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It’s as if overnight Xiaohongshu has seen a sudden and remarkable surge in popularity. While it offers a platform for sharing fashion, beauty, travel, and lifestyle tips, this newfound popularity also brings to light the importance of internet safety for kids using such apps.
The group chat function is a great way for kids to practice different languages and discuss topics they’re interested in, but it comes with a ton of dangers of its own. After just spending about 20 minutes in a group, I heard a young girl excitedly say, “I’ll be in Malaysia next month. We can meet up.” And that was when I chimed in with a quick, “Please don’t meet up with strangers you meet online.” Sometimes, even our brightest teens can forget that the safe environment that they may live in doesn’t extend to the entire internet.
As parents, it’s crucial to be aware of the potential risks and take proactive steps to safeguard our children. This is why giving our kids a refresher course on internet safety, particularly when engaging with others on social media platforms like Xiaohongshu, is a necessity.
The digital world is an integral part of our children’s lives. It has opened up a world of connections, allowing kids to interact with friends, share experiences, and discover new interests. However, this virtual playground also harbors numerous risks that parents cannot afford to ignore.
Social media platforms, including Xiaohongshu, are filled with strangers, some of whom may have malicious intent. Children may unknowingly share personal information such as their full name, address, school name, or even their daily or upcoming schedules. This information can be exploited by predators, putting them in real-world danger. For example, a child might talk about or post about their upcoming school trip on Xiaohongshu, and a person with ill intentions could use this information to track their whereabouts.
Then there’s online bullying. Kids may receive hurtful messages, mean comments, or be excluded from virtual groups, which can have a devastating impact on their mental health and self-esteem.
Take the time to talk to your kids or give them a refresher course on internet safety.
Teach Privacy Settings: Parents must show their kids how to navigate the privacy settings on Xiaohongshu. Explain that they can access the settings menu, usually found in the profile section, and adjust who can see their posts, stories, and personal information. Remind them that public posts can be seen by anyone, including those with bad intentions.
Limit Personal Information Sharing: Stress that under no circumstances should they share sensitive personal details like their home address, phone number, or the name of their school on Xiaohongshu. A simple rule could be: If they wouldn’t share it with a random person on the street, they shouldn’t share it online.
Verify Before Accepting: Instruct kids to be extremely cautious when accepting friend requests from people they don’t know in real life. For Xiaohongshu, remind them that just because someone has an attractive profile filled with trendy posts doesn’t mean they are trustworthy.
Spotting Red Flags: Teach kids to recognize inappropriate content such as explicit images, vulgar language, or posts that promote dangerous behaviors.
How To React: Explain that if they come across any inappropriate content or receive disturbing messages, they should not engage. Instead, they should immediately block the user, report the content to the platform, and inform a parent or a trusted adult.
There's only so much that we, as parents, can do in terms of restricting people's access to our children online. We need educate our kids on how they need to be mindful and protect themselves. Most importantly, we need to remind our kids that it’s never too late to ask for our help. By arming our children with this knowledge through regular internet safety refresher courses, we can help them navigate the digital world, especially platforms like Xiaohongshu, more safely and securely.
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