By Carol Church, Writer, Family Album
Reviewed by Donna Davis, PhD, University of Oregon, Portland School of Journalism and Communication
Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Yikyak, ask.fm—the world of social media used by today’s tweens and teens is vast, and, to many parents, mysterious. It’s easy to feel concerned about what our kids may be up to out there in cyberspace. Bullying, or being bullied? Chatting with strangers? Sending photos that they really shouldn’t?
How Much to Monitor?
In light of these concerns, it may seem tempting to closely supervise Internet and device use through watchdog programs, checking social media profiles, etc. In fact, some experts do recommend at least some monitoring of teens’ social media, texts, and so on. Yet other parents may feel uncomfortable with this behavior, seeing it as an invasion of their child’s privacy. It’s a complex issue that can be hard to know how to manage.
If you’re struggling with this concern in your family, you may be interested in the results of a recent study of Israeli tweens and teens from ages 10-18. Researchers wanted to know how parents’ Internet rules affected young people’s actual behavior online. They also looked at the role of family closeness and the influence of friends.
Three Parenting Styles Examined
Scientists considered three potential ways that parents may handle this issue. In some cases, parents allowed exploration, but offer safety advice and guidance. Others were more active, installing programs that block certain sites and frequently checking and monitoring emails, texts, and social media profiles. A final group of parents had few or no restrictions on Internet use.
Monitoring Not Associated With Reduced Risk
So, how did parents’ practices relate to what young people did online? Contrary to what some might expect, these researchers found that tweens and teens whose parents most closely monitored and controlled their Internet use were actually more likely to be doing risky things online (like posting personal details or agreeing to meet a stranger).
Offering guidance didn’t seem to help much either. Tweens and teens whose parents used that strategy were no less likely to use poor judgement online than those whose parents had no restrictions.
Other Factors Played In
However, as is often the case, teens’ friends’ opinions did matter. For instance, students who believed their friends would think it was okay to post personal details, cyberbully, or meet up with a stranger were more likely to do those things themselves.
Was there any good news for parents? Yes—but it didn’t have anything to do with installing software on your computer. Young people who reported that their family was close, loving, and supportive were less likely to be involved in risky online behavior.
It’s possible that some of the parents in this study were watching closely because of past problems. And some moms and dads may simply feel that more observation and awareness is necessary in their particular families. However, these findings are in line with others that suggest that when parents of older children and teens stray into more intrusive monitoring and control, the results are often not positive. Adolescence is a time when young people strive for independence and work to establish their own identities. Parents may want to keep this in mind while prioritizing an open, positive, supportive, and trusting family life.
(Photo credit: IMG_1495 by CTEP Americorps. CC BY 2.0. Cropped.)
Further Reading
How Do I Monitor My Teen Online Without “Spying”?
15 Apps and Websites Kids Are Heading To After Facebook
Communication–Helping Your Child Through Early Adolescence
References:
Sasson, H., & Mesch, G. (2014). Parental mediation, peer norms and risky online behavior among
adolescents. Computers in Human Behavior, 33, 32-38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.12.025
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