It’s
no
secret
that
when
it
comes
to
social
networks,
teen
preferences
can
change
dramatically
from
year
to
year.
That
holds
with
Twitter.
Even
though
the
social
network
has
seen
a
dip
in
use
overall,
Twitter
has
proven
its
staying
power
among
certain
communities,
and
that
includes
teens.
According
to
a
2022
Pew
Center
Study,
23
percent
of
teens
online
use
Twitter
(down
from
33
percent
in
2014-15).
Because
of
Twitter’s
loyal
fanbase,
it’s
important
for
tweeting
teens
as
well
as
parents,
and
caregivers
to
understand
how
to
engage
safely
on
the
fast-moving
platform.
What
do
kids
do
on
Twitter?
Many
teens
love
the
public
aspect
of
Twitter.
They
see
it
as
a
fun
place
to
connect
with
friends
and
stay
up
to
date
on
sports,
school
news,
memes,
online
trends
and
challenges,
and
popular
culture.
However,
because
the
platform’s
brief,
140–280-word
format
is
so
distinct
from
other
popular
networks
such
as
TikTok,
YouTube,
and
Snapchat,
the
online
etiquette
and
ground
rules
for
engagement
are
also
distinct.
As
fun
as
Twitter
content
is
to
share
and
consume,
the
platform
still
comes
with
hidden
risks
(as
do
all
social
networks).
Here’s
a
guide
to
help
your
family
understand
safe
Twitter
use
and
still
have
fun
on
this
unique
social
network.
1.
Think
Before
You
Tweet
This
is
likely
one
of
the
most
important
phrases
you
can
convey
to
your
child
when
it
comes
to
using
Twitter.
Every
word
shared
online
can
have
positive
or
negative
repercussions.
Twitter’s
fast-moving,
ticker-like
feed
can
tempt
users
to
underestimate
the
impact
of
an
impulsive,
emotionally
charged
tweet.
Words—digital
words
especially—can
cause
harm
to
the
reputation
of
the
person
tweeting
or
to
others.
For
this
reason,
consider
advising
your
kids
to
be
extra
careful
when
sharing
their
thoughts
or
opinions,
retweeting
others,
or
responding
to
others’
tweets.
We
all
know
too
well
that
content
shared
carelessly
or
recklessly
online
can
affect
future
college
or
career
opportunities
for
years
to
come.
2.
Protect
Personal
Privacy
There’s
little
more
important
these
days
than
protecting
your
family’s
privacy.
Every
online
risk
can
be
traced
to
underestimating
the
magnitude
of
this
single
issue.
It’s
never
too
early
or
too
late
to
put
the
right
tools
in
place
to
protect
your
family’s
privacy
online.
While
Twitter
has
privacy
and
reporting
features
designed
to
protect
users,
it’s
wise
to
add
a
comprehensive
identity
and
privacy
protection
solution
to
protect
your
family’s
devices
and
networks.
Kids
get
comfortable
with
their
online
communities.
This
feeling
of
inclusion
and
belonging
can
lead
to
oversharing
personal
details.
Discuss
the
importance
of
keeping
personal
details
private
online
reminding
your
kids
to
never
share
their
full
name,
address,
phone
number,
or
other
identity
or
location-revealing
details.
This
includes
discerning
posting
photos
that
could
include
signage,
school
or
workplace
logos,
and
addresses.
In
addition,
advise
family
members
not
to
give
away
data
just
because
there’s
a
blank.
It’s
wise
to
only
share
your
birthday
month
and
day
and
keep
your
birth
year
private.
3.
(Re)Adjust
Account
Settings
When
is
the
last
time
you
reviewed
social
media
account
settings
with
your
child?
It’s
possible
that,
over
time,
your
child
may
have
eased
up
on
their
settings.
Privacy
settings
on
Twitter
are
easy
to
understand
and
put
in
place.
Your
child’
can
control
their
discoverability,
set
an
account
to
be
public
or
private,
and
protect
their
tweets
from
public
search.
It’s
easy
to
filter
out
unwanted
messages,
limit
messages
from
people
you
don’t
follow,
and
limit
who
can
see
your
Tweets
or
tag
you
in
photos.
It’s
also
possible
to
filter
the
topics
you
see.
4.
Recognize
Cyberbullying
Respecting
others
is
foundational
to
engaging
on
any
social
network.
This
includes
honoring
the
beliefs,
cultures,
traditions,
opinions,
and
choices
of
others.
Cyberbullying
plays
out
in
many
ways
on
Twitter
and
one
of
those
ways
is
by
subtweeting.
This
vague
form
of
posting
is
a
form
of
digital
gossip.
Subtweeting
is
when
one
Twitter
user
posts
a
mocking
or
critical
tweet
that
alludes
to
another
Twitter
user
without
directly
mentioning
their
name.
It
can
be
cruel
and
harmful.
Discuss
the
dangers
of
subtweeting
along
with
the
concept
of
empathy.
Also,
encourage
your
child
to
access
the
platform’s
social
media
guidelines
and
know
how
to
unfollow,
block,
and
report
cyberbullies
on
Twitter.
5.
Monitor
Mental
Health
Maintaining
a
strong
parent-child
bond
is
essential
to
your
child’s
mental
health
and
the
first
building
block
of
establishing
strong
online
habits.
Has
your
child’s
mood
suddenly
changed?
Are
they
incessantly
looking
at
their
phone?
Have
their
grades
slipped?
An
online
conflict,
a
risky
situation,
or
some
type
of
bullying
may
be
the
cause.
You
don’t
have
to
hover
over
your
child’s
social
feeds
every
day,
but
it’s
important
to
stay
involved
in
their
daily
life
to
support
their
mental
health.
If
you
do
monitor
their
social
networks,
be
sure
to
check
the
tone
and
intent
of
comments,
captions,
and
replies.
You
will
know
bullying
and
subtweeting
when
you
see
it.
6.
Highlight
Responsibility
We
love
to
quote
Spiderman’s
uncle
Ben
Parker
and
remind
families
that
“with
great
power
comes
great
responsibility”
because
it
sums
up
technology
ownership
and
social
media
engagement
perfectly.
The
more
time
kids
spend
online,
the
more
comfortable
they
can
become
and
the
more
lapses
in
judgment
can
occur.
Consider
discussing
(and
repeating
often)
that
social
media
isn’t
a
right,
it’s
a
privilege
that
carries
responsibility
and
consequences.
7.
Know
&
Discuss
Risks
The
FBI
estimates
there
are
approximately
500,000
predators
active
online
each
day
and
that
they
all
have
multiple
profiles.
Anonymous,
catfish,
and
fake
accounts
abound
online
wooing
even
the
savviest
digital
native
into
an
unsafe
situation.
Engaging
on
any
social
network
can
expose
kids
to
a
wide
array
of
possible
dangers
including
scammers,
catfishes,
and
predators.
Scams
and
predator
tactics
continue
to
get
more
sophisticated.
For
this
reason,
it’s
important
to
candidly
talk
about
online
predator
awareness
and
the
ever-evolving
tactics
bad
actors
will
go
to
deceive
minors
online.
Twitter
continues
to
attract
tweens
and
teens
who
appreciate
its
brevity
and
breaking
news.
While
navigating
online
safety
and
social
media
can
be
daunting
for
parents,
it’s
critical
to
stay
engaged
with
your
child
and
understand
their
digital
life.
By
establishing
an
open
flow
of
communication
and
regularly
discussing
privacy
and
appropriate
online
behavior,
you
can
create
a
culture
of
openness
in
your
family
around
important
issues.
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