Social Media — Popular Guides
Parent’s Guide to Discord
What you need to know about the popular messaging app, which just launched parent supervision tools.
Parent’s Guide to Teen Sextortion Scams
The FBI has reported a “huge increase” in sextortion scams targeting teens.
Time to Think about Back-to-School Devices and Policies
Even though it’s only early August, many families are on the verge of sending their kids back to school.
Parent’s Guide to TikTok
TikTok tips for parents, plus advice for talking with teens about healthy social media use.
Parent’s Quick-Guide to Instagram
The main things parents worry about are typical of all social media: mean behavior among peers, encountering — or creating — inappropriate or dangerous content, and overuse.
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Ask Trish: Stressing About Social Media
I’m always so stressed about social media, like who’s viewing my stories, how my pictures look, and if I “measure up” to everyone else. How do I let go?
Being Courteous in Your Use of Technology
Tech is all around us, which is mostly good, but it can also lead to some not-so-good social interactions.
Parent’s Guide to Twitch
You may not have heard of Twitch but your teen probably has. Here’s what you need to know about the popular live-streaming platform and how you can help your teen use it safely.
Ask Trish: What is X?
So Twitter is now X? What does that actually mean? What’s going on?
Anxiety, Social Media, and the News
“The more we seek certainty over what will happen in the future, the more anxious we will feel.”
Meta’s Threads Offers a Kinder, Gentler Experience than the New Twitter
Meta’s new Threads service is the second biggest challenge to Twitter.
FBI Issues Warning About Sextortion After Arrest in Teen Death
The FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) issued a joint national public safety alert on financial sextortion schemes.
Ask Trish: Social Media and Mental Health
Dear Trish: Maybe it’s just me but I just feel really bad about myself when I’m on social media. Like literally everyone seems to be living their best life and it reminds me how much is wrong with mine. How can I feel better?
Parent’s & Educator’s Guide to Media Literacy & False Information
We hear a lot about misinformation, disinformation and “fake news,” but whatever you call it, it’s a symptom of much larger problems, including the lack of media literacy.
Parent’s Guide to Teen Sextortion Scams
The FBI has reported a “huge increase” in sextortion scams targeting teens.
Time to Think about Back-to-School Devices and Policies
Even though it’s only early August, many families are on the verge of sending their kids back to school.
Parent’s Guide to ZEPETO
Parents who understand how ZEPETO works, and why their teen likes it, can better guide their teens in using it safely.
Ask Trish: Stressing About Social Media
I’m always so stressed about social media, like who’s viewing my stories, how my pictures look, and if I “measure up” to everyone else. How do I let go?
Being Courteous in Your Use of Technology
Tech is all around us, which is mostly good, but it can also lead to some not-so-good social interactions.
More Recommendations
FBI Issues Warning About Sextortion After Arrest in Teen Death
The FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) issued a joint national public safety alert on financial sextortion schemes.
Ask Trish: Social Media and Mental Health
Dear Trish: Maybe it’s just me but I just feel really bad about myself when I’m on social media. Like literally everyone seems to be living their best life and it reminds me how much is wrong with mine. How can I feel better?
Parent’s & Educator’s Guide to Media Literacy & False Information
We hear a lot about misinformation, disinformation and “fake news,” but whatever you call it, it’s a symptom of much larger problems, including the lack of media literacy.
Protecting Mental Health on Instagram
I’m grateful to the Wall Street Journal for shedding light on some of the ways social media can contribute to a sense of inadequacy and other mental health issues. But what the article didn’t include is tips on how parents and teens can deal with these issues for a healthier online experience.
Seniors Flocking to TikTok
When you think about TikTok, it’s easy to conjure up images of young teens lip-synching and horsing around in short videos they share with their peers.
Tips to Help Stop Cyberbullying
Guidance for parents and young people on cyberbullying, including advice for ending (or preventing) the cycle of...
Ask Trish: The Pressure to Be Perfect
“I sometimes feel like the pressure to be perfect on social media can be so overwhelming. Do you have tips for...
Parent’s Guide to Snapchat
Users love that they can share a moment that’s digital footprint-free — they don’t have to think about how their photos, videos or comments make them look to some unknown audience in the future.
Quick-Guide to Secure Passwords
The FBI along with other security experts are now recommending a “pass phrase” rather than simply a password. Such a phrase should be relatively long – at least 15 characters.