Social Media
Updated: Aug 11
What Is Social Media?
Social media includes websites and mobile apps that allow people to communicate, share information, post pictures and videos, and connect with others online.
Popular social media platforms include Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat. Each platform is different, but they all allow users to create content, follow others, communicate, and participate in online communities.
Social media can be entertaining, educational, and helpful. However, it can also create concerns related to privacy, safety, misinformation, cyberbullying, excessive screen time, and inappropriate content.
Instagram is mainly used for sharing photographs and videos.
Main Features
Photo and video posts
Stories that usually disappear after 24 hours
Reels, which are short videos
Direct messages
Livestreaming
Notes and group chats
Filters and editing tools
Public or private accounts
Following friends, creators, organizations, and businesses
Benefits
Instagram can help students:
Express creativity through photography and video
Stay connected with friends and relatives
Follow educational organizations and positive role models
Learn about hobbies, careers, cultures, and community events
Promote student projects, artwork, businesses, or causes
Discover tutorials and educational content
Limitations and Concerns
Instagram may expose students to:
Unrealistic images and lifestyles
Pressure to receive likes, comments, or followers
Inappropriate or misleading content
Cyberbullying and hurtful comments
Messages from strangers
Scams and fake accounts
Excessive advertising
Edited or AI-generated images that appear real
Students may compare themselves to carefully selected or edited photographs. It is important to remember that social media usually shows only a small and polished part of someone’s life.
Facebook is a social networking platform used to connect with friends, relatives, groups, schools, organizations, and community members.
Main Features
Personal profiles
Written, photo, and video posts
Stories and Reels
Groups and community pages
Events
Marketplace
Messenger
Livestreaming
Fundraisers
News and community information
Benefits
Facebook can help families and students:
Stay connected with relatives
Learn about school and community events
Join educational or interest-based groups
Follow organizations and local programs
Share important announcements
Locate community resources
Support causes and fundraising efforts
Limitations and Concerns
Facebook can contain:
False or misleading news
Political arguments and harmful comments
Fake accounts
Scams and fraudulent Marketplace listings
Oversharing of personal information
Inappropriate groups or content
Posts that are shared outside the intended audience
Facebook users can adjust who sees their posts, stories, profile information, friend lists, and tags. Privacy settings should be reviewed regularly because a post intended for friends may otherwise reach a wider audience.
TikTok
TikTok is a video-sharing platform known for short videos, music, trends, challenges, tutorials, and entertainment.
Main Features
Short-form videos
A personalized “For You” feed
Music, sounds, filters, and effects
Comments and direct messages
Livestreaming
Duets and Stitches
Hashtags and trends
Video editing tools
Private and public accounts
Benefits
TikTok can help students:
Learn through short educational videos
Discover study tips and tutorials
Develop video-editing and communication skills
Share talents, art, music, or cultural knowledge
Find positive communities
Learn about careers and hobbies
Create entertaining and creative projects
Limitations and Concerns
TikTok’s personalized feed can encourage users to continue scrolling for long periods.
Other concerns include:
Inappropriate or mature content
Dangerous online challenges
Misinformation
Cyberbullying
Pressure to become popular
Contact from strangers
Scams and fake giveaways
Videos that encourage unhealthy behavior
Collection of information about viewing habits and interests
TikTok applies different privacy and feature settings based on a user’s age. For example, accounts belonging to users ages 13–15 are set to private by default, although users may be able to adjust certain settings. Some features are not available until a user reaches a specific age.
Parents can use TikTok’s Family Pairing tools to help manage selected safety, privacy, screen-time, and content settings.
Snapchat
Snapchat is a messaging and social media app used to send photographs, videos, and messages called Snaps.
Main Features
Photo and video messages
Chat and group messages
Stories
Spotlight videos
Filters and augmented-reality lenses
Bitmoji characters
Snap Map
Streaks
My AI
Voice and video calls
Many Snapchat messages are designed to disappear after they are viewed. However, disappearing does not mean they are completely private. Someone may take a screenshot, record the screen, use another device to capture the content, or save the message.
Benefits
Snapchat can help students:
Communicate with friends and family
Share everyday experiences
Create fun photographs and videos
Use creative filters and editing tools
Participate in group conversations
Maintain friendships
Communicate through video and voice calls
Limitations and Concerns
Snapchat may create risks related to:
Sharing private photographs
Communicating with strangers
Location sharing through Snap Map
Pressure to maintain Snapstreaks
Cyberbullying
Inappropriate messages or images
A false feeling that messages are temporary
Scams, suspicious links, or hacked accounts
Inaccurate information from My AI
Snapchat’s Family Center allows parents and caregivers to see information such as their teen’s recent contacts and friends without reading the actual messages. It can also help parents limit certain sensitive content, manage access to My AI, review selected privacy settings, report concerning accounts, and request location sharing. Family Center is intended for adults age 18 or older and teens ages 13–17.
