Not prepared to give up the fight against your teenagers online just yet. Here’s some help!

<h2><strong>Some guide for winning back your teenagers</strong></h2>

<figure><img alt="teenagers on phones addiction, internet safety for teenagers" class="img-responsive" src="/Portals/0/AA_Mandeep/teenagers_girls_phone_look_like home.jpeg?ver=6GTkzWVZyFrP2_1tNGa96Q%3d%3d" style="margin: auto;" title="teenagers on phones addiction, internet safety for teenagers" />
<figcaption>Is there a parent anywhere who does not recognise this?</figcaption>
</figure>

<p>Keeping teenagers safe online has always been tricky. COVID19 made the problem even more concerning, with teenagers forced into schooling under lockdown. The dangers; </p>

<ul>
<li>Non-communication, sulkiness</li>
<li>Aggression, physical or otherwise</li>
<li>Phone addiction & total overuse</li>
<li>Internet safety disregarded completely</li>
</ul>

<p>Kids learn. socialise, game and shop online. Skills they need for a lifetime, the internet is a learned habit. When it comes to internet safety, and your teen's online behaviour, we are delighted to share a couple of simple guidelines. </p>

<ul>
<li>Engage don't prohibit</li>
<li>Arguments over gaming. If it gets physical you are not the first.</li>
<li>It is your home, should be your rules, you are the parent</li>
<li>Where & Why did they get this expectation of privacy?</li>
<li>The internet is a learned habit</li>
<li>Most worrisome for parents are; Sexting, Bullying, Exclusion</li>
</ul>

<h4>Apps Teens use and like;</h4>

<p><strong>Instagram</strong><br />
<strong>TikTok</strong><br />
<strong>YouTube</strong><br />
<strong>Snapchat</strong><br />
<strong>Twitter</strong><br />
<strong>Whatsapp</strong><br />
<strong>Multiplayer video games</strong></p>

<h4><strong>Instagram</strong></h4>

<p>is a social media app for posting images, videos or live feeds in various formats with text and hashtags like #fyi #fyp #bieber Instagram has private or public account options. Public accounts will get shared with others usually based on #hashtags Ronaldo, Arianna Grande are the two largest Instagram accounts. Back with Manchester United now, Ronaldo has 360 million Instagram followers. Private posts will only be shared with friends.</p>

<p><strong>Pros: </strong>Inspirational, creative</p>

<p><strong>Cons:</strong>  Promote unrealistic ideas of what’s real or normal. For example, It has recently come to light that Facebook knows that Instagram causes young girls and women body images server and has no plan to deal with it.</p>

<figure><img alt="teenagers on phones addiction, internet safety for teenagers, teenagers use tiktok" class="img-responsive" src="/Portals/0/AA_Mandeep/tiktok_teenagers_everywhere_800_400.jpeg?ver=00BmzR3QRbj65fJBL26VDA%3d%3d" style="margin: auto;" title="teenagers on phones addiction, internet safety for teenagers, teenagers use tiktok" />
<figcaption>TikTok, loved by everyone especially teenagers. Wouldn't it be great if teenagers used TikTok less?</figcaption>
</figure>

<h4><strong>TikTok</strong></h4>

<p>Owned by the Chinese company, Bytedance, TikTok has expanded from its original young girl audience to worldwide use by literally everyone. Originally Musical.ly in Europe & America, it became part of the TikTok social media app in 2019 when TikTok took it over. Now a worldwide sensation, it has been slow to assure parents and users that it cares about user wellbeing. However, in January, the US arm announced that new users aged 13-16 years of age would be set to private</p>

<p><strong>Pros: </strong>Easy to use, Great fun, people can shoot and upload video usually shortish with caption.</p>

<p><strong>Cons: </strong>Need to be super careful when using first, as the highest-rated, most viral content will be shown first as the TikTok engine figure out your interests</p>

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<h4><strong>YouTube</strong></h4>

