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Children aged 10–14 are exposed to a growing list of potential harms on the internet. Here’s how to set some boundaries and make them stick.
Australia made headlines late last year when it followed through on a total ban on social media access for children under 16; now, several provinces as well as Canada’s federal government are considering similar internet restrictions.
This all comes in light of mounting evidence of the potential harms pre- and early teen users are exposed to on social media platforms and using AI chatbots, from misinformation to bullying to body image issues. But for now, the only restrictions in Canada are the platforms’ own loosely enforced age restrictions—usually age 13 and up. But the problems extend beyond social media to all internet activity, so what should parents do to keep their children safe?
One of the most vulnerable groups falls between 10 and 14, says Julie Kuzmic, senior compliance officer, consumer advocacy for credit bureau Equifax Canada—in between children and true teenagers. At this age, their brains are still growing and developing.
Preteens are still developing impulse control all while tending to have an overactive emotional centre in the brain. “Preteens may have a hypersensitivity to social feedback,” Kuzmic explains. Peer comparison can become a benchmark of self-worth.
These developments coincide with a time when pre-teens are seeking more privacy and autonomy. They often don’t recognize and are therefore vulnerable to the inherently addictive influences of many commercial platforms, as well as more nefarious actors on the web. They don’t see the harm in infinite scrolling, for example.
“Parents should consider introducing internet use to their children the way they would riding a bicycle,” Kuzmic says. That is, with support, supervision and guidance at first before enabling unrestricted use.
“View social media exposure as a progression. You would ideally have a relationship with your teen where, as they are developing positive behaviour, they earn more exposure,” she says. The age and level of internet access will depend on the child and the family context. “Make it a dialogue and not a set of rules. Let the child know what the thinking is behind the limits and what the potential dangers may be. Let them be involved in the discussion.”
One place to start is to establish tech-free zones—times, places, and situations where family members, including the adults, are expected to be offline. Kuzmic points to the guidelines published by Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, which recommends restricting internet use during meals and one hour before bedtime. This step encourages healthy interactions with other family members and an evening routine that leads to a good night’s sleep.
Common pitfalls to introducing your children to the internet include dependence on social media and screen time. The Canadian Psychological Association recommends keeping an eye out for problematic internet use:
The challenge for parents is to counteract the reward feedback loops that many social media platforms and other sites offer. The child is increasingly motivated by likes, auto-play, and infinite scrolling rather than the benefits they enjoy in the real world. But these may overstimulate the developing brain and trigger addictive pathways.
Most parents find it exhausting, alienating, and ultimately fruitless to monitor their kids’ every move online. Fortunately, technology can help manage their access to online activities at different times of the day. Some family cellphone plans, for example, allow you to set the hours during the day when they can be used to access the web.
Equifax has its own, more comprehensive solution, called Equifax Complete Protection. This subscription service includes tools from leading technology providers including:
“Each of these provides protection that wraps around the whole family, in addition to protecting children,” Kuzmic says.
Equifax Complete Protection also comes with security features for two adults in the family, such as credit alerts, dark web monitoring, and identity restoration in case your information gets compromised—all for $34.95 per month.
Equifax Complete Protection is a credit and cybersecurity protection service designed to help Canadians spot the signs of identity fraud faster.
Subscription price: $34.95 per month
Kuzmic, who has kids of her own in this age group, emphasizes that limiting exposure to online harms is an ongoing challenge for parents. “The whole environment is evolving so quickly and the law takes time to catch up,” she says. So don’t expect to have the final word on your teens’ internet access any time soon. “Tech use is an ongoing discussion.”
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