Staying Safer on Social Media: Suggestions for Media Mentors

One of our primary responsibilities as professionals working with youth and their families is to serve as media mentors. This role presents unique challenges as technology continues to evolve rapidly. Reflecting on my own experience as a tween and teenager, virtual socialization was limited to platforms like AOL Instant Messenger, MySpace, and Xanga. Digital interactions were just a small facet of my social world. However, today’s children and teens navigate a vastly different landscape. Many middle and high school students primarily connect with peers through social media apps, online gaming communities, and communication platforms like Discord.

As library professionals, we are uniquely positioned to support youth and their families by fostering media literacy and providing guidance for safer digital engagement. Below, you’ll find three actionable recommendations to help families create safer social media experiences for young users.

1. Become familiar with American Academy of Pediatrics Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health’s new Glossary of Digital Media Platforms.

This website provides detailed information about common apps and mobile device systems used by youth and the controls that can help them stay safer online. Given how quickly technology is evolving and changing, the guide is limited in the platforms included; however, it does provide information on today’s most used platforms: Discord, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, YouTube Kids, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). The site includes information on setting such as time limits, nudges to take a break, feed control, and nighttime settings.

2. Encourage parents and caregivers to have conversations with their kids about internet safety.

While many schools actively engage youth in discussions about internet safety and cyberbullying, it is equally important to encourage caregivers to have ongoing conversations about these topics with their children, starting at an early age. As library professionals, we have opportunities to integrate internet safety guidance into our programs, much like we incorporate literacy tips.

Look for teachable moments when interacting with youth and their families. For example, when introducing an app during storytime, you can highlight Common Sense Media as a valuable resource that helps adults evaluate the age-appropriateness of movies, video games, PC games, and even certain social media platforms.

By normalizing conversations around internet safety and digital well-being, we can better equip families with the tools and knowledge they need to navigate today’s digital world safely and responsibly.

3. Offer resource guides on Internet Safety

Consider creating resource guides at your library to help patrons explore internet safety for themselves and access resources tailored for youth. This is also an excellent opportunity to showcase relevant materials from your library’s collection alongside recommended websites. Some valuable websites to consider including are:

Online Safety by Nemours Kids Health: a short article about the basics of internet safety that includes basic recommendations for how parents and caregivers can get involved in protecting their children online.

Common Sense Media Teaching Kids to Protect Their Data and Privacy Online: tips for kids and teens to keep their information safe online.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Privacy Starts at Home: Teaching Minors About Online Safety: this handout offers a few basic suggestions for caregivers to help them have age-appropriate conversations on internet safety and privacy with their children by separating the recommendations between ages 5-10 and 11-18.

UNICEF’s Online Privacy Checklist for Parents: A concise checklist outlining key actions caregivers can take to protect their children online, accompanied by a brief article offering practical guidance on initiating conversations about internet safety and online protection with young children.

The American Psychological Association’s Keeping Teens Safe on Social Media: What Parents Should Know to Protect Their Kids: This brief article offers practical recommendations for safeguarding youth online. It covers topics such as the impact of social media on brain development, the importance of adult monitoring, strategies for fostering healthy social media habits, warning signs of potential issues, and key areas for developing social media literacy. Although primarily aimed at teens and their caregivers, many insights are also relevant for guiding tweens.

What other ways have you helped mentor youth and their families on internet safety? Tell us about it in the comments!

This post relates to the following ALSC Core Competencies II.2, II.4, II.8: Reference and User Services.

Dr. Jo Phillips (she/her) is the Senior Main Library Manager for Stark Library in Canton, Ohio. She has been a member of ALSC since 2011 and has served on numerous committees, including Organizational Effectiveness, Early and Family Literacy, Advocacy and Legislation, and the 2021 Newbery Medal Selection Committee. She is the current co-chair of the Children and Technology Committee. You can connect with her at jphillips@starklibrary.org. When she is not helping one of her three tween/teenagers with homework, she enjoys taking walks with her three cats (Link, Zelda, and Cheeseburger Frosty III) and dog (Xenia Abigail), playing board games with her loved ones, or watching sports with her boyfriend. She is currently re-reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen alongside Pride and Prejudice in Space by Alexis Lampley.

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 As library professionals, we are uniquely positioned to support youth and their families by fostering media literacy and providing guidance for safer digital engagement. In this post, you’ll find three actionable recommendations to help families create safer social media experiences for young users.
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