<p>YouTube, the video-sharing site. With teens, make-up tutorial videos, video game demonstrations, singing and music videos all have huge popularity. YouTube Influencers cause </p>

<ul>
<li>Fake news</li>
<li>Profanity, No fact-checking</li>
<li>Overly commercial, overpriced merchandise </li>
<li>Overly promoted by YouTube</li>
</ul>

<p><em>Check some of the FIFA Youtube for examples</em></p>

<p><strong>Pros:</strong> Educational, Instructional and entertaining videos. The world biggest jukebox and how-to manual.</p>

<p><strong>Cons: </strong>YouTube has too many adverts, little viewer discretion, an overreliance on its recommendations algorythm as it tries to keep up with TikTok and Instagram. Learn more about our <b><strong>Internet Safety Talks for</strong> </b><strong><a href="https://besecureonline.co.uk/Expert-Speakers/Internet-Safety-Talks-for-Teens"><span style="color:#3300ff;">Teenagers</span></a></strong></p>

<h4><strong>Snapchat</strong></h4>

<p>Snapchat lets you take a photo or short video – with the option of many fun face-recognition filters – to your friends. The video/photo then deletes itself straight after being viewed.</p>

<p><em>Snapchat has lots of funny face-recognition filters that let you send funny selfies</em></p>

<p><strong>Pros:</strong> It makes video and picture sharing easy and means the content doesn’t fill up memory on everyone’s phones.</p>

<p><strong>Cons:</strong> If any content is bullying or inappropriate, it can delete itself before the recipient gets the chance to report it.</p>

<h4><strong>Sexting</strong></h4>

<p>We cover sexting a lot in our <strong><a href="https://besecureonline.co.uk/Expert-Speakers/Internet-Safety-Talks-for-Teens"><span style="color:#3300ff;">online safety talks</span></a></strong>, however, we have a couple of excellent articles <span style="color:#3300ff;"><strong>here. </strong></span>Sexting is poisonous and if your teenager says everyone is doing it, that is not true. Everyone might say that, but it is not true.  Sexting needs to be tackled had on with real life-changing consequences explained, schools and parents find it very hard to do. <strong><a href="https://besecureonline.co.uk/Contact"><span style="color:#3300ff;">Contact us</span></a></strong></p>

<h4><br />
<strong>Twitter</strong></h4>

<p>The message posting site that gave birth to social media. we wouldn't bother covering it except it was the first one. Teenagers share memes, jokes etc.  If you have a public account you can share your posts more widely by using hashtags, or you keep your posts private too.</p>

<p><strong>Pros:</strong> Share news and opinions, and find out what others are saying too.</p>

<p><strong>Cons:  </strong>Exposed to a full range of content (good and bad) and since it’s public, their posts may receive comments from strangers</p>

<figure><img alt="teenagers on phones addiction, internet safety for teenagers, whatsApp, social media" class="img-responsive" src="/Portals/0/AA_Mandeep/whatsApp_800_400.jpeg?ver=L4oU0Alfp7F0YfAZ0C02xg%3d%3d" style="margin: auto;" title="teenagers on phones addiction, internet safety for teenagers, whatsApp, social media" />
<figcaption>In our school internet safety talks. We are always amazed how much kids use and rely on WhatsApp</figcaption>
</figure>

<h4><strong>Whatsapp</strong></h4>

<p>One of the most popular Apps for securely, privately messaging – one-to-one and in groups. Messages are “end-to-end encrypted”, which means they’re private. In our school internet safety talks which you can book <strong><a href="https://besecureonline.co.uk/Book-Expert-Speaker"><span style="color:#3300ff;">here</span></a></strong>. We are always amazed how much kids use and rely on WhatsApp</p>

<p><strong>Pros: </strong>Quick and easy, works on pretty much everything</p>

<p><strong>Cons: </strong>Can be addictive, especially if they’re in any active group chats.</p>

