Screens and their social networks are powerful catalysts for socialization. A role that is all the more important during adolescence, when young people look for themselves in relation to their peers. However, at this age, young teenagers are not supposed to have access to social networks according to European regulations. Despite this, “there are a lot of young people between the ages of 12 and 14 who have access to social networks. Given their challenges, it is recommended to introduce them step by step, specifies Anne-Emmanuelle Ambresin. It is therefore important to teach them their operation and use”. Whatsapp is often the first social network for young people, who add their friends to it and form a class group.
Better, however, to delay the arrival of other social networks, containing more risks. Ideally, there should also be rules regarding screen time. “It is possible to work with software limiting the time spent on the phone, for example in the settings and preferences of the device. With the permission of the teenager, why not sit down together and watch how he uses his telephone?” Thus, we can ask him what he thinks of certain situations. Anne-Emmanuelle Ambresin cites the example of her teenager’s class group on Whatsapp. “Reading the papers, I was challenged by the violence of the language that the students used among themselves. As an adult, we can give young people points of reference, who do not yet know what is being done and what is not. It’s up to parents to teach young people how to behave online.”
>> To listen: episode 3 of the series “Screens from 0 to 100 years old”
