One of the most dangerous aspects of social media is that children can easily fall into the trap of comparison and competition. With platforms such as Instagram, which focus on appearance, children can be exposed to unrealistic societal standards of beauty and success. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and insecurity if they feel like they don’t measure up.

As parents, it is essential to have honest and open conversations with our kids about their tech use and what they're doing online. By fostering these conversations, we can empower our children, protect them from potential dangers, and guide them towards responsible digital citizenship.

Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, and its impact on children cannot be ignored. With the rise of cyberbullying, online predators, and harmful content, it is crucial to understand the laws that regulate children's social media use. In Utah, there are specific laws that make up the Social Media Regulation Act that address these issues

Is it me or does it seem like our parents had it easier than us?

According to the latest Pew Study on parenting, it appears that in fact, I’m not imagining it.

Parenting today is harder.

Why?

While the list is extensive, here are 4 reasons being a parent today is harder than it was when we grew up:

We are overwhelmed with information and advice

We have the world, literally in the palm of our hands at all times and can get answers to any question by literally just asking the device in our hands (or the one sitting on our kitchen counter).

If you're like most parents, you're probably monitoring your child's social media usage to some extent. But did you know that your child's usernames (and account bios) may be putting them at risk? Here are 4 ways that your child's social media usernames and account bios may be putting them at risk

We’ve all seen those messages on social media: “Don’t accept a friend request from me - my account has been hacked.”

Was that person’s account actually “hacked” though?

Hacking vs. Cloning

Hacking refers to the unauthorized access or manipulation of someone's computer system or account. Hackers may use a variety of techniques to gain access to an account, such as guessing a weak password, exploiting vulnerabilities

If you’re the parent of digital kids, you’ve probably had your share of “discussions” about their use of technology.

Most of the time it happens when you’re at your wits-end, as opposed to a time when you’re not pulling your hair out about something your kid did online.

The solution? Make sure you have a realistic Family Technology Plan.

Most of us communicate online daily, so it’s no surprise that our kids want to be a part of the digital world too.

One of the most frequently asked questions I hear from parents is: what’s the right age for my kid to start using technology and interact with others online?

There are few things children can do without their parents being worried about them. We are parents after all and worrying is in our DNA! As parents, you want to give your children the freedom to try new things, to find out who they are and what they like and dislike, but that also comes with some tumbles and falls along the way. While we can’t protect our children from every bump, bruise and bully, we can educate ourselves

Cyberbullying is bullying (seeking to harm, intimidate, or coerce someone) digitally. It takes place on digital devices (computers, tablets, phones) through texts, emails, apps, social media, forums, or games. Kids who are being cyberbullied are often bullied in person as well. Additionally, kids who are cyberbullied have a harder time getting away from the behavior.

Your kids have figured out an ingenious work-around both to circumvent the issue with the note not getting to the right person, as well as the issue of not getting caught passing notes.

Your digital persona matters when it comes to college admissions. If you're not already involved in the process, you ought to know that it's become sort of a competitive sport in it's own right. Parents and teens are doing everything they can to make sure that their application will stand out. In fact, the latest Kaplan survey of college admissions officers found that 66% said that an applicant's social media is FAIR GAME during the admissions process. What does that mean in practical terms for you/your teen? It means that you can no longer ignore the impact your teen's digital communication can have on their future.

When I discovered that what Snapchat actually created isn’t a parental control or monitoring tool but really fluff, rather than substantive change in terms of helping parents keep their kids safe online, it irked me.

The only thing this “family center” allows parents to do is see who their kid is friends with on the app and a list of who they’ve messaged in the last 7 days. In addition, the child has to voluntarily opt-in for parents to use the tool. Snapchat says they’ve designed it this way to encourage conversations between parents and kids about social media and using the app.

Social media gives us the opportunity to tell the world who we are and show ourselves in the way we want to be seen.

Think about what you post and ask yourself, “what does this photo/text/tweet, etc. say about me?” In the internet age, perception is reality and you aren’t going to get a chance to explain yourself or your post to all the people who see your post. They will never know what you posted was a meant as a joke or a misspelling or auto-correct led to a completely different post than what you originally intended it to be.

A thoughtfully-built LinkedIn profile allows your teen to take control of their own digital footprint and craft the professional narrative they want adult decision-makers (like college admissions officers or employers) to see when they search for them online, which will happen.

Like it or not, today’s culture demands that modern leaders are present and active on social media. Whether you’re ready to jump on the social media bandwagon, know that in the 21st century, CEOs:

• are the voice and face or their company;

• set the communication tone for the business;

• can increase employee engagement and company transparency when they appropriately use social media to communicate with their employees; and

• have the opportunity to increase the authenticity of their company’s brand when they know how to use social media to their advantage.

SOCIAL MEDIA IS USUALLY THE FIRST PLACE PEOPLE GO IF THEY’RE IN THE MARKET FOR A NEW JOB. IT’S A GREAT WAY TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU IN YOUR JOB SEARCH, SEE WHO’S HIRING, AND IN SOME CASES, EVEN APPLY FOR A JOB WITH A COUPLE OF CLICKS. WHILE SOCIAL MEDIA CAN HELP YOU FIND YOUR DREAM JOB, IT CAN ALSO HURT YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING THAT JOB IF YOU DON’T SPEND SOME TIME CONSIDERING YOUR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA USE.

A digital engagement policy outlines how your business intentionally chooses to position itself online. It should cover your brand attributes along with your vision and mission, plus guidelines for how your employees should communicate digitally, both internally with other employees and externally with customers and clients. It's more than just a social media policy, although it addresses appropriate social media communication practices.

There are some messages that must be delivered by the Chief which include things like: sale of the business, reduction in force, or your response to Covid-19. There are, however, some messages that just sound better when they come from your employees and can sound inauthentic when delivered by the CEO.

Letting the world know that you did your best for your employees during the COVID-19 pandemic stay-home orders is a message that should be told. Thinking about your employees and their needs IS good leadership and good business, but for the message to be received with authenticity, it’s in your best interest to permit your employees to promote it rather than you.

How has social media changed college admissions both from an admissions department perspective and an applicant’s perspective?

Most admissions departments look at social media as another tool in their arsenal to evaluate students during the admissions process. Some schools told me they regularly use students’ social media in their evaluation of potential candidates for admission while others said that while they don’t use it for most students, they do however use it for some.