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| Trends in Digital Usage |
Did You Know?
· 50% of teens admitted to being addicted to their mobile devices (Focus on the Family)
· The average age of a person owning a smart phone is 10.3
· 60% of teens are being asked to take images of themselves, 40% go on to do so, 20-25% send the message on (digital parenting)
· 95% of social media users report witnessing cyber-bullying (Focus on the Family)
· Some teens have apps called ghost apps that mask themselves as innocent apps (like a calculator) which are really apps you don’t want them to have.
· Password-protected apps keep parents out of certain apps with password protection
· Teens may name a folder something innocent to keep you from looking at the apps inside that folder
· Apps can be hidden from appearing on the screen (iPhone)
· Some teens may receive a device for getting online from a peer to keep you from watching what they are doing
· 41% of Tiktok users are between the ages of 16 and 24.
· Unlike Snapchat, apps like WhatsApp, YikYak, and Kik don’t ask for a phone number verification in order to sign up
About Tiktok
As long as apps are being developed and released there will always be a new one that teens want to have like their peers. Tik Tok just happens to be the newest one. It has been downloaded over 1.5 billion times globally. That’s more times than Facebook and Instagram.
Good
· Hours of entertaining videos to pass time.
· I’ve seen youth leaders use it for fundraisers for good causes like Rescue Freedom International.
· Adults wanting to reach teens can use it as a way to relate to the youth they work with.
Bad
· Content is mostly questionable morally.
· Privacy settings are weak at best.
· Restricted mode that is designed to filter out inappropriate content doesn’t do a great job.
· Pedophiles can mask themselves as a teen and use the app to gain access to your teen.
An NBC news report said that “[A woman’s] 8 year-old daughter was playing with an 11 year-old friend and asked if she could borrow [her] phone. The two girls downloaded Tiktok and posted three videos of themselves. ‘In a matter of an hour, she has 20 followers, all men, and they were starting to make comments…’”
What Can You Do?
· Don’t allow your teen to have a phone/computer/social media account. For more realistic actions, see below:
· Know your teen’s brain is still developing
| Brain researchers say that the human brain isn’t fully developed until about age 27. The last part to develop is the part that knows the difference from right and wrong We still don’t know all the implications from cell phone use but early studies show that it is actually changing the structure of the human brain. |
· Set limits on digital media usage, both digitally and verbally.
· To find hidden apps: Go to the app store, tap “updates” then “purchased” and select “all” (iPhone) or go to “my files,” “internal storage,” tap on the three dots on the top right corner, “settings,” “show hidden files” (android)
· To view present and past apps go to the app store, tap “updates,” then “purchased” and select all (iPhone) or go to the play store, tap the three horizontal lines on the top left, click on “my apps and games,” and “library” (Android)
· Talk openly and honestly with your teen about why they want the latest app (preferably without anger)
· Talk with your teen about being a good friend (sometimes this means to tell an adult when they see something inappropriate)
· Join the latest social media app your teen wants yourself so you can see what the hype is all about.
· Keep your child’s settings set to the most private settings allowed.
· Remind your teen not to share any personal information.
· Do not allow them to share their password with anyone, including friends. Make sure it is unique and somewhat difficult
· Notice changes in behaviors.
· Create a contract (a sample one can be found at: https://www.teensafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/170216-Smartphone-Contract-1.pdf
· Do something outside!!!
Outdoor activities release endorphins and other neurotransmitters in your brain making you feel happy. This is similar to the drug morphine, but it is actually good for you!
· Use parenting controls
Parenting Controls
· For iPhone users, the new operating system, iOS 11, has some great parent controls
· Netsanity: $60/year for 1 device. Notifies you when an app has been installed, you can block apps, block when the phone can be used for bed time and homework time, block games. Can’t see what is being texted.
· Moment: Free. Tells how much time one is using on the phone. (iPhone)
· Break Free (same as above but for android)
· MM Guardian: $34.99/year for 1 device or $69.99 for the family plan. New app install alert, view all messages sent by or to your child.
· Forcefield: $11.99/month for 2 parents and 1 child and all computers and mobile devices ($3.99 each additional child). App sleeper function, notification when new apps are installed. Can’t see text message content.
· Qustodio: $54.95/year for 5 devices. Free version allows you to monitor which apps are being used when, and social media usage. Paid version allows you to view message content.
· Webwatcher: $129.95/year for 1 device. Allows you to see texts and deleted texts, photos, app usage, notifications of inbound messages on apps like Snapchat, Tinder, etc., view messages on Messenger, WhatsApp, and Kik.
· Mspy: $200/year for 1 device. Allows you to capture messages sent and received on Snapchat and others, view installed apps, and every photo and video captured on mobile device.
· Open DNS: Free. Filters content through your wireless router before it gets to any mobile device on your network.
· Covenant Eyes (or similar software). Alerts you to questionable sites your teen is logging onto.
· Bark. #1 parental control app. $5 or $`4 a month—depending on the plan you use.
Helpful Resources
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