5 Key Aspects of Social Media Awareness for Students

Social media has been an amazing tool for scholars. It’s been a place to share, laugh, and do research. 

But with its impressive advantages come risks and exposures to unwholesome or mature content that impact mental health and morals. 

Are you a teenage student who wants to make the best use of social media?

Are you a teacher or parent who also wants to see kids make the best of their social media account?

Gladly, this article discusses every important aspect of social media awareness for students. 

You will read through the definition, how to establish an effective social media awareness and the importance of social media awareness for kids or students. 

But, first, what is social media awareness? 

What is Social Media Awareness?

Social media awareness is the ability to understand the advantage and risks involved in sharing information about oneself or others on social media sites. 

When students use social media accounts, they intend to share personal information about themselves or those around them. 

Do you think you are an exception? Okay, find answers to the following questions: 

• Have I posted that I am going on a vacation? 
• Have I shared my phone number in the past? 
• Have I shared my address before? 
• Have I posted that no one is in my house?

If you have done any of these, you are guilty of misusing social media either as a student or an adult. 

Well, you can avert oversharing that will expose you to hackers who would harm you by taking advantage of your information. 

But how can you halt this? 

Let’s move to the next subheading to learn the best way to create social media awareness for students. 

Establishing an Effective Social Media Awareness for Students

1. The Required Age

Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, and other social media apps require those signing up to be 13 years old. 

These sites claim to use an age screening tool so that no member is lesser than that. 

Hence, before a student or your child signs up on any of these apps, this has to be checked and verified.  

2. What to Share and what to do

Why is the account being created? What is it going to be used for?

Are you using it simply for chatting friends up? Will you be using it to share events that are personal to you? 

Each app has its unique focus, so it’s up to you to understand how it works and what you can use it for. 

Some social media apps let you interact only with friends and family with whom you are free to share personal details. 

Others, however, let you share with strangers. 

If you are not well-disciplined, it’s a must to stick with an account that limits family and friend’s conversation. 

3. Double Check Privacy Settings

Sometimes information on some of these sites isn’t private. 

Hence, it is better to understand the privacy setting you will agree to when setting up an account. 

For instance, most social media services wouldn’t be clear or direct about their privacy policy. 

If you want to be clear, ask a few friends which social media app is honest about their privacy policy and sign up. 

4. Share information with reliable people

Some sensitive information needs to be shared only with trusted and reliable individuals. 

Why should you share your home with strangers? Why would you share your home address with a stranger? 

For some, it is best not to accept friend requests from strangers. 

As a guide, when you receive friend requests, expand their details to know who they are and whether they could be on your list. 

5. Listen to Guardians

Kids are encouraged to speak with parents or teachers and talk things out with them. 

They are the best to inquire from when faced with potential harm online. 

Guardians want their ward’s safety; hence, it is important to listen to any instruction given. 

6. No, Social Media isn’t Bad

Like every other tool, social media can be used to your advantage. 

If you are carefree, it can be to your disadvantage. 

Hence, the benefits derived from it depend on how well it’s being used. 

When teaching students social media use, two aspects especially need attention. 

These are explained below. 

Related: 5 Risks of a Child Using a Mobile Phone with Great Tips

Teaching Social Media Responsibility in Students and Young ones 

1. Creating a Profile

When creating a social media account, potential users are prompted to input information about themselves. 

In this case, the number of information given is completely up to the creator. (the user of the account) 

Thus, students must be taught how to create a  profile that wouldn’t expose them to attacks. 

When putting information on social media accounts, less is more important. 

Teach them to do away with age, date of birth, or in some cases, specific locations. 

Students should reassess some sample profiles and use them to critically analyze theirs.  

Examples of people they could look at are their peers who have created theirs and offer them kind and helpful feedback that can influence revisions. 

These profiles can also be an outstanding guide for them too. 

In summary, use: 

• Profile guideline 
• Profile checklists
• And profile templates 

2. Creating Posts

When reasonably used, posting on social media is not a crime. 

But discuss with students about what’s fine and what’s not healthy regarding images and content. 

Show students examples of samples that can be a red flag or create an alarm. 

Then, you can have students personally reflect on posts using those guidelines. 

They can be asked to work in groups and evaluate a post together. 

