Copyright © 2024 Safer Schools Together. The reproduction of this material is strictly prohibited without the written permission of the copyright owners. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: Given the rapidly evolving nature of technology and social media applications, this information (especially social media platform related) is current as of the date of publication.
Copyright © 2025 Safer Schools Together. The reproduction of this material is strictly prohibited without the written permission of the copyright owners. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: Given the rapidly evolving nature of technology and social media applications, this information (especially social media platform - related) is current as of the date of publication. This is an interactive document. Click the underlined links to read more or navigate to the correlating section of the document.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 1 GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SUGGESTIONS .......................................................................................................... 2 THE ESSENTIALS........................................................................................................................................... 5 SEXTING VS. SEXTORTION ............................................................................................................................ 7 SOCIAL MEDIA APPS TO KNOW .................................................................................................................... 9 Snapchat (“Snap”) ................................................................................................................................................................................................9 Instagram (“Insta/IG”) ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 19 TikTok ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................24 X (formally known as Twitter) .............................................................................................................................................................................25 Facebook & Facebook Messenger ........................................................................................................................................................................29 YouTube ............................................................................................................................................................................................................31 Twitch ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................34 Discord ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................35 Vault Apps .........................................................................................................................................................................................................38 The “Rules” (That No One Follows)......................................................................................................................................................................39 Internet, Texting, and Social Media Lingo/Slang ...................................................................................................................................................39 VIDEO GAMING ......................................................................................................................................... 45 The Ratings Guide from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) .............................................................................................................46 Roblox ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................47 Minecraft............................................................................................................................................................................................................48 Fortnite ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................49 Steam ................................................................................................................................................................................................................51 Doxing ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................52 PARENT/CAREGIVER RESOURCES................................................................................................................ 53
INTRODUCTION
Our current world is constantly changing based on technological developments. The digital landscape in 2025 looks vastly different than at the turn of the 21 st century. It is imperative we inquire about what we need to know as parents/caregivers to protect our children and teach them how to responsibly and appropriately utilize technology . The parameters, rules, and expectations we put in place in our home s undoubtedly guide our children’s sense of digital responsibility. Raising children in a digital era can seem overwhelming at times. Technology has entered our lives rapidly over the past several years and continues to evolve daily. In reality, apps and technological devices may always change, but the behavior stays the same. Moderation is key to managing technology use in our homes. This does not need to be an “all or nothing” approach with either absolute prohibition or full unchecked usage, but we must reflect on the frequency we use technology . It is beneficial to maintain an open, transparent, and ongoing dialogue with our children regarding the internet, technology, social media, and video games. Remaining approachable and representing that trusted adult to the children in our lives could make the difference between whether our children come to us when issues or uncomfortable situations arise, rather than feeling alone in the process and seeking comfort and advice from peers or strangers. Technology is here to s t ay, whether we like it or not. Future employers and/or admissions departments are increasingly evaluating and assessing the digital reputations of our children and how they choose to represent themselves online. The goal of this parent/caregiver guide is to help introduce the major social media platforms, video games, and relevant trends that are already used or have the potential to be used by our children. Stay the course. We want to prepare our children for their tech - infused futures and walk down this digital journey alongside them by staying informed. Good luck!
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GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SUGGESTIONS
There are some general parenting/caregiver tips that help navigate creating a household that respects digital boundaries. Some of these can include: • Keeping phones and devices out of the bedroom. Sleep is essential for growth. There is a direct correlation between electronic media usage in the bedroom and our children’s sleep being negatively impacted . 1 Over 60% of our children have at least one media device in their bedroom, and as parents and caregivers, the frequency sits at over 90%. 2 Sleep disturbance in childhood is known to have adverse effects on health, including obesity, sedentary behavior, reduced immune function, and stunted growth . Poor sleep is also linked to adverse mental health experiences for our children . 3 • Having a central charging station! If possible, have a central charging station for all portable digital devices. The kitchen table or island, living room, or another communal area in your house is a great place to keep all household devices charged at night, including your own! Modeling digitally responsible behavior and setting an example for our children that we do not need to sleep with our device(s) helps our children understand they do not need to either!
• Knowing our children’s passwords. It is your parental and caregiving right! You paid for the device your child uses, which means…you guessed it! You own it! You have the right to spot- check devices that belong to you, including the ones that you gave your child. It is also essential for us to know our children’s passwords in case anything happens and is to their benefit in case they forget their passwords.
