From the Scholastic Bookshelf: How to Talk to Your Child About Social Media

Today’s social media platforms make sharing personal moments so seamless that it’s easy to forget just how many people can see what we post — and that’s especially true for children. As much as social media can make us laugh or provide a self-esteem boost when we need it, there are enough detractors lurking in the shadows of feeds to reinforce negative values and influence thinking. Deciding how your child will participate in this ocean of voices is crucial to ensuring they stay surrounded by positive influences, online and off. 

For its 100th anniversary, Scholastic spoke with experts to identify a set of tips, articles, and books that make starting a conversation with your child about social media easier. These resources are part of a broader initiative, called the Scholastic Bookshelf, created for Instagram to raise awareness around contemporary issues affecting children today.

We’ve discussed online safety at Scholastic Bookshelf previously, including how companies track user behavior and how you can help your child be aware of their search activity. When you’re ready to discuss how your child interacts with others on social media, the resources below can be a helpful guide.

Making New Friends

Apps like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok allow users to be in many places at once and open avenues for dialogue with all sorts of new people. (As a parent, you may want to check your child’s app settings to see who they can connect with and who sees the content they post.) Making new friends online is easy, although the question of how those relationships serve your child is a topic worth discussing together.

In “Are Online Friends Real Friends?”, the editors of Scholastic Choices magazine ask readers whether friends made on apps hold the same weight as friends made in real life. That is, do we receive the same benefits from virtual connections as we do from in-person interactions? The question is sure to spark a lively discussion, as you and your child may take different sides in the debate.

Understanding Cancel Culture

Unfortunately, some of the connections made on social media are far from positive or for the collective good. In response to growing hate speech and the galvanization of hate-based organizations online, major app developers like Facebook and Twitter have taken significant steps to block the dissemination of hate messaging in recent years. But such sentiment still manages to evade the censors. 

The New York Times Upfront, a Scholastic newsmagazine, published “Is Social Media Fueling Hate?” to examine the growing call by the public to block hate speech on social media in the wake of the 2018 mass shooting at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Social media has enabled extremists to bring their message to mainstream audiences, experts say.

As you review best practices for posting content online with your child, make sure they stay alert of hateful language and report anything they see that looks dubious.

Another shadow of social media is the rise of “cancel culture” — the rampant “calling out” by social media users of individuals for perceived wrongs or injustices they’ve committed, with the goal of bringing about change. When someone is canceled, the backlash is real: The individual faces immediate rejection online (usually in the form of blocks, “unfollows,” or verbal attacks), and often takes a hit to their reputation offline as well. 

What began as a shaming of celebrities and influencers on social media by fans — often resulting in a real-life loss of sponsorships or business deals for those persons — has since evolved into a cultural movement where anyone can be the target. There are few opportunities to correct one’s mistakes or offer a mea culpa in the wake of being canceled, since the action is a one-directional assessment by nature.

Reading “Is It Ever OK to Cancel Someone?”, an article in Scholastic Choices magazine, with your child allows you to get their take on the topic, whether they view cancel culture as a tool for change or just outright bullying. Ask them what they would do if they witnessed a friend being canceled online. What if they themselves were the target of cancel culture?

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