Anonymous wrote:Finstas are not fake instas - they are the instas for their close friends and they usually have those set to private. The fake insta is the one you can find that has more general and socially acceptable stuff as well as the « ransoms » which are the friends they don’t really socialize with and people they don’t know.

My 14 year old says finsta is fake instagram account

My kid, 10, has an older BFF, 12, and I recently learned that that girl got "helped" my kid to download a phone app called "Like". It's for sharing bad liking their own videos (which they have been doing) and there is no censorship of the content. Some if it was inappropriate.

The best and most important thing you can do is talk with your kid about what is out there again and again, maintain an open and non judgmental relationship with them AND make sure they have someone to turn to if they get themselves into something such as a cool aunt or uncle, family friend, older sibling etc... THey may not feel comfortable talking to you but knowing that there is an adult to whom they can turn who won't be mad and can help them navigate things is essential. You can follow and lock down as much as you like but they will find a way and the tighter you squeeze the more they will push against you. Cultivate relationships with the parents of their friends, share information amongst each other, support each other. It has never been and will never be as simple as just disallowing whatever it is you are afraid of.

Anonymous wrote:My rule is to only add a friend to instagram that you know in real life, someone from your own school.

Same rule for contacts to text on phone.

Yes, this.

Thank you for this post OP.