Social Media Safety Guide for Parents

General Safety Tips for All Platforms

1. Know What They’re Using
   
   

2. Set Ground Rules Together
   
   

3. Keep Devices in Common Areas
   
   

4. Talk Often About Online Safety
   
   

5. Use Parental Control Tools (like Screen Time, Family Center, and Family Pairing)

iPhone: Setting Up Screen Time & App Limits

Step 1: Turn On Screen Time

●      Go to Settings > Screen Time.

●      Tap Turn On Screen Time.

●      Select This is My Child’s iPhone.

●      Set a Screen Time Passcode (only you should know this).

Step 2: Set Downtime (Quiet Hours)

●      Go to Settings > Screen Time > Downtime.

●      Turn on Scheduled.

●      Choose a start and end time (e.g., 8 PM – 7 AM).

Step 3: Set App Limits

●      Go to Settings > Screen Time > App Limits.

●      Tap Add Limit.

●      Choose categories or specific apps (like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat).

●      Set daily time limits and tap Add.

Step 4: Block Inappropriate Content

●      Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.

●      Turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions.

●      Adjust the following:

○      iTunes & App Store Purchases – Disallow app installs/deletes.

○      Allowed Apps – Hide apps like Safari or FaceTime if desired.

○      Content Restrictions – Limit adult websites, app ratings, and explicit content.

Step 5: Monitor Usage

●      Go to Settings > Screen Time > See All Activity to monitor how the device is being used.

TikTok: Setting Up Family Pairing

Step 1: Enable Family Pairing

●      On your device: Open TikTok > tap Profile > tap the Menu (three lines) > Settings and Privacy > Family Pairing.

●      Select Parent and scan the QR code from your child’s phone.

Step 2: On Your Child’s Phone

●      Open TikTok > go to Family Pairing and select Teen.

●      Show the QR code to be scanned by your phone.

Step 3: Customize Restrictions

●      Set screen time limits.

●      Disable direct messaging or limit it to friends.

●      Restrict inappropriate content with “Restricted Mode.”

●      Control privacy settings:

○      Set account to Private.

○      Restrict comments, duets, and mentions to Friends or No one.

Instagram: Adding Supervision with Family Center

Step 1: Set Up Supervision

●      On your device: Open Instagram > go to Profile > Menu > Settings > Supervision.

●      Tap Create Invite Link and send it to your child.

Step 2: On Your Child’s Device

●      Open the invite from their Instagram or email and accept supervision.

Step 3: Control Features

●      View how much time they spend on Instagram.

●      Set daily time limits.

●      See their followers and who they follow.

●      Get alerts if they report anyone.

Extra Tips:

●      Set account to Private: Settings > Privacy > Account Privacy.

●      Turn off Activity Status.

●      Limit who can comment, DM, and tag them.

Snapchat: Using Family Center

Step 1: Set Up Family Center

●      On your device: Open Snapchat > tap your Bitmoji > Settings > Family Center.

●      Send an invite to your child.

Step 2: On Your Child’s Device

●      Open Snapchat and accept the invite in Family Center.

Step 3: Monitor & Manage

●      See who they are friends with.

●      View who they’ve chatted with in the last 7 days.

●      Report suspicious accounts or content directly.

Extra Safety Settings:

●      Go to Settings > Privacy Controls:

○      Set Contact Me to Friends Only.

○      Turn off Quick Add.

○      Enable Ghost Mode in Snap Map to hide their location.

Final Tips

●      Review settings weekly together.

●      Keep the conversation open and non-judgmental.

●      Encourage your child to come to you if something feels wrong online.

●      Model healthy screen time and privacy behaviors.

STRONGER. SMARTER. SAFER.