Are you worried about your child's social media use? Here’s some expert advice on phone settings

The most visible sources of unwanted and harmful content are social media channels such as Tiktok, Instagram and YouTube. Content may also be shared with and between children through a variety of messaging services, such as WhatsApp, Discord, Telegram and Signal, as both links and screenshots. Omegle – a video chat platform that was shut down a couple of years ago – has been in the public eye as a result of crimes committed on the platform. The platform connected two complete strangers. Unfortunately, video chat sites using the name Omegle are still available online.

So care must be taken to set the correct privacy settings for all interactive services used by children. It's a good idea to consider who can see your child's name, profile picture and whereabouts, or the content they share. And is it even necessary to link a picture to their profile? Who can contact your child through a particular service? It’s important to remember that some games also offer the possibility of interaction.

“When it comes to social media channels, parents should make sure that everyone in the family respects the age limits and terms that govern use of these services. DNA does not recommend the independent use of a smart device for children in primary school Grades 1 and 2 or younger. A phone watch, for example, is a safer solution for children, as it supports both independent mobility and communication with close friends and family,” says Jesse Kieksi, Head of Devices at DNA.

When used properly, a phone watch will prevent children from being exposed to harmful content on the internet, while enabling parents to track their location and allow them to communicate with only predefined friends and family members.

Having the same operating system for child and parent makes monitoring easier

However, if parents do decide to buy a smartphone for their child, they should make sure that the device is used properly. In the case of a smartphone, this means creating a user profile that allows parents to remotely monitor and limit their child’s screen time, and to restrict which apps and games they can use and download onto their device. This enables parents to limit their child's access to social media – as long as you remember that almost all internet content can be accessed through a web browser and not only through separate applications.

“Setting up your child's profile may seem like a bit of a hassle, but it's essential if you want your child to use their smartphone independently. When they’re first started up, most phones will ask you whether you’re setting up the device for yourself or for a child, and will guide you to make the right selections. You can also create your child's profile via the settings, for example, by first restoring the phone’s factory settings,” says Kieksi.

Usage restrictions are mainly managed through the Google Family Link app on Android phones or via the Family Sharing settings on iPhones. It’s a good idea for parents to give their child a phone that runs on the same operating system as their own phone, so that they can manage their child's user profile through their phone. This enables parents to provide better guidance, be more familiar with the characteristics of their child’s phone, and identify potential risks.

Open discussion is more important than settings

Protecting children from the harmful side of the internet and social media cannot be left to phone settings alone. It's a good idea to have regular conversations with your child about what they are doing online and in social media. Showing an interest in your child's use of the internet and social media will lower the threshold for them to tell you about any content that is bothering them.

"It's important to have an open discussion with your child about the kind of content they encounter on the internet. What are their friends talking about, and what's hot right now? Has your child received messages from strangers? Has your child encountered anything that seemed unusual? It's not enough to simply check whether everything’s fine on a regular basis – you also need to be genuinely interested in what's on your child's phone,” says Kieksi. 

For example, instead of banning the internet or social media altogether, you can encourage your child to play educational games or even play games together. Laughing with your child at age-appropriate memes creates an open relationship that fosters conversation and promotes your child's digital skills.

“The world of smartphones and the internet should be a shared experience for children and parents. Parents should be familiar with the services their children use, and use them both independently and together with their children. Most services have algorithms that show completely different content to different users, so browsing Instagram Reels or Tiktok yourself is unlikely to expose you to the same content as your child,” Kieksi points out.

Parents should also practice what they preach and pay attention to how they use their own phones in front of their children. It's important to remember that parents cannot make all the necessary restrictions using a phone's built-in features. For example, it may make sense to restrict the content that can be accessed through a web browser with the aid of a digital security service.

Media enquiries:

Jesse Kieksi, Head of Devices, DNA Plc, +358 44 044 9484, jesse.kieksi@dna.fi

DNA Corporate Communications, tel. +358 44 044 8000, communications@dna.fi