1 Electronic media use and sleep in children 2 Media Devices in Parents’ and Children’s Bedrooms 3 Children and Sleep | Sleep Foundation
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• Staying educated. You are doing an excellent job starting with this guide! You must stay diligent in keeping up with technology and how it evolves. If your child comes to you and asks to download an app that you are unfamiliar with, download the app and try it out yourself first. If they are looking into playing a new video game, play it first, or even with them! You would not send your child to a playground in a neighboring community without visiting it first – operate the same with the digital space. Play around with this space and do your research. If your child already has an app or game, ask them to teach you about it and how it works! This allows for increased open dialogue. • Put tape or a sticky note/sticker over a device’s camera when not in use. You can do this with a multitude of devices, including your computer(s) and cellphone.
Photo by New York Post. • Build a culture of openness . It is important to establish trust and a two - way dialogue about technology and social media . You want to be approachable to your children when , not if, a concern comes up in their digital lives. This can make the difference in our children reaching out to us instead of peers for advice when situations arise. • Remember technology is not going anywhere. Introduce technology into your home and your children’s lives at a pace you feel comfortable with, relative to your child’s age and emotional maturity. • Remember we are the caregiver, not a friend. We are not our children’s best friend s , but we can still have a close relationship while maintaining this boundary. We are responsible for ensuring their safety in the online world just as much as we are responsible for ensuring their safety in the offline world! • Google yourself and your family. Any names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, or social media usernames that are associated with your family can be searched online; see what shows up before others do. • Remember the permanency of the internet. We must remind our children about their digital tattoo and how what they post online and send electronically can have lasting impacts. Not everything we post online stays, but we do not get to decide what stays and what does not!
These tips are intended to be used in whole or in part alongside your personal parenting methods. You as a parent/caregiver know what is best for your child. It is important to put our children’s well - being first; allowing
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yourself to have a strong understanding of digital responsibility enable s your child to as well, so they can make better decisions online and offlin e on their own. If you would like to attend a parent session on Raising Digitally Responsible Youth, how to keep our children safe online, and understand current trends, please reach out to your school/school district or PAC and ask them to request a proposal from Safer Schools Together . 4
4 Request a Training (saferschoolstogether.com)
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THE ESSENTIALS
There are many components to the online world that are generally known and understood by most digital users; however, here are three essential terms that we need to understand to take control of our digital responsibility: Hashtag A hashtag (#) is a symbol added before a word or phrase to create a searchable category indexed by social media and discoverable by other users. Instagram, X , and TikTok are the primary platforms where hashtags are used. Hashtags are a way of making it easier to find and follow other users/posts within a particular category or contribute to a conversation. Hashtags are frequently used on X to create forms of community where individuals with similar interests can interact and group their posts under the same category (often negatively) . Username A username is a unique online identity that is chosen to represent someone online. Most platforms make you choose a username when you create an account, and this username is typically unique to this individual user (meaning it may not be used by others unless that username is no longer in use). Be mindful that many social media platforms will also ask for a display or vanity name, which can be replicated by any user on the platform. It is imperative we know the difference between a username and a display name. As a vanity name is not unique, we must accurately know what our children’s usernames are to accurately access their social media accounts. Below is an example that illustrates usernames versus vanity names. The red boxes indicate usernames, and the blue boxes indicate vanity names.
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Passwords We all know the challenge of trying to remember our passwords for a website or an app, and it is easy to fall into the habit of using the same passwords for all our logins. However, this is a dangerous habit that we must avoid, especially if it is something predictable such as a dog name or home address. We should remind our children to not share their passwords with their friends ! This is a major source behind accounts getting “hacked.” We must remind our children that who their friends are today may not be their friend s tomorrow and set them up for success regarding protecting their information. We also need to model this – use different passwords for each platform you have an account for and ensure they are strong with a mix of numbers, letters, and special characters (!@#$%^&*). TIP: Try a password manager! There are many free password manager apps available in the iOS app store and Google Play store, as well as in the form of browser extensions. Password managers store your passwords on a digital “keychain” and can help you to manage passwords (especially complex/strong passwords ) , so you do not have to! Make sure to do your research before picking a password manager and always use it at your discretion. If you do not feel comfortable using an online password manager, we recommend having a book with your passwords kept in a secure location.