Benefits of Social Media
When used responsibly, social media can:
Help students stay connected
Support creativity and self-expression
Provide access to tutorials and educational information
Build awareness of cultures and communities
Help students promote positive causes
Provide information about events, scholarships, and programs
Support networking and career exploration
Help small businesses and student projects reach an audience
Give young people a voice
Create communities for people with shared interests
Limitations of Social Media
Information Is Not Always Accurate
Anyone can post information online. A professional-looking video or post may still contain false, outdated, or misleading information.
Students should compare information with trusted sources before believing or sharing it.
Posts Can Become Permanent
A deleted post, message, or image may still exist as a screenshot, download, screen recording, forwarded message, or saved copy.
Students should assume that anything posted online could eventually be seen by:
Parents
Teachers
Coaches
College admissions staff
Scholarship committees
Future employers
Community members
Social Media Can Affect Mental Health
Social media can sometimes cause:
Stress
Fear of missing out
Low self-esteem
Loneliness
Sleep problems
Pressure to look or act a certain way
Worry about likes, followers, or comments
Taking regular breaks and talking with a trusted adult can help.
Social Media Can Be Distracting
Notifications, videos, messages, and endless scrolling can interfere with:
Homework
Sleep
Family time
Exercise
Face-to-face friendships
Responsibilities
Attention and concentration
Privacy Is Limited
Even a private account is not completely private. Approved followers can still copy, save, or share content.
Apps may also collect information such as:
Device information
General location
Search activity
Viewing habits
Interests
Account interactions
What Students Should Be Cautious About
Protect Personal Information
Do not publicly share:
Your home address
Phone number
Passwords
School schedule
Daily location
Travel plans
Financial information
Identification numbers
Private medical information
Photographs of personal documents
Be Careful With Location Sharing
Location-sharing tools can reveal where a student lives, attends school, spends time, or travels.
Only share location with people you know and trust. Review location settings regularly.
Do Not Accept Every Friend Request
A profile photograph and name do not prove someone’s identity. Fake accounts may pretend to be students, celebrities, businesses, or friends.
Students should be cautious when an online contact:
Asks personal questions
Requests photographs
Wants the conversation kept secret
Offers money or gifts
Pressures them to meet in person
Asks them to move to another messaging app
Threatens or embarrasses them
Tell a trusted adult immediately when an interaction feels uncomfortable, confusing, threatening, or secretive.
Avoid Suspicious Links and Giveaways
Do not click unfamiliar links or provide passwords in response to messages.
Common scams may claim:
You won a prize
Your account will be deleted
Someone reported your account
You can receive free money
A celebrity wants to contact you
A friend needs emergency help
Verify the message another way before responding.
Think Before Posting
Before posting, ask:
Is it true?
Is it respectful?
Is it safe?
Is it necessary?
Could it hurt someone?
Would I be comfortable if a parent, teacher, or employer saw it?
Never Share Private or Intimate Images
Students should never feel pressured to send personal or intimate photographs.
Once an image is sent, control over it may be lost. Anyone who threatens to share an image, demands money, or asks for additional images is engaging in harmful and potentially illegal behavior. The student should stop responding, save evidence, block and report the account, and tell a trusted adult immediately.
Be Careful With Online Challenges
Some trends may involve unsafe driving, dangerous stunts, substance use, property damage, or bullying.
Popularity does not make an activity safe.
What Parents Should Be Cautious About
Learn How Each App Works
Parents do not need to become experts, but they should understand:
Who can contact their child
Whether the account is public or private
How location sharing works
How to block and report users
What parental tools are available
How long the child spends on the app
Create Rules Together
Families can agree on expectations for:
Appropriate apps
Screen-time limits
Phone use during meals and homework
Phone use at bedtime
Posting photographs
Accepting followers
Location sharing
Online purchases
Responding to strangers
Rules are more effective when students understand the reason behind them.
Keep Communication Open
Students may hide online problems when they fear losing their phone or being punished.
Let students know that they can ask for help without immediately being blamed. Focus first on their safety and well-being.
Watch for Warning Signs
Possible signs of an online problem may include:
Sudden fear or anxiety after using a phone
Secretive online behavior
Unexplained gifts or money
Sleep problems
Changes in mood
Withdrawal from family or friends
A sudden decline in school performance
Contact with unknown adults
Multiple hidden accounts
These signs do not always mean something harmful is happening, but they are reasons to begin a calm conversation.
