By Distributel
We’ve spoken about the actual parental tools you can use on Instagram. Now, let’s discuss some more general safety tips for Instagram.
If you don’t want to do the full parental tool thing, it’s still a good idea to follow your teen and see what they’re posting. You won’t see their DMs or anything private, but you will see how they’re presenting themselves to the world.
By the same token, following your teen’s friends is a bit like getting to know them in real life. It’s a good idea so long as you don’t cramp their style too much.
Okay, bear with us for a second. Some teens (and young adults) keep two Instagram accounts. They have their primary account, which is the rinsta—that is, the “real insta.” This is where they post their carefully curated pictures and reels. Then there’s the secondary, secret account, which is the finsta—that is, the “fake insta.” This is where they post more candid, less curated stuff to a small group of followers, typically their real-life group of friends. You may be thinking that we’ve gotten these labels backwards, but no, we haven’t. But authenticity on social media is a big topic for another time, so let’s breeze past it.
What does this mean for you as a parent? Well, it’s good information to know that your teen may have a second, secret Instagram out there. It’s also worth noting that teens feel the need to carve out a space to be freer and more themselves on social media. You should also note that sometimes secret Instagram accounts are where bullying starts.
This is not to say that all teens who have two (or more) Instagram accounts are bad or that all secret accounts are bad. Far from it. But it’s something to be aware of.
Instagram can be a venue for bullying. What is bullying? If an action is repeated and unwanted, it can be considered bullying. Cyberbullying is just the online version.
Bullying gets complicated fast. Sometimes a bully may not think of or admit that what they’re doing is bullying. Sometimes a victim of bullying by one person can go on to bully another. And sometimes, when two or more teens get into a conflict, it can seem to one party like they’re the victim and the other is the bully when in reality they’re both contributing to the conflict.
So what can you do as a parent? There are many tools to help prevent bullying on Instagram, including blocking, muting, and reporting accounts. But beyond that, the remedy for bullying on Instagram involves having open lines of communication with your teen. This will ensure they understand how to ask for help, realize how their actions affect others, and make sure they know what kinds of responses are smart and what kinds are not. Sounds tough? Well, it can be! Social media can be a challenging space for teens, but you’re there as a source of safety and advice.
Social media can be a vector for scams of all kinds. Unfortunately, teens make great targets for these scams, mainly because they think of themselves as sophisticated internet users, which they are—but that isn’t the same as being able to detect a scam.
What should you look for? Beware of fake celebrity or influencer accounts running contests. Beware of romance scams or sextortion scams. Online shopping scams, where users are directed to a fake online store, and accounts offering gaming items are also frequent scams targeting teens.
Sometimes social media use, particularly Instagram, can fuel body-image issues in teens. This is another complicated problem, but you can help. First, make sure your teen isn’t following pages that overtly promote negative or unrealistic body standards. Second, look for more body-positive accounts or accounts that highlight real versus fake images on Instagram. Finally, help your teen know when it’s time to take a break from social media.