Wealden Times | WT199 | September 2018 | Education supplement inside

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Appy days
Our kids are welded to their phones – but what are they actually
doing on there? And is it as damaging as we fear? Hattie Brewis
unlocks the truth behind the tech
With what seems like daily news
reports on the subject, we’re
all familiar with the potential
perils of social media: online bullying,
accidental exposure, upsetting content
and smartphone addiction, to name
but a few. And with Snapstreaks, IGTV,
memes, GIFs and all the rest of it, the
junior generation seems to be speaking
a different language that shuts us out.
So we’re breaking down two of the most
popular platforms to show you that while
there are potential risks, every cloud does
have a silver lining.
Snapchat
What is it?
An app that lets you send photos, short
videos or messages to your contacts. The
‘snap’ appears on screen for up to 10
seconds before disappearing. Users can
apply a range of filters and send constant
streams of images and clips to friends.
Key concerns
Many users aren’t fully aware of
Snapchat’s privacy settings. This means
that they may be receiving ‘friendship’
requests from strangers and their ‘stories’
and snaps may be seen publicly.
The app now features a public feed,
called Snapchat Discover, through
which users can subscribe to posts by
celebrities and other publishers. Some
of these are aimed at older audiences
and so may include adult content.
The upside
Young people claim to feel less social
pressure using Snapchat than other
applications because there is no ‘like’
button and snaps disappear after a
few seconds. It’s also a good source of
information - studies show that teens
prefer following the news on Snapchat
because it’s fun and easy to view.
Instagram
What is it?
An app that lets you upload pictures
and videos. Users post content to
share activities, thoughts or memories
with an online community. You can
‘follow’ any open account, which
might belong to celebrities or brands,
as well as friends and family.
Key concerns
Instagram is one of the most commonly
used platforms for cyberbullying. Users
can post upsetting comments on photos
as well as send private messages.
The omnipresence of
photos retouched via simple apps
is setting new, unrealistic standards
of beauty. This can be damaging
to self-esteem and mental health
as users compare their own
looks to those of their digitally
enhanced idols and even peers.
The upside
Instagram is a great means of
communication between friends and
family and it allows users to pursue
their interests and feed their curiosity:
you can follow everything from healthy
eating to NASA. Like Snapchat it
nurtures a love of art and storytelling
and allows users’ creativity to flourish.
Top tips
for safety
Remember that Snapchat and
Instagram both state 13+ as
their minimum age for users.
Check that your child knows
who they are talking to.
Encourage them to chat with
their real-life friends and to tell
someone if they are approached
by an unknown follower.
Suggest to your child that they
change the settings on their
social media accounts to make
them ‘private’. This means that
only their accepted followers
will be able to view their
profile and posts.
Emphasise the dangers of
cyberbullying. Reiterate that
if your child does view any
hurtful or inappropriate
content, they should report it
and block the user if necessary.
This can be done anonymously
via the app.
Have frank and open
discussions with your child.
Remind them that many
users modify their photos
to “improve” their appearance.
These images do not reflect
reality and cannot, nor should,
be emulated.
Credit: Christian Wiediger, Elijah O’Donell
25 wealdentimes.co.uk