Taking selfies has become commonplace for kids, teens, and adults today. However, there are times and places where selfies just aren’t appropriate or worth the risk, and kids do need to be aware of that. Here are 7 important tips to share with your teen about selfie safety:
Keep it appropriate
Sometimes a selfie can be a little too intimate, and it shouldn’t be shared publicly. This can be a tough subject to broach with your teen, but you want to make sure that they aren’t sharing an image of themselves that is showing too much skin, or that shows a facial expression that can be misinterpreted.
Don’t risk injury
Sadly, there have been several incidents in the last few years where individuals have suffered bodily harm, and even passed away while attempting to take selfies. Remind your kids to never risk injury or death just to get a selfie somewhere. If it’s a risky location, it simply isn’t worth it.
Consider others
Other people in the selfie may not appreciate having their picture shared on social media sites. It’s important that teens take others into consideration, especially when choosing which photos they will share with others and on social sites.
Don’t let selfies influence their self esteem
One of the major downsides to social media and selfies is that many impressionable young people and teenage girls in particular, can begin to value their self-worth based on the reaction to their selfies. Tell your teen not to let selfies influence how they feel about themselves, and if it starts to have a negative impact on them, they should stop posting photos.
Related: How Selfies Affect Your Teen’s Self Esteem
Check phone settings
Privacy settings on cell phones can reveal details that should not be shared publicly for safety reasons, such as exact locations. If a teen is posting selfies on a social site, they need to be careful about their privacy settings on their device. It would not be a good idea to snap photos at home and upload them without turning off the geotagging function on their phone. Just make sure that if they do disable the GPS functionality on the phone that they switch it back on when they’re done taking photos.
Know when not to snap selfies
There are many times when taking a selfie isn’t a smart or appropriate thing to do. That can be for a variety of reasons, such as an inappropriate place, like a church, or a religious landmark. It could also be because it’s too dangerous or risky, like when you’re behind the wheel of a car, or hiking along a jagged or steep path.
Don’t overdo it
Finally, it’s important to realize that selfies can have their time and place, but they don’t need to be taken all of the time. Let your teen know that they don’t need every photo to be a selfie, and they shouldn’t overdo it by taking and sharing new pictures every day. The occasional selfie taken in the appropriate place is fine to share.