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SEXTING VS. SEXTORTION
There is no doubt that smartphones are having a tremendous impact on our everyday lives. The use of instant messaging has skyrocketed since the introduction of smartphones and social media. Research suggests that over forty- one million messages are sent out every minute , 5 and this number is expected to continually increase. The term ‘sexting’ emerged as the use of text messages and instant messages increased and is defined as sending sexually explicit photographs, videos, and/or messages. Sexting is also commonly found over popular apps, such as WhatsApp and Instagram Direct Messages, but is especially popularized through Snapchat because of the platform’s ability to send photographs/videos and messages that can only be seen once before it “disappears” into cyberspace – unless, of course, someone was to take a screenshot and distribute it to others, or utilize another device to take a photo to avoid notifying the user by screenshotting… Sexting has several dangers to acknowledge, especially regarding how it can permanently impact the lives of our children. One of the most dangerous scenarios we see occur repeatedly is sextortion. Sextortion “ is a form of exploitation that involves the threat of releasing shared intimate videos, images, or explicit messages online . ” 6 Sextortion can happen to anyone who chooses to sext, and it is not always a stranger someone has never met, it can also be someone close to the individual. It is crucial for our youth to understand that when they choose to engage in sexting, they are subjecting themselves to the risk of sextortion. If you or someone you know is worried about their intimate images/videos are circulating the online space, there are resources available for support. Take it Down is a free service that can help you remove or stop the online sharing of nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit images or videos taken of you when you were under 18 years old. When using Take it Down, you would first select the image(s) or video(s) on your device that you are concerned about; therefore, you need access to the original intimate image or video to utilize this service. Then, Take It Down will assign a unique digital fingerprint, called a hash value, to the image or video. The hash will be shared with participating online platforms that can use it to detect copies of these images or videos on their services and take action to remove the content or limit the spread. T his happens without the image or video ever leaving your device or anyone viewing it, and you do not have to share any personal information. For those over the age of 18, the Stop Non- Consensual Intimate Images website works the same way as Take It Down.
5 Text, Don’t Call: Messaging Apps Statistics for 202 4 6 Sextortion: A Definition
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Snapchat (“Snap”) Since its release in 2011, Snapchat has remained one of the most popular social media applications that our youth are using to communicate and share their digital lives. With over 293 million daily active users worldwide and over five billion Snaps created every day 7 , Snapchat is the de facto medium of communication for students in grades 6 -12. The reason for its popularity is that it turned text communication into a visual experience that allows users to send disappearing photos that leave behind (almost) no evidence and for the most part, don’t become part of a youth’s digital footprint. The foundational feature that makes Snapchat desirable to youth is the disappearing of photos/videos that vanish after they have been opened. Users can set a viewing time of as little as 1 second up to 24 hours after which, once viewed, it will be deleted from the recipient’s device and as the company claims, from Snapchat’s servers 8 . Snapchat allows users to take still photos, record short videos, add text, and create drawings to send to a personalized, and typically private, list of friends. However, nothing stops the recipient from taking a screenshot or using a different device to take a picture or the image or screen recording of the video. Note: if you take a screenshot using the recipient device, Snapchat will notify the sender that you’ve taken a copy. Despite news headlines that suggest Snapchat is “just a sexting app” or one that is only used to send nude photos, this is not the case and represents a very small usage of the app. TO ADD - How To Use Snapchat! (Complete Beginners Guide) (2023) - YouTube
7 Snapchat Demographic Stats: How Many People Use Snapchat in 2023? (backlinko.com) 8 Do Your Snapchats Really Delete After Being Opened? - Safe Blog
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SOCIAL MEDIA APPS TO KNOW
Snapchat (“Snap”)
Since its release in 2011, Snapchat has remained one of the most popular social media applications that our youth are using to communicate and share their digital lives. With over 414 million daily active users worldwide and over 4.75 billion Snaps created every day, 9 Snapchat is the de facto medium of communication for students in grades 6 -12. The reason for its popularity is that it turned text communication into a visual experience that allows users to send disappearing photos that leave behind (almost) no evidence and for the most part, do not become part of our children’s digital footprint s. The foundational feature that makes Snapchat desirable to our youth is the disappearance of photos/videos after they are opened. Users can set a viewing time of as little as 1 second up to 24 hours after which, once viewed, the image or video is deleted from the recipient’s device and from Snapchat’s servers as the company claims . 10 Snapchat allows users to take still photos, record short videos, add text, and create drawings to send to a personalized, and typically private, list of friends. However, nothing stops the recipient from taking a screenshot or using a different device to take a picture or the image or screen recording of the video. Note: if you take a screenshot using the recipient device, Snapchat will notify the sender that you have taken a copy. This is also why the app appeals to our children, as the concept is that you cannot save/screenshot the image without notifying the original sender. Despite news headlines that suggest Snapchat is “just a sexting app” or one that is only used to send nude photos, this is not the case and represents a very small usage of the app. However, it is important for us to know the relevance of this as parents and caregivers, as Cyber Tip notes 74% of sextortion incidents occur on either Snapchat or Instagram. 11 We invite you to watch the video below for a general overview of Snapchat.