Use Parental and Family Tools
Parents can explore:
Private-account settings
Screen-time controls
Restricted-content settings
Comment and message controls
Blocking and reporting tools
TikTok Family Pairing
Snapchat Family Center
Meta parental supervision tools
Device-level parental controls
No parental-control tool is perfect. Technology should be combined with regular conversations, clear expectations, and trust.
Simple Family Safety Rules
Keep accounts private when possible.
Only connect with people you actually know.
Never share passwords.
Turn off unnecessary location sharing.
Do not post private or intimate images.
Pause before posting or commenting.
Check information before sharing it.
Block and report harmful accounts.
Tell a trusted adult when something feels wrong.
Make time for sleep, school, exercise, family, and offline friendships.
Remember
Social media is a tool. It can be used to communicate, learn, create, and build community, but it must be used carefully.
Students should protect their privacy, think critically, treat others respectfully, and ask for help when needed. Parents should stay involved, learn about the platforms their children use, establish clear expectations, and maintain open communication.
The goal is not simply to restrict technology. The goal is to help students develop the judgment and skills needed to use it safely and responsibly.
X, Formerly Called Twitter
X is a social media platform used to share short messages, news, opinions, photographs, videos, and links. Many people still refer to the platform by its former name, Twitter, and individual posts were previously called tweets.
X is often used for real-time conversations about current events, sports, entertainment, politics, education, and community issues.
Main Features
Short written posts
Photographs, videos, and links
Replies and public conversations
Reposts and quoted posts
Likes and bookmarks
Direct messages
Trending topics and hashtags
Livestreamed audio conversations called Spaces
Communities based on shared interests
Lists for organizing accounts
Community Notes that may add context to some posts
Benefits
X can help students and families:
Follow breaking news and current events
Receive updates from schools and community organizations
Follow colleges, scholarship programs, and employers
Connect with experts, authors, educators, and public leaders
Explore different opinions and perspectives
Promote student projects, businesses, or community events
Participate in conversations about important issues
Locate educational resources and professional opportunities
Limitations and Concerns
Information spreads very quickly on X, but fast information is not always accurate.
Students may encounter:
False or misleading information
Rumors presented as breaking news
Fake accounts or people pretending to be someone else
Harassment and cyberbullying
Arguments and offensive language
Graphic, violent, or mature content
Political misinformation
Scams, suspicious links, and fake giveaways
Posts taken out of context
AI-generated photographs, videos, or audio
Pressure to respond quickly without checking the facts
A large number of likes, reposts, or views does not prove that a post is true.
Important Safety Information
X generally requires users to be at least 13 years old. According to X, known accounts belonging to users ages 13–17 are set to protected posts by default. Protected posts are normally visible only to approved followers, although students should still review their privacy settings carefully.
Users can control who follows them, who can respond to posts, and who can send direct messages. However, settings may change, and enabling message requests from everyone may allow unfamiliar people to contact the account.
Even protected posts are not completely private. Followers may still copy, screenshot, download, or share content outside the original audience.
What Students Should Be Cautious About
Students should:
Keep their account protected or private when possible.
Only approve followers they recognize.
Avoid posting their school schedule, home address, phone number, or regular location.
Be cautious with direct messages from strangers.
Never send private or intimate images.
Avoid clicking suspicious links.
Check the original source before reposting news.
Look beyond headlines before forming an opinion.
Block, mute, and report harmful accounts.
Pause before joining an angry or hurtful conversation.
Students should also remember that public posts may be viewed by teachers, coaches, colleges, scholarship committees, employers, and community members.
What Parents Should Be Cautious About
Parents should help students review:
Whether the account is public or protected
Who can follow the account
Who can send direct messages
Who can reply to posts
Whether the account can be found using a phone number or email address
Sensitive-content settings
Blocked and muted accounts
Screen-time habits
The types of accounts and topics the student follows
Parents should also talk with students about the difference between news, opinion, advertising, satire, and misinformation.
A Simple Fact-Checking Strategy
Before reposting something, students should ask:
Who originally posted it?
Is the account authentic?
When did the event actually happen?
Does the post provide evidence?
Are other reliable sources reporting the same information?
Could the photograph or video be edited or AI-generated?
Is the post trying to create anger, fear, or urgency?
Remember
X can be helpful for learning about current events, connecting with organizations, and joining important conversations. However, its speed and public nature can also spread misinformation, conflict, and harmful content very quickly.
Students should slow down, verify information, protect their privacy, and avoid responding emotionally. Parents should remain involved, review privacy settings, and maintain open conversations about what students see and share online.
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