With the rapid growth of social media, being online has become part of a teenager’s daily life. Social media is a ‘double-edged sword’ for parents. It poses benefits, but also exposes youth to risks.
Whether it is posting a dance to TikTok, sharing images to Facebook or posting a ‘story’ to Instagram different platforms are used widely.
Australians aged 14 and over spend an average of almost six hours per week on social media.
What is social media?
Social media is a set of web applications that enable teens to produce and share content.
Webpages with opportunity for social interaction may also be considered a social media site. This may include gaming sites and virtual worlds, or video streaming sites like Youtube or blogs.
Social media can affect your child’s wellbeing if you are not setting expectations for healthy use.
Dr Anna Cohen, Clinical Director at Kids and Co believes the key is creating “a really good balance for young people for social media.”