<h4><strong>Multiplayer video games – Xbox, Playstation, Minecraft, Fortnite etc.</strong></h4>

<p>Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite, League of Legends, Grand theft Auto are popular with lots of teens, adults, and everyone else. Video games linked to the internet let you play with people from anywhere else in the world on public servers. Remember for primary school-aged gamers we say no public server or very least no headphones</p>

<p><strong>Pros:</strong> State-of-the-art gaming is great fun and is creative, educational. Instant messaging, chat options make them very social.</p>

<p><strong>Cons:</strong> It’s possible to play with and chat with people who they don’t know.</p>

<p>So these are the main platforms that teens spend their time on at the moment. But what are the main risks? With teens, once you’re aware of the dangers, the most effective way to protect them is to keep on their backs.  Screaming, shouting, manic aggression and that's just you and on occasion some old fashioned kicking and punching. </p>

<h4><strong>Limiting phone usage enforces your authority.</strong></h4>

<p>It is that important for your teen to see you as the authority in your home. Teens who do not feel like there are consequences for their actions will often act out and try riskier behaviours to get their parents’ attention. Setting a limit on phone use for teens, laying very concrete ground rules, and making sure they are followed, is an easy way to enforce you as the rule maker.</p>

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<h4 class="mb-none"><strong>Articles of Interest</strong></h4>

<section>
<p>Articles, links and connections from the BeSecureOnline site you might find interesting.    </p>
</section>
</div>
</div>
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</section>

<p>Article about <strong><a href="https://www.besecureonline.co.uk/Blog/entryid/51/internet-safety-building-the-right-online-reputation" target="_blank"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Online Reputation</span></a><span style="color:#3333ff;">.</span></strong><br />
<br />
Need to know - <strong><a href="https://www.besecureonline.co.uk/Blog/entryid/60/snapchat-safety-guidelines-what-parents-need-to-know"><span style="color:#6633ff;">Snapchat</span></a></strong><a href="https://www.besecureonline.co.uk/Blog/entryid/60/snapchat-safety-guidelines-what-parents-need-to-know"><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"> </span></strong></a></p>

<p>Let's talk about <strong><a href="https://besecureonline.co.uk/Blog/entryid/79/lets-talk-about-sexting"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Sexting</span></a></strong></p>

<h4><b>Articles of Interest</b></h4>

<p><b><strong>Found a naked picture of your teen on <a href="https://besecureonline.co.uk/Blog/entryid/112/when-parents-find-naked-picture-of-their-teen-on-snapchat"><span style="color:#3300ff;">his/her phone</span></a></strong></b></p>

<p><strong><strong>Facebook says kids with </strong><a href="https://besecureonline.co.uk/Blog/entryid/103/if-your-teen-has-several-thousand-followers-she-will-get-bullied-mark-zuckerburg-founder-facebook">1<span style="color:#3300ff;">000s of followers get bullied</span></a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Internet Safety – Protecting Your Teenagers</strong> <strong><a href="https://besecureonline.co.uk/Blog/entryid/51/internet-safety-protecting-your-teenagers-online-reputation-and-identity"><span style="color:#3300ff;">Online Reputation and identity</span></a></strong></p>

<h4><br />
<b><b>Handy Connec</b>t<b>ions</b><br />
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<p><b>Setting up the right <strong><a href="https://besecureonline.co.uk/Information/Parental-Control/Social-Media-Profile-for-children"><span style="color:#3300ff;">Social Media Profile</span></a></strong></b></p>

<p><b>Low-Cost <strong><a href="https://www.besecureonline.co.uk/Buy-Now/Product-Detail/norton-360"><span style="color:#3300ff;">Norton 360 Premium</span> </a></strong><br />
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Gamers – You need<strong> <a href="https://www.besecureonline.co.uk/Buy-Now/Product-Detail/nord-vpn-one-month"><span style="color:#3300ff;">Nord VPN</span></a></strong></b></p>