Video by YouTube user Simple Alpaca.
Snapchat Lingo
9 Snapchat Demographic Stats: How Many People Use Snapchat in 202 4 ? 10 Snapchat Support 11 Cyber Tip
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Snaps A user takes a photo/video using their digital device/smartphone in real- time. The user can select an amount of time for the receiver to view the photo/video. A user can elect to have the photo/video they have just taken saved into their photo gallery, their ‘My Eyes Only’ folder, or simply sent via Snapchat without being saved on their device. YouTube user How-To Authority provides a helpful video that discusses what My Eyes Only is, and how a user can set this up.
Stories A user can add the photo/video to their ‘Story.’ Depending on the user’s privacy settings, the photos/videos added to a story can be viewed by all Snapchat users or just those on their friends’ list for up to 24 hours. Spotlight Spotlight is a new dedicated tab where users can see short form videos, much like Instagram Reels or TikTok videos. Users have up to 60 seconds to create Spotlight S naps for the public to see. Bitmoji Owned by Snap Inc., users are encouraged to create an avatar, known as a Bitmoji. A Bitmoji is a personalized emoji - like character designed to reflect the user's likeness. Users can personalize their avatar by changing hair texture, facial expressions, and body proportions. To further personalize their avatar, users can choose specific outfits that better portray personal style. Discover Page Snapchat's Discover page allows users to access a variety of Stories from publishers and other subscriptions tailored to their interests. To navigate to the Discover page, users simply swipe left while on the camera screen.
Chat
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Users can type a text message, create a voice message, voice call, or video call within the Snapchat app to their friends. Once both parties have viewed the message, the message will vanish. The chat settings can also be manually changed within each conversation to be set to disappear after 24 hours instead . Additionally, users can save their chats from disappearing. Photos/videos from the camera roll or gallery of the user’s device can be uploaded and sent within the chat. Group chats often exist between multiple friends. Often, we see negative group chat behaviors occur frequently on Snapchat, due to the ability for the messages to “disappear.” Streaks Seen within the chat log screen, a user’s ‘Snapchat Streak’ is the number of consecutive days that the account owner and a friend have sent at least, but no less than, one snap per day to each other. If they do not snap each other within 24 hours, they lose their streak with their friend . This is a huge deal for our youth – we have seen students avoid field trips or traveling to places where they cannot access their phones in order to keep up these streaks. Connected with snap streaks is when an emoji of an hourglass next to a streak may appear, which means the users will lose their streak soon and if they do not snap each other, indicating the time period is closing in on 24 hours since they last snapped. Below is an example of what streaks look like on both pages of Snapchat. The red box outlines what a streak looks like.
My AI
As the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) increases, we have seen a surge in the development of new AI services, specifically within social media . Most recently, Snapchat rolled out its own AI bot, called My AI. Th e new AI bot is powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology but has additional safety enhancements and controls that are unique to Snapchat. 12 What differentiates Snapchat’s AI from services like ChatGPT or Midjourney is a user can customize the bot’s name as well as the way it looks, reducing the perception of interacting with an AI system. With My AI, users can leverage a variety of AI capabilities. To access My AI, users need to access the Chat screen. From th e Chat screen, users will then be able to select My AI and ask the AI bot a variety of questions. Some examples of how My AI can be used include asking for advice, requesting help to plan a trip or find directions, or even asking for simple suggestions such as ‘What should I make for dinner?’ 12 If a user has shared their location with Snapchat, My AI will be able to provide specific information including nearby location recommendations. 12
12 What is My AI on Snapchat and how do I use it?
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Users currently have the option to send feedback to Snapchat by pressing and holding any response s from the AI bot. This allows users to share more on what they would like to see more or less of while Snapchat continue s to “ train” the My AI bot . 12 Unless you sign up and pay for Snapchat+, there is no verified way, nor ha s SST found a way to permanently remove My AI from a user's Snapchat account . 13 We encourage parents/guardians to talk to their children about the risks associated with having conversations with AI, and how AI should not replace a trusted adult, parent, or adviser if they are experiencing a difficult situation.
Photo from Creative Bloq.
