The terms social networking and social media are often used in the same way.

• Social networking focuses on creating and keeping online relationships.
• Social media is the digital technology and platforms used to get or send information.

On this page, we’ll refer to social media as the online connections or relationships created between groups or individuals.

Listening to your child

Some social media sites include Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Tiktok, and Snapchat. But there are many other social media sites youth use. When your child starts to ask about these sites or starts to use social media:

• Be open and honest in your conversations.
• Let them know what others may say or do when using these sites.
• Talk about the good things that social media can offer and what to look out for.

When your child wants to talk about social media, listen carefully to what they say. Show you’re engaged by asking questions and repeating back to them what you heard.

Listening in this way helps your child understand that you can be trusted. It also lets them know you’re there for support. This helps them feel safe and know that they can talk to you about what they see or hear online.

Parental controls and privacy settings

To help you manage and protect your child when they use digital technology, use parental controls and privacy settings.

Parental controls can help you:

• set time limits for how much your child uses a device
• learn more about your child’s calls, texts, location, and social media activity
• filter certain types of web content to protect your child from things you don’t want them to see online

Privacy settings can help you:

• control who sees your child’s personal information
• make online security better for everyone at home
• lower your risk of spam, scams, fraud, and cyberattacks that try to steal your personal information

Find out more about spam, scams, frauds, and identity theft.

Keeping your child safe while they use social media​

• ​Set up a safety plan. This includes updating your security software, using different passwords on social media accounts, teaching your child to only accept friend requests from people they know well, and checking any new sites before your child uses them.​
  
• Block your child from being able to make purchases within applications (called in-app purchases).
• Teach your child about the possible harms of social media.
• Learn the apps they’re using so you can guide them safely.
• Watch for the signs that social media may be affecting their well-being.

How do I know if my child might have a problem with social media?

Social media becomes a problem when it harms your child’s mental or physical health, or has unwanted effects on their life.

You may want to talk to your child about their social media use if they:

• are on social media often and get upset when they’re interrupted
• don’t want to cut back on using social media, even when they know it’s causing problems
• can’t stop thinking about social media
• feel sad, upset, or frustrated when using social media or after using social media
• have a hard time keeping up healthy habits, such as sleeping or eating well
• don’t take care of their responsibilities or participate in social activities, such as doing school work or chores, going to dances, or spending time with the family pet
• have trouble talking to or being with friends, family, or others
• start acting differently, lying, sneaking around, or pushing limits for online activities
• argue more than usual

For help and support, contact Alberta Health Services Youth Addiction Services at 1-866-332-2322 (toll free in Alberta).

See the Resources section for more information.​