This should also be reflected upon in the future. 

Note:

Provide the right samples and profiles for your students to critique and evaluate.

The sample to be created is subject to the level you are teaching and content. 

After these, students would have learned how to make profiles and posts. 

Then, they can review and evaluate their profiles. 

When a teenager or student posts something strange, it’s nice to be vocal about it. 

You could ask: I saw your recent post. I hope you are fine? 

Also, you could say: what’s the problem, do you want to talk about it? 

Students should be encouraged not to engage or react via a person’s post if they notice something absurd. 

It’s best to chat that person up via their Dm. 

Social skills are surely a life skill students need to function amazingly in society. 

So, while they need to understand how to use social media online, they must master the art of conversing face to face too.

Social media Use and Parents

Kids in school who are students share and chat nonstop using the available social media app.

Meanwhile, there are lots of things happening on the app that are oblivious to parents and teachers. 

As a parent, you have the liberty to verify how well your child uses his phone. 

The same is also true of any computer that is used in the home. 

Check the browsing history or investigate their chat sessions. 

Of course, doing this might mean that the level of trust obtained is meager. 

But since trust is earned, your child will have to prove that he is responsible on social media with time. 

After that, you can extend a measure of privacy to them. 

Parents are also obliged to explain essential things about social media and privacy. 

This helps them understand what they are allowing others to see. 

Social Media and Teachers’ Responsibility 

Very likely, your teachers are utilizing social media as a tool to publish assignments where students can access them. 

Some teachers might use other tools to remind you of what is expected of you in the class. 

Nevertheless, teachers and the school administrator will have to outline what constitutes reasonable social media use in the classroom. 

There must be a metric to check and balance so that both teachers and all other students are protected at all times. 

A teacher might also go an extra mile to explain the aftermath of a cyber-bully and the result of being a bully. 

These lessons instill in them reasonable use of this technology tool.  

Traits to Exhibit on social media

1. Trustworthiness

Everyone who sees or reads your post should be able to count on whatever you say. 

Don’t fill your post with falsehood. Be recognized as a trustworthy individual.

Your social media profile is there to build a reputation, and if possible, gather more sensible fans and followers. 

This you can do by publishing content that aligns with that goal. 

2. Desist from Bragging

While honesty is an amazing policy, modesty isn’t out of the rule too. 

Those who read your post on social media should know your strength and your accomplishment.

It would help if you talked more about others than you would about yourself. 

When you talk little about yourself, people will be inclined to see you as a responsible teenager and someone who is using social media in the right way.

3. Be Positive

There are lots of social media activities for youth, and in all of that, they have to be positive. 

We all hate people who complain a lot. Whether it is online or offline, it’s all the same. 

As a student or teenager with an account on social media, make sure your posts lift people up. 

That means it must be filled with hope and optimism. 

Always look straight at the bright side. Always look at the glass as half full.

Wearing a positive attitude can make a big difference! 

It can make things a lot easier, not only for you but also for those around you.

4. Be Inquisitive

It’s best to show concern for what other users have to say. 

This will make you have a long-lasting, beneficial relationship with them.

People are happy to share how they feel, and they are happier when people take a keen interest in them.

Don’t always wait for people to react to your post. Reach out and react to theirs too.

5. Sharing

While on social media, it’s best to share with others. 

The quote, sharing is caring, should be ingrained in you. 

Share verified facts, knowledge, information and activities that are important to others.

These are information that might not have been seen or heard by your followers or friends. 

This is what makes you appreciated and loved.

However, before you hit any share button, think through. 

Be sure you are sharing accurate information. 

When it comes to opinions, make sure they aren’t those that are sensitive.

This is to avoid confrontation and problems in the future.

Well, this leads us nicely to the next point.

6. Never Knock Others

Sometimes, it is best to keep quiet instead of expressing what you aren’t sure of. 

When a piece of information shared isn’t genuine, readers find it offensive. 

If it comes with doubt, drop it, don’t post it!

Things you do on social media relate to you. 

People desire to feel good about their interactions with you. 

They wouldn’t want to be deflated because you are a downer.

7. Be Empathetic

If you care about others, they’ll be there for you too. Hence, always listen to what they have to say.

If there is any response, give it in a supportive and timely fashioned way. 

