It is vital to mitigate the harmful effects of social media, and here are some practical strategies parents, educators, and young people themselves can adopt:
Parents – have an important role in helping their children understand the positives and negatives of social media and how they can use it responsibly. They can:
- Set reasonable limits on the time their children can spend on social media.
- Lead by example, i.e. limiting screen time and not scrolling through social media during family time, such as meals.
- Monitor their children’s social media accounts to ensure they are not excessively using platforms or accessing harmful content and are using them responsibly.
- Encourage digital detox, i.e. regular breaks to reduce the risk of dependency.
- Teach their children how to behave on social media and the rules on etiquette, e.g. no bullying, trolling, gossiping, etc.
- Encourage face-to-face communication and connections.
- Remind them about unrealistic images and unattainable beauty standards often promoted on social media.
- Teach their children the importance of maintaining privacy and not oversharing online.
- Discuss various online content types and that information can sometimes be harmful or misleading.
- Use password protection and online security and safety settings to prevent their children from accessing adult content.
- Balance online time with offline and real-world activities, preferably outdoors.
Educators – have an important role in helping their pupils and students navigate the complexities of social media. They can:
- Comply with their educational institution’s policies and procedures on technology and social media use.
- Discuss the positives, negatives, benefits, risks and impacts of social media.
- Encourage open communication and conversations about its use.
- Set clear rules and provide guidelines on using social media in educational settings.
- Monitor technology and social media use in the learning environment and wider educational setting.
- Model the correct behaviours in the learning environment, i.e. not constantly checking their phones.
- Educate young people on digital literacy and their responsibilities on social media.
- Involve parents/carers if they have concerns about a young person’s social media use or are aware of any issues, such as cyberbullying and online harassment.
Young people – should be responsible when using social media and be mindful of its effects and impacts. They can:
- Keep their phones/tablets out of the bedroom or out of reach at night to discourage their use before bedtime.
- Put their phones in aeroplane mode and avoid checking their phone at certain times, e.g. during meals.
- Schedule regular social media breaks, which they can add to study planners and timetables to help them adhere to these times.
- Speak to someone, whether their parents, a teacher or someone else, if they feel their use of social media is becoming excessive, if they are experiencing cyberbullying and/or they believe it is affecting their mental health.
- Pay attention to their feelings while using social media.
- Adapt their social media feed and follow positive accounts that enhance well-being.
- Practice self-care, e.g. eating healthily, exercising, getting sufficient sleep and trying relaxation techniques, such as meditation.
- Unfollow, block or mute harmful accounts.
If young people use these platforms responsibly, it can positively affect their mental health. Parents and educators should limit screen time, as too much can impact children’s and young people’s mental health, well-being, education and overall life. A recent House of Commons Committee report states that research suggests that exposure to recreational screen time on smartphones and playing video games for more than two hours daily can negatively affect children’s attention, language, processing, memory, executive function and sleep pattern.
It is important to promote social media and digital literacy, which BBC Bitesize defines as ” being able to find, sort, evaluate, manage and create information in digital forms”. It helps young people navigate social media platforms, use them ethically and responsibly and protect themselves and their personal information online. It also enables them to communicate effectively with others and critically analyse what they see. Digital literacy plays a crucial role in mental health, as it helps young people communicate, develop skills and achieve their full potential in academia, their career and life.
Open communication is also vital to encourage young people to feel comfortable and safe to talk about their online experiences and any issues they may have while using social media platforms. Parents, carers and educators should create safe, non-judgemental spaces where young people can discuss concerns or ask questions.