Snapchat +
In 2022, Snapchat released a subscription - based feature called Snapchat+. This monthly subscription is accessed within the Snapchat app and offers a collection of exclusive features. Snapchat+ has 11 million paying subscribers. 14 According to Snapchat, the “subscription will allow [them] to deliver new Snapchat features to some of the most passionate members of [their] community and allow [them] to provide prioritized support.” 15 There are s everal unique features of Snapchat+, which include priority story replies , allowing a Snapchat+ user's posts to become more visible on the platform. Snapchat+ users can also assign a specific emoji for friends to show they have viewed their Snaps, add custom backgrounds for their Bitmojis, and change the look of the Snapchat icon on the home screen of their device. In addition, Snapchat+ users
13 How do I Unpin my Snapchat AI? 14 Snapchat+ 15 Introducing Snapchat+
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can set time lengths to send a photo to as short as .10, .25 and .50 of a second. Snapchat for Web
In 2022, Snapchat released Snapchat for Web which allows users to access the Snapchat application from their PC or laptop via https://web.snapchat.com . This new feature includes most of the same features as the mobile version including posting, direct messaging, group chats, video sharing, and voice calling. Snapchat users who already have accounts can login to the web version with the same credentials they use on their mobile devices or can sign up for a new account on the web . Once either mobile or desktop applications are synced, users can continue their conversations with other Snapchat users . To use Snapchat for Web, users are required to give the application access to a webcam and/or microphone for users to post, video, and voice call. If the user does not grant access or does not have a webcam or microphone available, they will still be able to text chat on the application. As well, please know that you will not be able to access the Snap Map via the Snapchat Web version. Snap Map The Snap Map allows users to view Snaps of sporting events, celebrations, breaking news, etc. in their communities and around the world. This feature is only available within the application itself. However, perhaps the most concerning content viewable from this map, is that it shows where your friends are…and exactly where they are…in real- time. Users can share their locations with everyone on their “friends” list so they can see exactly where their friends are and what they are specifically doing (driving, at an airport, sleeping, listening to music, etc.) in real- time on a virtual map.
Photo from Mashable. Below is an example of what the Snap Map looks like to a user from the mobile application while logged into their account.
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The characters you see on the screen to the left are all friends of the Snapchat user who se account we are using to preview the Snap Map. All of these f riends have the Snap Map enabled. They are represented by a Bitmoji 16 they designed for themselves. This is why it is so important that our children only communicate with close friends and family that they know and trust in real life on Snapchat . Within the Snapchat Settings, users can turn off the ability for others to see their location by enabling something called Ghost Mode or only allowing their location to be viewed by Ghost Mode is a full privacy mode that makes a user’s presence on the Snap Map invisible to other users. This disallows other users from viewing their location, including users on their friend list. The Snap Map is often used by SST Threat Analysts and law enforcement to find missing students by asking their peers to share their Snap Map with us. certain friends (i.e., their best friend) and/or parents/caregivers or other trusted adults.
16 Bitmoji
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Message Screen
Here is an example of what the Snapchat Chat screen could potentially look like within a Snapchat account. As parents and caregivers, we can use the Chat Screen Icon Guide and the Friend Emoji charts on the following pages to see whom our children interact with most on Snapchat . To assess your knowledge, try answering the following questions (answers in footnotes at the bottom of this page):
• What does a blue - colored notification mean? 17 • What does a pink - colored notification mean? 18 • What does a purple- colored notification mean on Snapchat in general? 19 • How many days has this user’s longest Snap Streak lasted? 20 • When was the last message received by this user? 21 • Does this user currently have a Snap Story? How do you know? 22
17 Text or audio communication. 18 Photo communication. 19 Video communication. 20 1684. 21 25 minutes ago. 22 No ; there would be a round photo in the upper left - hand corner of the screen.
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• Are the Snaps to Monique incoming or outgoing? 23 • What type of Snaps were sent to Monique (Photo, Video, or Text)? 24 • At the top of the Snapchat with Monique, there is a notification that a screenshot was taken of the chat – who can see this? 25
23 Outgoing as they say ‘Delivered’ rather than ‘New Snap’ or ‘New Chat’ . 24 Photo. 25 Both the user who took the screenshot and Monique.
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Chat Screen Icon Guide
Photo courtesy of Snapchat
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Friend Emoji Guide
Friend Emojis are determined by Snapchat to keep track of the status of a user's friends. These can change over time based on the interactions between users. Friend Emojis can also be altered in the settings of Snapchat, but this is what comes standard when an individual begins a Snapchat account . 26
Photo courtesy of Snapchat.
26 How to change Snapchat Friend Emojis
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Instagram (“Insta/IG”)
Owned by Meta, 27 the popular photo and short video - sharing app Instagram has over 500 million+ daily active users. 28 If you see a youth scrolling up with their thumb on their smartphone looking at photos, chances are they are looking at Instagram.
Hashtags (#) are used often on Instagram. This gives people a way to be introduced to and follow other users with similar interests. We recommend watching the video below for a general overview of Instagram.
Video by YouTube user Simple Alpaca.
