There is no single setting or rule that fits every family. Children use different devices, services and social spaces, and those services change. I find it more useful to start with a conversation about what a child is doing online, what feels difficult, and how they can ask for help.
A few questions to start with
- Which apps, games or sites does the child use, and what do they use them for?
- What personal information is appropriate to share in each place?
- What should they do if a message or interaction makes them uncomfortable?
- Who can they talk to without worrying that they will be blamed for asking?
- Are the device and account settings suited to this child and the way the service is being used?
Parental controls can be one part of a family’s approach, but the available settings differ by device, account and service. It is worth checking the current instructions for the exact products in use, then revisiting the settings as circumstances change. A control is not a substitute for a child knowing how to raise a concern and reach a trusted adult.
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection has a guide to parenting tweens and teens in the digital world. It is a useful place to continue reading; this page is a short starting point, not a complete safety plan.
This page began as notes for a possible Smart Tech for Real People topic. It is not a book announcement, and I may never publish a book about it. See the books currently available for confirmed titles.