We all have a duty to ensure our teenagers are safe online

While the internet provides young people with a valuable platform, it also exposes them to cyberbullying, privacy concerns, social media pressure and more
Keeping youth safe online requires active involvement from parents, teachers, tech companies and policymakers

Yolina SiuandPaul Yip

Published: 9:15am, 13 Feb 2024

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During a US Senate hearing on January 31, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologised to parents for the harm caused to their children by Facebook’s content. He expressed his regret by saying, “I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through” while parents held up photos of their children who had died following sexual exploitation or harassment on social media.

Both Facebook and Instagram, which are owned by Meta, have faced criticism for not effectively addressing the known harmful effects of social media on young people’s mental health.

In Hong Kong, as in many other parts of the world, the internet is a double-edged sword for teenagers. On one hand, it provides them with a platform to explore their identities, connect with peers and access a wide range of information.

On the other, it poses various challenges such as cyberbullying, privacy concerns and peer pressure. Teenagers need to learn to differentiate between reliable sources and misinformation in a vast online world. The internet is both a digital playground and a battlefield for young people, significantly shaping their lives.

Social media platforms have, for a while, been implementing safety features and community guidelines to ensure the safety of minors. For example, Facebook has introduced content moderation and reporting tools. Similarly, Instagram offers anti-bullying features.

YouTube Kids provides safer content, while YouTube improves content ratings. Tencent combats gaming addiction with time limits. Douyin has a youth mode to limit time. Despite these efforts, the issue of online safety for teenagers still persists and, in some cases, has worsened.

The biggest challenge we face today is the need for a comprehensive approach towards online safety. This approach should involve not only technology companies but also parents, educators, school social workers and policymakers. All stakeholders are well aware of the problem, and their collective actions can help further bridge the gap in online safety for young people.

Parents and guardians play a crucial role in ensuring their teenagers’ online safety. Popular social media platforms such as YouTube have introduced parental dashboards. Douyin and Tencent offer parental control options that they can use to guide their children and take measures to protect them.

It is essential for parents to participate in their child’s online journey, understand the social media landscape and be aware of the risks of cyberbullying and online privacy. They should also be role models of responsible internet use, such as by spending time wisely and keeping open lines of communication.

While setting rules, parents should be firm yet maintain a calm and respectful approach in engaging their children. This partnership between parents and teenagers should be built on trust and respect as these are the key tools for guiding teenagers towards digital resilience.

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Educators and school social workers are the frontline observers, and they are uniquely positioned to guide children on online safety. From classroom discussions to one-on-one counselling, this guidance should include real-world scenarios and interactive learning. There is a pressing need for digital literacy to be part of the educational curriculum.

Their active involvement in policymaking can also ensure schools adopt comprehensive, proactive strategies against digital threats. They must be catalysts for change, fostering an environment where awareness is seamlessly integrated with preventive and responsive action.

Education can empower young people to be savvy digital citizens who can protect themselves and their peers. Teenagers navigate through several digital landscapes while balancing their desire for anonymity with their craving for social recognition.

Tech companies must also take proactive measures to ensure the safety of their users. Safety features should be an integral part of their platforms from the outset rather than an afterthought.

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The real-name registration system, which has been implemented by Tencent, is a good reference to ensure teenagers only have access to appropriate content. Digital platform design should promote positive behaviour, such as Instagram’s well-being teams, and discourage malicious activities, such as Douyin’s curation of positive content.

Finally, it is the responsibility of policymakers to create a regulatory system that holds technology companies accountable for the safety of their users. This could mean penalising those that fail to protect young users or implementing laws that require companies to be transparent about their safety measures. It is a fine balance between being overregulated and unregulated, but the well-being of children and vulnerable individuals cannot be overlooked.

The gap between being aware of online safety and actually taking action can only be bridged if all stakeholders take a shared responsibility. This challenge can be overcome if everyone plays their part. It is a necessary step in the comprehensive approach to teenagers’ online safety, and it must be done quickly.

As the world becomes increasingly digital, it is important to ensure it is as safe as possible for young people. Zuckerberg’s apology is just a start. It is our collective duty to ensure that the subsequent steps will define our success in protecting our children online. We must move decisively from awareness to action.

Yolina Siu is a counsellor at the University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention. She has extensive experience in mental health training and counselling within schools and corporate settings

Paul Yip is director of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention