Social Media Safety for Teens

Instagram (Meta)

Minimum Age: 13+ | Primary Risk: Comparison culture, mental health impacts, direct messaging

How Instagram Works

• Photo and video sharing platform
• Algorithmic feed shows content based on engagement
• Direct messaging (DMs) with followers or anyone
• Stories disappear after 24 hours (but can be screenshot)
• Reels compete with TikTok for attention
• Heavy use of filters and edited content

Key Dangers

• Mental health: Comparison culture, anxiety, depression linked to heavy use
• Predators: Adults creating fake accounts to contact teens
• Inappropriate content: Algorithms can push concerning content
• Cyberbullying: Comments, DMs, exclusion
• Sextortion: Strangers requesting/demanding inappropriate photos

Essential Privacy Settings

1. Switch to Private Account: Settings → Privacy → Private Account (ON)
2. Control who can message: Settings → Privacy → Messages → set to "People you follow"
3. Disable activity status: Settings → Privacy → Activity Status (OFF)
4. Control story sharing: Settings → Privacy → Story → Hide story from specific people
5. Restrict comments: Settings → Privacy → Comments → Manual Filter (add inappropriate words)
6. Disable tagging: Settings → Privacy → Tags → Manually Approve Tags
7. Turn off sensitive content: Settings → Account → Sensitive Content Control → Limit

Parental Supervision Tools

• Supervision feature: Instagram now offers parental supervision tools (set time limits, see who they follow)
• Request to follow: If private, you must be approved to see their content
• Regular check-ins: Review DMs, followers, and content together monthly

Red Flags to Watch For

• Followers who are significantly older or unknown
• Following accounts with inappropriate content
• Posting revealing photos or location information
• Sudden changes in mood after using Instagram
• Secretive about content or conversations

TikTok (ByteDance)

Minimum Age: 13+ | Primary Risk: Addictive algorithm, dangerous challenges, adult content exposure

How TikTok Works

• Short-form video platform (15 seconds to 10 minutes)
• Extremely powerful algorithm learns preferences quickly
• For You Page (FYP) shows endless stream of videos
• Direct messaging and duets/stitches with other users
• Trends and challenges spread virally

Key Dangers

• Addictive design: Scroll time averages 52 minutes per day (teens often much higher)
• Inappropriate content: Sexual content, violence, drug use slip through filters
• Dangerous challenges: Viral challenges that cause injury or legal trouble
• Data privacy: Chinese company with data concerns
• Predators: Easy for adults to contact minors through comments/DMs

Essential Privacy Settings

1. Private account: Settings → Privacy → Private Account (ON)
2. Restrict DMs: Settings → Privacy → Messages → "Friends only"
3. Comments: Settings → Privacy → Comments → "Friends only"
4. Duet/Stitch: Settings → Privacy → Duet/Stitch → "Friends only" or OFF
5. Disable downloads: Settings → Privacy → Downloads → OFF
6. Suggest account to others: Settings → Privacy → Suggest account to others (OFF)
7. Family Pairing: Enable parental controls through Family Pairing feature

Family Pairing (Parental Controls)

• Set daily screen time limits
• Restrict inappropriate content
• Disable direct messages entirely
• Control privacy settings remotely
• See how much time they're spending

Conversations to Have

• "Just because it's a trend doesn't mean you should do it"
• "Videos can be edited - don't compare your life to what you see"
• "The algorithm is designed to keep you watching - set time limits"
• "Never participate in challenges that involve danger, law-breaking, or hurting others"

Snapchat (Snap Inc.)

Minimum Age: 13+ | Primary Risk: Disappearing messages, location sharing, false sense of privacy

How Snapchat Works

• Messages and photos "disappear" after viewing (but can be screenshot)
• Snap Map shows real-time locations of friends
• Stories visible for 24 hours
• Streak feature encourages daily use
• Discover feed with media content

Key Dangers

• False privacy: Disappearing messages create illusion of no consequences
• Sexting: Platform most associated with inappropriate photo sharing
• Location tracking: Snap Map can reveal exact location in real-time
• Screenshots: Recipients can screenshot before disappearing
• Inappropriate content: Discover feed often has mature content

Essential Privacy Settings

1. Who can contact me: Settings → Contact Me → "My Friends" only
2. View my story: Settings → View My Story → "My Friends" only
3. See my location: Settings → See My Location → "Only Me" (Ghost Mode)
4. See me in Quick Add: Settings → See Me in Quick Add (OFF)
5. Restrict sensitive content: Settings → Content Preferences

Snap Map Safety

• Turn on "Ghost Mode" so no one can see location
• If sharing location, only share with specific trusted friends
• Never share location publicly
• Explain that location sharing can put them in danger

The "Streak" Problem

Streaks (consecutive days of snapping) create compulsive behavior. Teens feel obligated to snap daily just to maintain the number, even when they don't want to. This can lead to anxiety and addiction.

