Tips from our State Advisory Council: How to protect students from the harms of social media

December 14, 2022

Our State Advisory Council for the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center is made up of a diverse group of representatives. This includes parents, grandparents, foster parents, adoptive parents, and other caregivers from urban, rural, and suburban areas. The council also includes school district leaders, representatives of community organizations, OSU faculty members, and ambassadors from businesses and other community agencies. In total, there are approximately 60 members on the council.

In Fall 2022, we asked our Council how families and schools can help protect students from the negative effects of social media. Click on the button below to view a PDF of all of their ideas.

Sample Tips

“Teach children to use social media for good: to be kind and encouraging. Give the positive aspects of social media: connecting with others.”

“Friend your kid’s friends: have a village that helps monitor.”

“Talk as a family (and watch a documentary) about how social media can be addictive and unhealthy. Make them aware of the risks, especially about accepting friend invites from people they do not know.”

“Send home information about common apps and gaming platforms being used by students and how to find more information. Schools can help parents know they have a duty to monitor activities online.”

“Create information sessions for families about the use of technology (in particular for multilingual families, who might have less awareness/access to good
information about it)”

“Build confidence and a strong sense of identity so that negative social media can be handled well.”

View Tips

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