Joining me on this week's episode of the podcast is Chris Williams, the owner of a digital agency, and Vice President of the Parenting Matters’ Board of Directors. Chris is an expert on all things social media, and he is here to share some internet safety tips for parents. Learn about how children today are engaging in social media, such as finstas and secret facebook groups. His biggest takeaway for parents is to always make a point to regularly communicate with your children, and to fully explain to them the dangers of the internet. A “do as I say” approach is not what is best when it comes to keeping our kids safe online. It is best to give children a thorough and honest understanding of the dangers that exist on the internet. As mentioned in the podcast, Chris has added some points below for you to consider when thinking about YOUR child's social media presence. Kids are on social platforms, deal with it. Even with the right parenting and parental controls - Kids lead secret lives on social media. What parents need to watch out for Finsta's Kik Facebook groups What can parents do about it? Keep an Open Dialogue With Your Children. Educate Children on the Risks of Social Media. Follow Age Requirement Guidelines. Set Ground Rules for Social Media Use. Stay Up to Date on Your Child's Privacy Settings. Consider Products That Help You Monitor Online Activity. Staying safe on social media (What to teach your kids to watch out for) What FB and IG and other social platforms can do to self esteem While social media is sometimes touted to combat loneliness, a significant body of research suggests it may have the opposite effect. By triggering comparison with others, it can raise doubts about self-worth, potentially leading to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Remember, we always want to hear from you. If you have anything to say on this or any other subject, just email us at info@parentingmattersfl.org and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.