27 Meta Platforms 28 How Many People Use Instagram?
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Privacy Settings on Instagram
On Instagram, users either share posts with everyone by having a public profile or only share posts with people they have approved to follow them with a private profile. SST strongly suggests our children have private profiles until they are ready to start using their profile as a portfolio for prospective jobs, for admission to post- secondary institutions, or other personal/professional projects. A public profile will show the account’s content publicly on Instagram, even without logging in:
A private profile will show the account but not the content they post:
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Having a private account on Instagram requires users to go to their account settings and switch their account to private. There, under ‘Account Privacy,’ users can toggle the Account Privacy switch.
Instagram Stories
Instagram users have the ability to post photos/videos to their “Stories” for the public, their followers, or a list of “close friends” to see. These stories are only visible for 24 hours wherein this concept was copied from Snapchat due to its popularity with our youth. Users can see who has watched their Instagram Stories and can receive poll questions, messages, and reactions from other users as well .
Photo by NapoleonCat.
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Instagram Reels
Instagram Reels were added as a feature in 2020 and were originally 15 seconds long . 29 These are short videos with music included, remarkably similar to the style of TikTok videos. Instagram Reels can now be up to 90 seconds and can also be cross shared on Meta’s other platform, Facebook. Instagram Reels are the fastest - growing feature of Instagram worldwide and are expected to have over 2.35 billion users each month . 30 Instagram reels rival TikTok surrounding posting short videos to which users have an endless scroll of options to see, and utilize this persuasive design so users can always stay on Instagram instead of switching to TikTok .
Photo by BuddyMantra.
Direct Messaging (“DMs”)
Instagram has the option for users to communicate one -to- one by messaging privately. Direct Messaging, or ‘DMs,’ is a private message inbox within the Instagram app. This is a feature that allows users to communicate privately, like text messaging, or also the option to create group chats to communicate with multiple users at once . Yes, Instagram DMs are where our youth receive private messages from their friends and participate in group chats, but there is also the possibility they may receive messages from strangers. Furthermore, there is currently no way to disable Instagram DMs. If you do not follow a user, yet they message you, this is filtered into a section called Message Requests. Within this section, there is further filtration to ‘Hidden Requests,’ where Instagram may hide a DM from your generic Message Requests screen if it deems the message as potentially inappropriate. It is important to note that photos, videos, and voice recordings can be sent through Instagram DMs, including from accounts that are not mutual (does not follow the user/the user does not follow them). Additionally, users can enable “Vanish Mode,” similar to Snapchat’s feature, which deletes chats after a recipient views them. 31
29 Instagram Reels 30 Instagram Reels Stats 31 Instagram Vanish Mode
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Nighttime Nudges
Instagram's Nighttime Nudges is a recent addition aimed at encouraging today’s youth to reduce their late- night usage of the app. When a user between the ages of 13 and 17 spend s more than 10 minutes on Instagram, especially in sections like Reels or DMs during late hours, they will receive a gentle reminder suggesting it is time for a break. 32 These nudges are programmed to appear automatically after 10 p.m. and cannot be disabled, although users can dismiss them. 33 This initiative is part of Instagram's broader efforts to promote healthier usage habits among today’s youth , complementing other features on Instagram such as 'Take a Break' and 'Quiet Mode.'
Threads
Threads is a recent addition to Instagram, introduced as a new option for conversation (similar to X, formally known as Twitter), where users can engage in real - time conversations. Threads offers the ability to post messages with a 500 - character limit and videos with a duration of up to 5 minutes. Users are prompted to sign up f or Threads through their existing Instagram account, enabling users to also share posts from Threads directly to their Instagram Stories.
32 About Instagram teen privacy and safety settings 33 Instagram will now ‘nudge’
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TikTok
TikTok is currently one of the world’s most popular video - sharing social networking applications, centered around short videos with popular songs or sounds added. TikTok reigned as the most downloaded app globally in 2024 34 and has been downloaded 4.92 billion times across iOS and Android devices . 35 With over 1.6 billion monthly active users 36 , despite s everal incidents of data breach allegations 37 and being banned in several countries, 38 TikTok is not going away anytime soon. TikTok has strategically marketed to younger audiences, and although users must be 13 years of age to sign up, the content is not filtered. However, TikTok does offer some form of parental control under their Family Pairing feature . 39 However, a ge- inappropriate content inevitably reaches 37.3% of its estimated audience who are under the age of 18, 40 as well as audiences who are potentially younger than the required 13 years of age, as you can lie about your age. The average time a user spends on TikTok is 95 minutes per day, 41 an increase from the average two years prior of 46 minutes . 42 This time is spent either creating and sharing short videos or watching the existing plethora of TikTok videos uploaded to the platform already. Either way, the average time a user spends on TikTok is nearly 100 minutes every day. This time exceeds the amount of time spent on other social media platforms such as YouTube (48 .7 minutes), Snapchat (30 minutes), and Instagram (3 3.1 minutes) . 43 We recommend watching the video below for an overview of TikTok.
