3 Instagram Risks To Children
Instagram is popular. In fact, there are over 1 billion active members in 2021.
Now, while the average age-range of those users is 25-34, Instagram’s terms of use allow anyone over 13 to have an account. However in our view, just because it may be allowed, doesn’t mean that it is necessarily a good idea!
That means plenty of young people use the social media platform, too and if your child is among them — you need to keep an eye on their Instagram accounts or perhaps re-think whether you really want to allow your child access.
While Instagram can be fun, there are three key risks to children that you should be aware of. We’re going to explore these today and then talk about the steps you can take to protect your child's account.
Though first, let’s take a brief look at what Instagram is.
Already know your history? scroll down to the risks.
Instagram — The Social Media Taking The World By Storm
Instagram is a form of social media that launched for iOS in 2010. Over the years, it has slowly expanded to Android and desktop. Developed by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, the social media platform allows users to upload photos and videos.
Your children can apply filters to these photos, make slight adjustments, and then organise them with hashtags and their location.
But here is the worrying part.
The photos and videos are public unless you’ve set up account privacy options with your kid (which we’ll explore more on later). This means anyone can see your children’s images, and in the same way, your children can view other people’s images too — unmonitored.
If you’re already formulating the risks in your mind, you’re not alone.
Let’s look into them.
The 3 Instagram Risks to Children
1. Instagram Isn’t Private
The first risk we touched upon above.
By default, Instagram isn’t private. Anyone can stumble onto your child’s profile, and what’s worse, it’s happening.
In 2019 police in the US said to the news, “Instagram has become the most used site for child predators.”
These predators can pretend to be someone they're not on Instagram. They could set up a fake profile that captures your child’s interests. Then use that profile to make sure your kids start a conversation with them.
And with mobile phones, it’s hard to know if your child is talking to a predator until it’s too late.
Though parents, remember: Instagram is a sharing app, and using Instagram is a two-way street.
What we mean is, this can happen vice versa, too. So while predators may reach out to your child’s public account, a child might look up a predator without knowing, and that’s just as dangerous.
We’ve got a solution for this one, but first, let’s take a look at the second danger.
2. A Child Using Instagram May Develop Mental Health Problems
This one, in our view, is a massive risk for teenagers and may affect your younger children just as much.
A child might develop mental health problems by using Instagram. That’s because body-shaming is prevalent on the social media platform, and Instagram is an avenue for cyberbullying too. We also explore the addictive nature of social media and Instagram in particular in the Q&A section further down.
With photos and videos dominating Instagram, your kid might feel lonely or inadequate when comparing themselves to others who show their best (highly stylised and filtered) lives. Your kid might feel unattractive, and in turn, this can lead to anxiety.
In fact, a survey ranked Instagram as the worst social media for mental health.
Related: 5 Ways Social Media Is Affecting Your Child’s Body Image.
3. Instagram Promotes Dangerous Behaviour
Your children love showing off, right? Now imagine if they could show off on a public platform. Say — their Instagram account.
With Instagram, children are taking risks to impress their friends. In fact, in 2018, an Instagram couple fell to their deaths while taking a selfie.
Now, your kids might be too young to travel, but that doesn’t mean they’re not participating in public challenges. Some of which can be completed from your very home.
Indeed, we’re sure you’ve all heard of the cinnamon challenge, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Many internet challenges are dangerous, and some even call for your children to commit suicide.
Related: 5 Dangerous Social Media Challenges Happening Right Now.
If you’re aware of these risks, you can take measures to protect your kid’s account and, with that, promote a safer use of Instagram.
Let’s take a look.
Safer ways to Use Instagram
Set up a Private Account
If you have decided to allow your child to have an Instagram account, you can adjust the privacy settings so nobody can view their photos or videos without your kid’s permission.
This means predators won’t have any way to see what your kid is posting, and it will make their job of capturing your child’s interests a lot more complicated.
So how do you set up a private account?
Hemi Jarvis shows us how in this helpful video:
Note: While Jarvis shows how to make a private account on an iOS device; desktop and Android steps are essentially the same.
Now, what if your child is 13 years or under and wants an account?
Provided of course that you want to allow this, technically it’s allowed! However, the law may vary depending on your juristiction. According to Instagram’s Privacy and Safety center, you can manage their account for them — and even write in the bio that you, as a parent, control your kid’s account.
Check Your Children’s Follow/Following List
This one is something you have to do manually. Once a week (or more), take a look at your child’s Instagram account through your own account, and scroll through who they’re following on Instagram — and who follows them.
If there’s anyone you don’t recognise, then you, as parents, need to communicate this to your children.
Here’s how to check your children’s Instagram follower list:
Go to your child’s profile on Instagram.
Under their username, you’ll see “Followers” and “Following.”
Click on either of these to see the relevant list.
The best part about Instagram is that who your children follow, and vice versa, is public. Meaning you don’t need access to their account to see this information.
If you see a suspicious account, be sure to report it.
Use a Monitoring App
Many apps exist that allow you to monitor your children’s activity on social media. One such example is Bark.
They allow you to connect to your children’s various social media platforms and send alerts to your phone based on content the monitoring apps flag to be inappropriate.
What’s more, with these apps, you can even change what applications your children can access and ban them from using their social media accounts if you suspect your child is up to anything inappropriate.
Like with anything else, however, knowledge is crucial and understanding the threats of the internet and how it influences young people is a sure-fire way to help your kids stay protected online.
With that, here are some frequently asked questions about Instagram.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Instagram Safe for 11-Year-Olds?
According to Instagram’s Privacy and Safety center, Instagram users must be 13 or above. However, parent managed accounts are allowed and the law in your jurisdiction may vary.
With the correct privacy settings and an account managed by you, the use of Instagram maybe relatively safe for an 11-year-old from an online predator and bullying point of view. However, we do not believe that an 11 year old has anywhere near the emotional capacity to deal with the addictive nature of social media and Instagram in particular, and that the potential risks in terms of mental health issues are huge (self-worth, body image etc.). Addiction to positive feedback loops (likes, followers etc.) is real and Instagram’s algorithm is designed to fuel that addiction. If you have not seen it yet, the documentary “The social dilemma” available on Netflix explores this in detail. The other issue we see is that children may not be able to distinguish reality from fake posts and click bait posts (staged videos and images designed to get users to click on sensational stories in the believe that the stories in the posts are real)
What Are Bad Things About Instagram?
There are three “bad things” about Instagram that you should be aware of. We detail these above, but if you’re after a quicker answer, these are:
Instagram isn’t private.
A child using Instagram may develop mental health problems.
Instagram promotes dangerous behaviour.
Why You Shouldn't Post Your Child on Social Media?
We don’t think there’s anything wrong with posting your child on social media with the correct privacy settings, but on a public account, you need to be careful. That’s because predators search for kids on Instagram, and nothing is stopping them from taking the images.
Though, that’s a worst-case scenario.
While less extreme, other children can also use your child’s images for cyberbullying, which can severely affect mental health.
Therefore, if you want to post your child on social media, make sure your account isn’t public.
Does Instagram Have Parental Controls?
Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t have parental controls. However, you can use third-party apps such as Bark to monitor what your child is up to online.
We Can help you Make Your Digital Life Safer
At immunizeNet, we care about safer digital lives. From Facebook or Instagram to the use of Snapchat and any other social media that may put users and their friends at risk, we’re at the forefront. With that, take a look at 3 risky apps you need to know. Or contact us today to learn about our online workshops.
Warmest Regards,
Michel (founder)
immunizeNet - safer digital lives.
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