Column: Parents or Platforms - Who's Raising You(th) Online?

I think it’s pretty obvious that social media platforms have a very big role in ensuring their platforms are safe. I don’t think this is just about one company or one situation, but more about how big tech handles responsibility in general. When accountability comes up, it really shows how these platforms choose to respond and whether safety is actually a priority or just something they say.

Recently, I’ve been seeing a lot of ads about Instagram “Teen” accounts where it’s presented as this perfect solution that keeps kids safe and keep their parents in the know. I’m sure that’s helpful, but I think even then that’s still the bare minimum. I feel that instead of being educated on the full picture of how teenagers really use social media and why it’s important to them, parents are advertised “safety” or “restrictive” measures. So honestly I don’t blame parents who feel left in the dark about it and express anger towards these big tech giants.

But at the same time, I do think it’s kind of 50/50. Social media platforms have a role and so do parents.

I feel that as someone who wasn’t always educated on social media usage, I never really found myself doing anything out of the ordinary other than over-scrolling.

A lot of the choices kids make online come from how they’re raised, what they’re taught, and how open communication is at home. That doesn’t mean big tech is off the hook either. They still hold a lot of responsibility.

And that leads me into saying how platforms can do better. I don’t really support how certain types of content, like adult content, are so visible and promoted, especially when it can create unrealistic expectations for younger users. I just don’t think that’s a great influence.

I do like the idea of accounts specifically for teens, but I think there should be additional resources added on top of that. There should be real tools built-in to encourage dialogue. For example instead of parents just tracking their kids’ online presence (this can lead to sneakiness), I think there should be communicative tools where children can ask their parents messages on the kind of content they are receiving and what it might mean.

Or maybe even something where kids can request the kind of content they want to see, like science, music, or dancing videos, and parents can approve it so the algorithm would cater to the child’s interest.

The best thing parents can do is to practice being open and understanding. It goes a lot further than just trying to monitor everything.

When it comes to big tech platforms, they should be more thoughtful about how their systems influence what young people see.