(I polled a few students and young people up to age 25 this is what I discovered. Feel free to let me know about other super-popular apps!)
SNAPCHAT: How to access: download onto device Age Limit: Snapchat allows children age 13 and up to create an account Cool stuff: Users can create funny pictures, connect with friends, share stories for up to 24 hours, and follow celebrities and anyone else Beware: Users get the impression that pictures go away after a brief moment. But someone who sees this "moment" can easily screenshot the picture. NOTHING on the internet is completely secure. Location can also be easily shared with other users. According to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 2020, there is a medium risk for: sexuality, violence, hatred, suicide, self-harm, drink, drugs, and crime; and a high risk for bullying. Suggestions: Go to the gear icon and change the setting to "Ghost Mode" to disallow your kid's location to be seen. monitor use of the app and any picture gallery, talk to your kid about what (s)he sees/posts.
INSTAGRAM: How to access: download onto device, app accesses camera and audio Age Limit: Instagram allows children age 13 and up to create an account Cool stuff: Users can share pictures and videos, send messages, share and watch "stories", and follow celebrities and anyone else Beware: NOTHING on the internet is completely secure. According to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 2020, there is a medium risk for: violence, hatred, suicide, self-harm, drink, drugs, and crime; and a high risk for sexuality and bullying. Suggestions: Go to the user icon, the three lines, and then the settings icon to change the account to Private. This makes it so that only people you approve can view your photos and videos. As always, monitor use of the app and any picture gallery, talk to your kid about what (s)he sees/posts.
TIKTOK: How to access: download onto device, app accesses camera and audio Age Limit: TikTok requires that users be at least 13 years old to use the full TikTok experience, although there is a way for younger kids to access the app. Anyone under the age of 18 must have approval of a parent or guardian -- but there are plenty of young tween users. Cool stuff: Users can share pictures and videos, send messages, share and watch "stories", and follow celebrities and anyone else Beware: NOTHING on the internet is completely secure. TikTok accounts are automatically public, meaning other people can see all your public content. According to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 2020, there is a medium risk for: violence, hatred, suicide, self-harm, sexuality and bullying; and a high risk for drink, drugs, and crime. Suggestions:In the profile settings, you can change an account to private, which means your child can only receive direct messages and comments from their ‘followers’ - people they’ve pre-approved. Be aware that even with a private account, any fellow TikTok users can still see their username, profile picture and bio. Have a conversation about what information would be appropriate for them to share. TikTok has a youth portal designed for people to learn how to stay safe on the internet and about the app's settings.
Starting conversations about social media: Why do you like that app? What kinds of videos are there? Which parts of the app are great? Which parts are annoying? Where should we place the charger for the device when it is not in use? (I suggest avoiding keeping it in a bedroom. It can interrupt sleep and lead to "always on" mode, not leaving time for quiet thinking, family interaction, or SLEEP. ) What times of day might be best to set aside for using the apps? What times of day would be best for family power-down? How do people use this app appropriately? How does it get used inappropriately? What is a great way to encourage people and self through this app? What is an unacceptable use of the app? What activities are fun without social media and electronics? What activities are made better with social media and electronics? How can we develop a plan to talk about "uncomfortable" topics if they come up online or in real life (IRL)?