Maximizing Parental Control Over Social Media

Many people say that this is the “social media” era. The world has become a place where everything is influenced by social media. No one can underestimate its grasp. What is good about social media is the easy proliferation of information. However, the bad side is how this information will be used. Everyone has the responsibility to use information for good causes.

Speaking of bad side, when children are being exposed to social media, they tend to overdo it especially without parental guidance. Many Singaporean parents are showing concern. With this, it is important that you think about maximizing your parental control over social media. How will you do this? First, you have to curb their usage of the most popular social media platform on earth – Facebook.

Here is a guide in restricting Facebook access to your children’s smartphones:

On their iPhones

If your children have iPhones, you have to know everything about it. Do not let your kids know more than you do because if that is the case, they will simply adjust the restriction and you will end up just fooling yourself.

Go to “Settings” under the “General” section. Look for the “Restrictions” button and then choose “Enable Restrictions” (this is just on top of the screen). Once you are here, do not be surprised as you will be prompted to set up 4-digit passcode. Slide the button to “Off”. If you do not want your children to install Facebook, just tap the “Installing Apps” to “Off”.

On their Android

If your children are using Android phones, you can also restrict Facebook access. You just need to open the “Google Play Store”. Look for the “Application Settings” and then set PIN for purchases. This is effective as your child cannot install apps that you do not approve (in this case including Facebook).

If you want to make sure, you can choose to avail an app that has the power to lock or block other apps. At the end of the day it is your choice.

Note that the tips provided above are for smartphones. What will happen if your children are out and you cannot monitor their usage in school or other places? The best thing that you can do is to explain why you need to restrict or curb their usage. You need to teach your children how to behave safely and appropriately on the internet regardless of the platform they use so whether you are there or not, they will know how to handle it.