore its negative influences on kids’ lives. For instance, issues like sleep deprivation, reduction in kids’ attention span, cyberbullying, racism, sexual predators, unrealistic body & life standards, cybercrimes, etc. The list goes on!
According to Samuel Dordulian, sexual assault lawyer in Los Angeles, Social media can also increase the <a href=”https://www.dlawgroup.com/sexual-assault/” target=”_blank”>risk of sexual assault</a> in a number of ways. For example, social media platforms can be used by perpetrators to groom potential victims, by creating fake profiles or using other deceptive tactics to gain their trust. Social media can also be used to distribute and share sexually explicit images or videos without the consent of the people depicted, a phenomenon commonly known as revenge porn.
- Sleep Deprivation
The incessant scrolling on social media keeps kids up at night. Staring at screens for extended periods (especially at night) prevents the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps us sleep. Consistent sleep deprivation leads to problems like mood swings, low academic performance, short attention spans, etc.
- Ever-shrinking Attention Span
Have you ever noticed how your kids use social media? They move from one post/video to another in a matter of seconds if they don’t find it engaging. Excessive use of social media, combined with the fact that we live in an era of instant gratification, leads to ever-shrinking attention spans in kids and teens.
- Possibility of Developing Socially Awkward Behavior
Do you have to practically pry your kids away from their screens to get them out of the house or socialize with other people? If that is true, heed the warning signs. If kids prefer spending most of their time with screens instead of people, they face a greater risk of developing socially awkward behavior.
- Racism, Cyberbullying, Sexual Predators & Other Dangers
Since kids think that the whole point of social media is to share their daily life with others, they don’t pay much attention to keeping things private. Such actions expose kids to various threats. Social media platforms are breeding grounds for issues like racism, cyberbullying, cybercrimes, sexual predators, and so on.
- Distorted Reality of Body & Life Standards
Kids often follow celebrities and influencers on social media platforms to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. Spending time and effort to post the “best moments” of your life has become the norm. Kids often mistake well-curated photos for reality. Therefore, monitoring kids’ activities and helping them embrace who they really are must be parents’ top priority.
The dark side of social media is troubling, truly. However, there is still hope. Numerous parental control apps have stepped up to lend a helping hand to struggling parents who wish to shield their kids from the dark side of social media.
Strategies for Protection
If your kids haven’t started using social media apps till now, they will begin soon enough. Instead of taking a reactive approach (educating, supporting, and safeguarding kids after they start using social media), parents must think about applying a proactive approach (educating, helping, and protecting kids before they enter the realm of social media. Let’s see how parental control apps can help.
Parental Control Apps
Parental control apps are software solutions that offer protection for kids from various threats, like the ones mentioned above. Many of these apps provide features like, location tracking, call & text monitoring, internet filters, app blockers, etc. FamilyTime app is an excellent app with a diverse range of security features. Let’s dive in and see how it can help parents safeguard their kids’ digital lives.
FamilyTime
FamilyTime ranks among the best parental control apps for several reasons. For instance, it works well with Android and iOS devices. It is affordable and offers four monthly payment plans ranging between $1.15 to $2.25 per month. Here is how it can help parents protect their kids from the dark side of social media.
Screen Time Limit – With this feature, parents can reduce the time their kids spend on social media per day.
Internet Filter – Parents can prevent kids from watching anything inappropriate or using indecent social media platforms.
App Blocker – Are you worried about kids using unsuitable social media apps like NGL, Clubhouse, Yubo, Hoop, etc.? Block them all with FamilyTime’s App Blocker.
Call & Text Monitoring – Are your kids keeping secrets that may be harming them? Find out if your kids are being bullied, depressed, anxious, thinking of suicide, or targeted by online sexual predators. With this feature, you can help them in time.
App Usage Report – Get app usage reports and see which apps your kids use the most. It will help you determine whether you need to intervene and prevent them from using a certain app or not.
FamilyTime has a lot more features up its sleeves and you will be happy to learn about them. Sign up and protect your kids from unforeseen dangers!