how-to-guides
Digital Tour Guide
1. How do you spend your time online?
This question can help shed light on what channels your kids are open to, what their interests are, what motivates and influences them. A good followup question would be, what do you share online? Many kids will share photos of themselves in profiles, where they live, what school they go to and their date of birth. This can make them easy targets for online predators and others who might mean them harm. This is also an opportunity to check if the apps, games and websites are age-appropriate.
2. What do you like about the influencers you follow?
This question will help sort out how kids build their social networks. This can also be followed up with, what if they are friends with your friends? If they are internet famous? An influencer? What if they are attractive? How do you decide who to let into your circle? Why would you allow someone to follow you?
3. How do you deal with a request from someone you don’t know?
This question is a good way to understand how your child practices social boundaries. Oftentimes predators and hackers set up fake social media accounts. The New York time reported that 5% (90 million) facebook accounts are fake. This can put your child at risk of a physical encounter with a predator as many newer apps automatically reveal the poster’s location when they’re used. This is a good way to discuss ways to discuss the risk and possible consequences of accepting requests from strangers.
4. Why would you do or not do a TikTok challenge?
Youths are strongly motivated by their sense of belonging. TikTok challenges can be a powerful way for them to connect through content creation and sharing. Discussing these common experiences with friends can be bonding in social settings. Discussing this sense with your child may help identify other ways to bond and challenge one another in social settings.
Benadryl challenge
Teens challenge each other to take large doses of Benadryl to trigger hallucinations.
Black out challenge
Teens are challenged to hold their breath until they pass out, can lead to brain damage and death.
Silhouette challenge
In this challenge, the person stands in the doorway seductively and dances. The backlit red light makes the person a shadow that shows off body lines. However, some of these videos we later edited that exposed body parts and posted online without the consent of the owner.
One Second of Internet Activity
5. Have you received a nude or dick pick?
This is an opportunity to discuss motivations for sharing explicit images. In many cases it can be flirting or a show of affection for a dating partner. It can be a result of peer pressure and impulsive behavior, while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The consequences include the picture being shared after a breakup, in sexploitation or in doxing.
6. Can you tell if an image or video real or fake? How?
An important online skill to learn is how to spot fake content. Whether it’s deceptive editing, where video has been edited and rearranged. (look out for time gaps and abrupt editing). One tool you can use to find the source is Google’s reverse image search to find other instances of the video posted online. Look for logos, credit or handles on the footage to find the original source.
7. What apps do you and your friends use?
This is another opportunity to learn what channels your kids are using to connect with one another. Common sense media has a list of best apps and app reviews on their website. Check to see what the chat features look like and if your child can accept friend requests from strangers.
8. How do you find gaming / music content?
This question is a good way to find out where kids get their information from. Is it social media? Friend recommendations? Spotify? Any other app? What genre do they listen to? What games do they like? What do they like about them?
9. How do you feel when you don’t have access to your device?
Does your teen know how to self-regulate? Are they aware when screen time is interfering too much with the rest of their lives? What tools do they have when they are feeling this way? Are there screen-free times built into their day?
10. How do you deal with digital drama?
Cases of cyberbullying can be deeply troubling and distressing for everyone involved, many teens who experience stressful social issues online don’t actually consider their experiences “cyberbullying.” Does your child know how to recognize drama and cyberbullying? Do they know how set boundaries and stay safe? Do they know how to take time out, and can they talk to you about what they are experiencing?
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