Video by YouTube user Simple Alpaca.
34 Leading mobile apps 35 TikTok Statistics 36 How Many People Use TikTok 37 TikTok sued for billions over use of children's data 38 Which countries have banned TikTok? 39 How to Use TikTok’s Parental Controls 40 TikTok User Statistics 41 9 Stats About Average Time Spent on TikTok 2024
42 10 TikTok Statistics You Need to Know 43 Average Time Spent On Social Media
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TikTok is an extremely popular app for our children, but there is also a growing number of adults on TikTok. More than 44 % of users are between the ages of 2 0- 39 years old. 44 Adults joining the app are not necessarily there to create a safe space for TikTok’s younger audiences and may not even realize that children of all ages can see the content they choose to post. Although TikTok states in its Terms of Service 45 that moderators will take down any inappropriate content, but it may take hours, days, or not even happen at all. This is something to consider when keeping in mind that more than one billion TikTok videos are viewed every day . 46
With the increasing popularity of video - sharing apps, there are a couple of different apps to look out for that are similar to TikTok, such as Triller , 47 as well as any apps released that can share videos with added music or sounds. YouTube has also followed this trend with YouTube Shorts, which can be found on Page 32 of this guide.
X (formally known as Twitter)
44 Global TikTok user age and gender distribution 2024 45 Terms of Service | TikTok 46 TikTok Statistics You Should Know 47 Home | Triller
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X, formally known as Twitter, was purchased by Elon Musk in 2023 and was officially rebranded as X. 48 Since its release in 2006, the social media app has garnered widespread popularity. Users can post tweets containing text, images, videos, and links, limited to 280 characters. X allows users to follow other accounts and receive updates from them in their personalized timeline s. X functions as a platform for individuals, organizations, and businesses alike to disseminate information, participate in discussions, voice opinions, and stay informed on diverse topics of interest. X profiles include various elements found in other popular social media profiles, including a profile picture, a cover photo, a brief bio, a URL, a date of birth, and user location. While users are not required to provide all of this information, they have the option to do so. X is commonly used by individuals to discuss ideas, trends, and current events. These are often posted in real - time on the platform as incidents occur. Furthermore, hashtags are commonly used on this platform to create different communities that discuss topics under the same heading. The effectiveness of showcasing world events in real - time on X is extremely helpful for SS/TA teams, as well as the hashtags feature.
Features of X Hashtags (#)
Hashtags a re a pivotal tool for categorizing content and fostering discussions around specific topics. School administrators should be aware of how hashtags can influence student interactions and the visibility of posts. When using hashtags, today’s youth can join larger conversations, connect over shared interests, or engage in trends relevant to their personal lives. However, hashtags also make posts more discoverable, potentially exposing individuals to a wider audience. Understanding the use of hashtags can provide insights into popular trends, concerns, or topics circulating within a school community, aiding educators in addressing relevant issues and promoting a positive digital environment. A hashtag is a symbol added before a word or phrase to create a searchable category indexed by social media (in this case, X) and becomes searchable by other accounts. Instagram, X, and TikTok are platforms where hashtags are most commonly used. When a user clicks on a hashtag, they will be shown other posts and profiles where that same hashtag was used.
48 Elon Purchases X, Formerly Known as Twitter
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Verified Accounts
Checkmarks
Blue or Gold Checkmark -
While browsing X, users may come across accounts with a blue checkmark beside the username; these are called Verified Accounts. The blue checkmark denotes that the account has an active subscription to X Premium and meets the eligibility requirements to obtain a verified account . 49 The Gold checkmark indicates the account is an official organization, and a grey checkmark indicates the account represents a government/multilateral organization or official. 50 In April of 2023, X began winding down the ir legacy Verification program, and accounts that were verified under the previous criteria (active, notable, and authentic) no longer retain a blue checkmark unless they are subscribed to X Premium. 51
Explore Page
The Explore Page is a feature tailored to highlight trending content, including tweets, news, and topics currently popular , either locally or globally. The Explore Page is curated based on user interactions and interests; this page provides school administrators with valuable insights into what topics students may be engaging with. By understanding the dynamics of the Explore Page, school administrators can gain a broader understanding of trends that could impact school culture and student behavior, while also remaining informed about discussions relevant to their school community.