Put people in your shoes first, so you know how they will react to whatever you have to say.

What can you do to make them smile? 

Can you add sparkle to their day? 

What do you have to offer that will give and get you more out of life?

Just be kind, empathetic, and gentle with your voice. 

8. Always Play Fair

Teenagers who use social media should see it as an extension of themselves in real life. 

This lesson is one of the most important lessons that you need to learn.

Don’t post memes to humiliate. Don’t post hurtful or obscene content in the guise of jokes

While you are on a social media platform, ensure you hold on to values, principles, and a beautiful moral code.

Play well with others and help them get the best out of their time when on social media.

9. Share Pictures

Of course, not those that can expose you to harm, but those that will excite both you and those you love.

When you go for a trip, be tactful with your captions. 

Rather than captioning your pictures like, “we visit here every Saturday!”

Give it a caption like: “we enjoyed ourselves.” 

This prevents you from exposing yourself to unnecessary risks.

Always express your excitement without giving the address and time where you had the fun.

By so doing, you are not giving out information that can be used to rob you or steal your assets.

When someone comes to your DM to ask this question, check if the person is genuine with the request or not.

If he is, you can divulge the information. If he’s not, you could decide to stay mute. 

10. Give attention to offline relationships too

There are times you’d have to unplug your device and visit friends and family offline. 

It isn’t only healthy and refreshing to go offline; it is fine as well.

If you meet a warm and respected person online, if you are comfortable taking the friendship offline, do. 

You will enjoy it.

Find time to play games together, take a long walk, and enjoy yourself. 

For offline friends, fix a time when you can meet to hang out and have fun together. 

Social media should be a compliment to your real world and not the only aspect of your life.

Importance of Social Media Awareness for Students 

1. Social media awareness for students directs kids in the right direction and helps them embrace social media etiquette. 

Additionally, it helps them understand how important it is for them to be aware of what goes on in their society- the real world. 

And of course, it impresses the need to stay in touch offline too. It is essentially a vital aspect of education.

2. Teachers and parents teaching social media awareness topics to students can start the conversation easily with what to post and what not to post.

This creates a bond between parents where to start the conversation with their kids and adults.

3. Creating an incredible awareness for social media use helps kids know the wise use of social media. When paired with a checklist like the one discussed here, it is bliss.

4. Social awareness for students isn’t only good for students; it is also great insight for adults.

5. Teaching this responsibility at a tender age is vital for this ever-changing world-especially in the technology sector where they are exposed to lots of information.

6. Mastering social media awareness in kids helps them understand that strong emotions do not have to be negative. 

If they are happy and positive about something, they are under no obligation not to post it.

7. The lesson also transcends teaching; it includes being a model. Parents must monitor their use.

8. The lesson on social media awareness for kids helps parents and teachers be involved in their kids’ lives. 

Parents have to be a model for the pattern they are teaching.

9. Lessons for kids like this avert them from oversharing and overstepping boundaries.

10. The lesson on social media awareness for students will not leave them discouraged from using social media sites. 

Rather than banning, it helps them identify the best way to use it reasonably.

11. The lessons save kids from the struggles and negative effects of excessive use of social media.

12. Social media awareness helps kids stay guarded, and create a reasonable level of awareness and averts them from problems.

13. The lesson on social media awareness for kids helps them understand that their actions have consequences. 

Hence, they have to be very careful about how they use it.

14. Constantly teaching kids how to understand social media helps them adapt to their real needs and desires every day.

15. Kids are likely to imitate adults who get themselves immersed on social media. 

So with this lesson, they stay responsible and do not mimic bad attitudes.

Final Thoughts

The use of social media for students and even adults is all about balance!  

If you interact more with people via social media, you might fall victim to interacting less in person. 

Thus, make sure you strike a balance. The use of social media shouldn’t impact your life, neither should it impact your education. 

As you’ve seen, social media awareness for students is an important lesson that every teenager should learn.

If you implement all these approaches, you will be able to make the best out of social media and hence be able to connect with people all over the world, see and experience wonderful things.

Yes, that’s one of the primary reasons for social media awareness so that kids and students can make the best use of it. 

Please, share this detail with your kids and other teenagers you are sure will need it.

You won’t regret it a bit. 

Would you love to share this? Thank you!