Parental Monitoring

• Family Center: Snapchat's parental control feature (see friends list, report concerns)
• Cannot view messages: Parents cannot see disappearing messages (by design)
• Regular talks: Must rely on trust and communication

Discord

Minimum Age: 13+ (17+ for some servers) | Primary Risk: Unmoderated servers, predators, adult content

How Discord Works

• Originally for gamers, now general communication platform
• Server-based (like private chat rooms) with text, voice, and video
• Anyone can create a server and invite others
• Direct messaging between users
• Servers can have thousands of strangers

Key Dangers

• Unmoderated servers: Minimal content moderation on private servers
• Predator grooming: Adults creating servers to target teens
• Explicit content: NSFW (Not Safe For Work) servers with pornography
• Radicalization: Extremist groups recruiting in certain servers
• Scams and hacking: Phishing links and account theft

Essential Privacy Settings

1. Privacy & Safety: User Settings → Privacy & Safety → Safe Direct Messaging (ON)
2. Friend requests: Privacy & Safety → "Friends of friends" or turn OFF entirely
3. DMs from server members: Right-click server → Privacy Settings → Direct Messages (OFF)
4. Explicit content filter: Privacy & Safety → Explicit Image Filter → "Keep me safe" or "My friends are nice"

Server Safety Rules

• Only join servers for games/topics they actually participate in
• Never join servers found through invites from strangers
• Leave immediately if server has inappropriate content
• Understand that server owners can see all messages
• Use a username that doesn't reveal identity

Parental Oversight

• No built-in parental controls
• Review server list together regularly
• Require that you approve all servers before joining
• Consider only allowing use for specific purposes (schoolwork, known gaming groups)

YouTube

Minimum Age: 13+ (YouTube Kids for younger) | Primary Risk: Algorithm rabbit holes, inappropriate content, comments

Key Dangers

• Algorithm manipulation: Can lead to increasingly extreme content
• Inappropriate content: Mature content not always flagged
• Comments section: Toxic, bullying, and inappropriate comments
• Predators: Targeting young creators through comments
• Time consumption: Autoplay keeps videos running indefinitely

Safety Settings

• Enable Restricted Mode
• Use Supervised Google Account for full control
• Disable comments on their videos if they create content
• Review watch history together
• Subscribe to parent-approved channels only

See our complete YouTube Filtering Guide for detailed setup instructions.

Cyberbullying

Mean comments, exclusion from groups, spreading rumors, sharing embarrassing photos. More prevalent and harmful than in-person bullying because it's public, permanent, and inescapable.

Prevention: Private accounts, limiting followers, blocking bullies immediately, documenting evidence. See our Cyberbullying Guide.

Mental Health Impacts

Studies link heavy social media use to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, sleep problems, and body image issues. Comparison culture ("everyone else's life looks perfect") affects emotional well-being.

Prevention: Time limits, tech-free zones, regular check-ins about feelings, following positive/educational accounts.

Predators & Grooming

Adults creating fake accounts to befriend minors, gradually building trust to manipulate into inappropriate conversations or meetings.

Warning signs: New "friend" who is overly interested, asks personal questions, wants to move to private messaging, offers gifts/money, asks to keep relationship secret.

Prevention: Private accounts, only accepting known friends, never meeting online friends in person without parent supervision.

Sextortion

Someone convinces teen to send inappropriate photo, then threatens to share it unless they send more/send money. FBI reports this as rapidly growing crime against minors.

Prevention: "Never send photos you wouldn't want your grandmother to see." Once sent, you lose control forever.

If it happens: Do not send more. Document everything. Report to FBI at ic3.gov. It's not the teen's fault - the blackmailer is the criminal.

Digital Footprint & Future Consequences

Posts from age 13 can affect college admissions and job prospects at age 22. Screenshots live forever even if original is deleted.

Prevention: "Post as if your future employer will see it" rule. Think before posting.

Addiction & Time Consumption

Apps are intentionally designed by behavior psychologists to be addictive. Infinite scroll, notifications, FOMO (fear of missing out), and intermittent rewards create compulsive use.

Prevention: Use built-in screen time limits, turn off notifications, phone-free times (meals, bedtime, homework), grayscale mode, app time restrictions.