Social media etiquettes for children

There are many etiquettes that we teach our children from school etiquette to park etiquette to toilet etiquettes. In today’s day and age when every child has an account on social media, it is important to teach them the social media etiquettes without invading their privacy.

The recent controversy of the Bois Locker Room triggered many questions including the mindset of the children, the future use of social media and the lack of etiquettes when it comes to the virtual world.

Social media is one of the greatest tools to communicate and build a network, but it also does land us into trouble, when we don’t pay enough attention. Restricting the use of social media is not an option, rather a sense of responsibility must be created within the mind of children.

Here are certain tips to use social media in a much friendlier way

1. Always remember that the person on the other side is just like you, speak to them in a manner that you want to be spoken to; or the way you would treat a person if you come face to face.
2. Always be mindful of whom you accept as friends online. It might seem a good idea to talk to strangers, but one needs to remember it’s a virtual world. There have been many instances where people have been victim to frauds. There are many fake accounts created to manipulate children. Teenagers should also keep in mind that denying a friend request is not rude, you are just looking out for yourself.
3. It has become a trend to treat one’s social media accounts as a personal diary. Children often put out their thoughts and feelings without thinking about the repercussions. It is not always a good idea to be vocal about all your thoughts and feelings online.
4. One needs to remember that there are digital footprints; be cautious as to what you would like to post. It doesn’t matter if you have deleted the post, it can still be traced.
5. Never upload or post pictures of your friends without their consent.
6. Never take screenshots or snapshots of your friend’s pictures, it might be your phone but the picture belongs to others.
7. Don’t take inappropriate pictures or upload such pictures online. This rule applies to both your pictures and your friend’s pictures.
8. Don’t use social media accounts to rent out your anger. While in the moment it might look like a good idea but you might regret it later. If you find it difficult to control and feel the urge to yell out, turn off your phone for a few hours.
9. Don’t send messages that you don’t want to receive. Always keep in mind to talk to the other person kindly.
10. When you feel overly emotional, you might want to sort your feelings through social media; meet a trusted adult to express your feelings.

Online safety is as important as in the real world. The Internet is the best invention that we could have asked for as we use it every time for everything. It has made our lives much easier and also provides the best of entertainment. Being mindful of the etiquettes will help you keep your peace.

Sherwood High recommends parental control of your home computers and smartphones provided for children.