Direct Messages (DMs)
Direct Messages, or DMs, allow users to send and receive private messages with other users on X. Users can send messages, tweets, or media from their personal devices through this feature and have the ability to create group chats to facilitate larger conversations .
Bookmarks
Bookmarks are accessible only through device or account access and allow users to save tweets for future viewing. Users often save posts they enjoy or wish to reference later. Each user can only access their own bookmarked tweets.
49 X Verification Guidelines 50 Profile labels and checkmarks on X 51 X Verification Guidelines
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Lists
Lists a llow users to customize, organize, and prioritiz e tweets they see in their timeline. Users can join lists created by others or create lists of their own. Once a list is created, the owner of the list can then add or invite other users to join. Lists can either be public or private, depending on the preference of the creator.
Profile Page
A user’s Profile Page shows everything the user has tweeted/retweeted, media they have posted, t weets or accounts they have liked, and any tweets they may have been mentioned in.
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Facebook & Facebook Messenger
Although less popular among youth in comparison to other social media apps, Facebook and Messenger are still highly active and are important to note. Both owned by Meta, Facebook, and Messenger can be used together under Facebook’s web browser platform, or separately in their own respective apps from the iOS App Store or Google Play store. Facebook is a social media platform that allows users to stay connected with friends and family online. Since its creation in 2004, Facebook has over five billion downloads 52 and is now operated under the umbrella company Meta, which also owns Instagram. Similar to Snapchat and Instagram, Facebook also has the option to view “Stories” which are posts made to share with your social media friends that last for 24 hours.
Messenger is a separate app which is an exclusively instant and direct messaging service, that automatically connects to a user’s Facebook friend list. As Messenger is integrated into the desktop version of Facebook but not the mobile version, the separate Messenger app had 262.5 million downloads in 2023 53 and is used on mobile more frequently than the standalone Facebook app.
52 Facebook Revenue and Usage Statistics 53 Facebook Messenger - Statistics & Facts
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In 2017, an application called Messenger Kids was released. Messenger Kids is an application for children to communicate with pre - approved friends and family through their parents’ Facebook accounts. Messenger Kids features include:
• Recent contacts and chat history: this allows parents and caregivers to see whom their child is chatting with, whether they are video chatting or sending messages, and how frequently those conversations happened over the past 30 days. • Log of images in chats: this allows parents and caregivers to see the most recent photos and videos their child has sent and received in their inbox. • Reported and blocked contacts: this allows parents and caregivers access to a list of the reporting and blocking actions their child has taken in the app. • Remote device logout: this allows parents and caregivers to see all devices where their child is logged into Messenger Kids and log out of the app on any device through the Parent Dashboard. • The ability to download your child’s information: this allows parents and caregivers to request a copy of their child’s data.
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YouTube
PewDiePie, MrBeast, Markiplier, and DanTDM: these names may or may not be familiar to you, but if your child spends time on YouTube, they have likely come across videos by these YouTube “famous” creators before. The over - the- top humor, outrageous pranks, and clickbait 54 video thumbnails make these types of YouTube creators extremely popular and influential. Owned by Google, consider YouTube the Google of video. Created in 2005, YouTube is currently the second most visited website in the world 55 (second to Google) with over 2.49 billion monthly active users 56 and approximately five billion videos are watched every day . 57 YouTube can be used as a way for users to pass the time, express themselves, learn new skills, and watch content they enjoy such as sports, video games, etc. However, it can also be extremely easy to cross over into watching less - than - appropriate topics and content. Parents should set parameters on video watching and moderate access to age - appropriate videos. It is vital to be aware that inappropriate content is frequently seen with the more time a user spends on the platform; therefore, there must be oversight for our children’s usage of YouTube. The video below gives a historical overview of YouTube.
Video courtesy of YouTube user Creator Brain.
54 What is Clickbait? 55 Top Website Ranking 56 How Many People Use YouTube 57 How Many YouTube Videos Are Watched in A Day
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Above are just a few examples that could potentially appear as ‘Suggested Videos’ on the front page upon visiting YouTube. Users can watch YouTube passively without being logged into an account or can sign in to track the type of videos they watch and like, subscribe to channels, and upload their own videos. Note how the videos differ on the level they are appropriate for our children. Although YouTube does offer features such as Restricted Mode, 58 it is best practice to download YouTube Kids for children under 13 years of age. This version of YouTube (explained in further detail on the following page) only displays content tagged as ‘Kid - Friendly’ by YouTube and their trusted ‘Kid - Friendly’ creators and advertisers.
58 Turn Restricted Mode on or off on YouTube
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