3 things to know about social media literacy for kids

Being a parent these days  means looking out for our kids both in the real world and the digital one. With apps like TikTok and lots of AI-powered content out there, it's super important to make sure our kids understand how to use social media in a smart and safe way.

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What is social media literacy for kids?

Social media literacy, simply put, is an understanding of how to use social media platforms, whether that’s creating content, interacting with other users, or managing a personal profile.

It helps children to be safe and responsible when using social media, as well as enjoy its benefits, by providing education around common risk areas, such as cyberbullying, stranger danger, screentime, violence and inappropriate social media content.

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Why does social media literacy matter?

As the world we live in becomes more digital, social media literacy will only become more important for kids. Especially with smartphone usage becoming more and more common amongst pre-teen children, and platforms, such Roblox and YouTube, increasingly appealing to younger users.

By providing digital literacy and social media literacy training, parents can help their children experience all of the wonders and fun of the internet, while building their resilience and ability to steer clear of bad actors and harmful content.

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3 key things to know about social media literacy for kids

1. Algorithms serve content to your children

The posts your child sees on social media — on explore pages and ‘for you’ feeds — are not randomised. They are selected by sophisticated systems called algorithms, which use data to select content that individual users are likely to interact with in order to keep them online.

It’s important for kids to be aware of how apps serve content, as being exposed to a large volume of videos expressing one opinion, or promoting one type of lifestyle, can provide an unbalanced or biased sense of reality.

For example, interacting with one video about a specific recipe may trigger an onslaught of specific content around diets such as ‘keto’ or ‘intermittent fasting’. With a better understanding of how algorithms work, kids can explore different viewpoints and lifestyles while still being open and aware of others.

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2. Social media is full of fake news and misinformation

These days, falsified and harmful information can spread like wildfire on social media. With social media apps such as X allowing users to purchase ‘verified’ badges, and new technologies such as AI enabling the creation of ‘deep fake’ videos, it’s easy for anyone to fall victim to online misinformation today — particularly more impressionable, younger users.

Some social media companies have attempted to address this by rolling out fact checking features, such as ‘community notes’, but teaching children how to tell the difference between what's true and what's fake on social media is crucial, particularly with 2024 set to be a busy year for political elections.

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3. Social media only shows a small part of people’s lives

Social media and online communities can create unrealistic expectations and comparisons, as people often only share the best moments of their lives. This can affect kids' self-esteem and mental health, making them feel inadequate or unhappy.

That's why it's important to talk to them about using social media in a positive and mindful way, celebrating their own achievements and strengths, and taking healthy breaks when they need to. It's all about finding a healthy balance between online and offline activities, and being aware of how social media influences their emotions and well-being.

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