The transition from school year into summer can be jarring for both parents and teenagers. Without structured days and after-school activities, adolescents are likely to spend even more time on the internet.
A 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that 95% of teens have a smartphone and nearly half say they are “almost constantly” online — YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat being the most popular platforms.
What are the risks of social media?
Teens are attracted to social media because it’s a key tool in maintaining friendships, exploring their identities and establishing social status with their peers by being “in the know.” It can also be a way to pursue hobbies and connect with people with similar interests and prevent feelings of isolation.
Despite these benefits, social media use also comes with clear risks that parents and caregivers should know about:
- Excessive scrolling and screen time can activate the reward system in the brain and lead to internet addiction.
- Frequent social media use among teens has been linked to poor academic performance and increased struggles with mental health and body image.
Extension specialist and assistant professor of family social science Avelina Rivero said teens often feel pressure to keep up with online trends or risk being rejected by their peers.
“Social media is a source of connection but can also be harmful because teens fall victim to constant comparison,” says Rivero. “It shapes how adolescents perceive themselves, so if your algorithm is only giving you a few kinds of body shapes, skin tones, hair texture, etc., it can really be damaging to your self-esteem.”
Five tips to help your teens develop healthy social media habits
- Talk to your kids about online citizenship: treating others with respect, avoiding bullying and being wary of online solicitation from strangers. Remind teens that once something is posted online, it is no longer private, even if they think it has been deleted.
- Be clear about what is unsafe to post. This includes sharing their full name, address, specific places they go, phone numbers, vacation plans or anything else that would help someone identify or locate them.
- Work with teens to choose appropriate settings for their social media accounts. Common Sense Media has parent guides that explain different apps and how to set privacy controls.
- Pay attention to any behavioral changes that might be related to internet use. Signs to watch for include secretiveness, spending increasing amounts of time on the internet, inappropriate sexual knowledge or sleeping problems.
- Check what your teen does online by regularly reviewing their web browsing history, social media profiles and messages. Avoid spying on them — invading their privacy does not set a good example and does not encourage them to be open and honest with you.
For more in-depth advice and information explore our guide on talking with your teen about social media.
Talking to teenagers about social media safety
Some parents may find it difficult to keep up with their kids who grew up as digital natives and never knew life without the internet. But teens can teach their caregivers a great deal about social media and technology.
This is a great opportunity to co-create family rules and expectations and interact with the teen as an expert, says Extension specialist and family social science professor Jodi Dworkin.
With two teenagers of her own at home, Dworkin understands well the challenges of maintaining health and safety in the face of ubiquitous digital devices.
“I have the luxury of talking to other parents for work, and I get really great ideas and perspectives on things others have tried.” Other parents can be an important source of information.
Dworkin advises parents to reflect and identify their specific concerns about their child’s online behavior and use them to guide the conversation. “We hear a lot about the dangers, but everyone is worried about different things; every kid is unique,” she says.
Raising digital citizens
Parents’ overarching goal should be modeling good habits and helping their children develop information literacy skills. “We want young people to safely navigate tech on their own. Trust your gut if something feels off,” says Dworkin. ”Understand that what you see online isn’t always real and be a critical consumer.”
Rivero advises parents and teens to consider social media as a highlight reel and not a documentary. “Social media literacy is learning how to critique and analyze images and content and understand that much of it is fake, edited, perfected, etc. People rarely show the messy parts of real life.”
Parent resources for all ages
Help kids at any age become responsible digital citizens with this guide developed by our extension educators.
PHOTO: Group of young people with mobile phones on the street. (Adobe Stock │ #167337080 – carballo)
