What parents can do now to support children online

Trying to manage every feature or every app can feel overwhelming. Instead, focus on the areas most likely to affect children’s safety, well-being, and everyday experiences online.

These include:

• Private messaging and group chats
• Algorithm-driven feeds and recommendations
• Notifications, streaks and endless scrolling
• Likes, followers and social pressure
• Location sharing and live streaming
• Disappearing messages and hidden interactions

Many of these features are designed to keep users engaged for longer, so children often need support to recognise how platforms influence what they see, how they feel and how long they stay online.

Parental controls and safety settings can help, but ongoing conversations are just as important.

Children are more likely to come to parents for help if they feel supported rather than monitored. Regular, calm conversations can also help children build confidence and resilience online.

You don’t need to have one “big talk”. Short check-ins often work better.

Try questions like:

• “What’s showing up on your feed lately?”
• “Do you feel comfortable in your group chats?”
• “Have you ever seen something online that upset or worried you?”
• “Do you think social media affects your mood?”
• “What do you enjoy most about the apps you use?”

These conversations can help parents spot concerns early while also understanding the positive role social media may play in a child’s life.

Many social media feeds are powered by algorithms that learn from every scroll, click, pause and interaction. This means children can quickly be shown more extreme, upsetting or unhealthy content without actively searching for it.

Parents can help children take more control over what they see by:

• Using “Not interested” tools
• Resetting or refreshing feeds
• Clearing watch and search history
• Encouraging children to unfollow accounts that negatively affect their mood
• Reviewing feeds together to spot patterns

It can also help to remind children that what they see online is not always balanced, realistic or representative of real life.

Follower counts, likes, and views can shape how children feel about themselves online.

For some young people, social media can create pressure to look a certain way, always be available or compare themselves to others.

Parents can support healthier habits by:

• Encouraging children to create, not just consume
• Turning off visible likes where possible
• Keeping accounts private
• Reviewing followers and online interactions together
• Talking openly about edited content, filters and unrealistic expectations

Helping children focus on how content makes them feel – rather than how popular it appears – can reduce some of the pressure linked to social validation online.

Many apps use notifications, autoplay, streaks and endless scrolling to encourage children to keep returning.

Rather than focusing only on total screen time, it can help to look at how and when children are using devices.

Simple steps include:

• Turning off non-essential notifications
• Using focus or “Do Not Disturb” modes
• Agreeing on device-free times as a family
• Keeping devices out of bedrooms overnight, where possible
• Using built-in screen time dashboards together

The goal is not necessarily to remove social media entirely, but to help children build healthy routines and better awareness of their own habits.

Many safety settings are not turned on automatically, and platforms update features regularly.

Parents should regularly review:

• Who can contact their child
• Who can view posts or stories
• Location sharing permissions
• Group chat settings
• Live streaming permissions
• Disappearing messages and auto-delete settings

Using a child’s real age on accounts is important because many platforms apply additional protections to under-18s automatically.

Features like disappearing messages, screenshots, live streams and private chats can sometimes create a false sense of privacy.

Children may need reminders that content shared online can still be copied, saved or shared with others.

Encourage children to pause before posting or sending something by asking:

• “Would you still feel okay if someone else saw this later?”
• “Would you say this face-to-face?”
• “What information does this post reveal about you?”

Building these habits early can help children make safer decisions independently over time.

Even with safety tools in place, children may still encounter upsetting experiences online.

Warning signs might include:

• Sudden changes in mood after using devices
• Becoming secretive about online activity
• Withdrawing from friends or activities
• Difficulty sleeping
• Anxiety linked to notifications or messages

If something does happen:

• Stay calm and avoid blaming the child
• Listen first before reacting
• Save evidence where needed
• Use blocking and reporting tools
• Seek extra support if needed

Children are far more likely to ask for help again if they feel supported rather than judged.