If I asked you to name which apps are on your child’s phone right now, could you answer correctly?  Do you know?  In 2019 (the latest information I have been able to find) the total number of mobile app downloads reached 204 billion.  That's BILLION with a ‘B’ worldwide.  As a parent it can be way overwhelming - dare I say, nearly impossible, to stay on top of the constant media, new apps, information, trends, and noise that is specifically targeted to, and at, our children.  If we are honest with ourselves, we know how overwhelming it is for us as adults.  Now imagine how it is for children and teens whose minds are not yet fully developed.

The Parish will attempt to have this be a space where you can learn about activities of children and teens on social media.  Social Media use moves very fast in the current culture.  When it is discovered that parents and other adults have "found" the preferred social media, they move very fast to another platform.  It is important to attempt to keep up to date with social media trends.

Digital Trends Bulletin for School/Parish Administrators/Parents - Compiled by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Safe Environment Office

March 2021

Information on Platforms Being Used by Kids and Teens

Safety Center for Parents - TikTok

Parents' Ultimate Guide to TikTok - commonsensemedia.org - Is TikTok safe? How does it work? And can I do a duet with my kid? Everything you need to know about this popular musical singing and sharing app.

Parent’s Guide to TikTok - ConnectSafely

5 Things Parents Need to Know about Tik-Tok (Updated 2021) - Kids Matter Counseling

Secret Society 123: Understanding the Language of Self-Harm on Instagram - US National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health - This is a technical report - HOWEVER, the methods and conclusions sections provide very good information and examples for parents.  Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) content is present on social media and may influence adolescents.  Instagram is a popular site among adolescents in which NSSI-related terms are user-generated as hashtags (words preceded by a #).  These hashtags may be ambiguous and thus challenging for those outside the NSSI community to understand.  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the meaning, popularity, and content advisory warnings related to ambiguous NSSI hashtags on Instagram. 

FOR PARENTS - Helping your teen navigate Instagram safely - Instagram

Parent’s Guide to Instagram - ConnectSafely

How to Set up Instagram Parental Controls - Lifewire - Restrict Instagram sensitive content and keep your kids safer

What Every Parent Needs to Know About Instagram Safety - Good Housekeeping - These smart tips from Instagram's Parent Safety panel will help your kids make better choices.

Good Digital Parenting - Family Online Safety Institute - The Family Online Safety Institute is an international, non-profit organization which works to make the online world safer for kids and their families.  The Family Online Safety Institute brings a unique, international perspective to the potential risks and harms, as well as the rewards, of our online lives

Resources on Technology

How to Protect your Children from Online Predators - Cyberwise

Online safety, YouTube, What Are Kids (Really) Doing Online? - Cyberwise - Do you want to know what kids are really doing online? Then you need to watch this video. Then you need to check out this website: www.cyberwise.org

Safe Web Surfing: Top Tips for Kids and Teens Online - WatchWellCast - Would you ever walk into a giant arena full of strangers and make it rain postcards with your phone number and home address? No? Then what are you doing publishing those details online, where anyone in the WORLD can access them?

Wild About Safety with Timon and Pumbaa: Safety Smart® Online - Disney Educational Productions

EDU in 90: Online Safety with Be Internet Awesome - Google for Education

5 Tips to Keep Your Child Safe On The Internet - Hampton Primary School

Online safety: Staying safe online - Discovery Education UK

Pastoral Guidelines for use of technology resources in English. - Diocese of Orange

Pastoral Guidelines for use of technology resources in Spanish. - Diocese of Orange