Online dating has grown in popularity over the years and has trickled down into the online world of teens. While you may be aware to look for popular dating apps such as Tinder, Hinge, Match, etc. on your child’s devices, you should also be aware of regular social media apps like Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok, etc. that your child may be using. There can be a fine line between keeping our children safe and letting them have some freedom while online. In many cases, you may not have had the same experience online as your children are today. That can make it challenging to know what is acceptable or safe for kids and teens. Online dating isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if the person is someone your teen has met in person, but it can be dangerous if you don’t know what to look for.

For some teens, online dating or socializing is a great way to meet likeminded individuals they may not have had the chance to meet or help boost their self-esteem if they are not as confident face-to-face. However, teens can be tricked into giving out personal information, lured to sketchy in person meetings, or scammed. To ensure your teen doesn’t get wrapped up in something they shouldn’t, it is important to talk to them. Telling teens not to talk to people online may not be realistic in our digital age. So, discussing with your teen specific safety issues and establishing clear rules can help keep your teen safe before anything even starts. Some good rules to discuss with your teen are as follows:

Keep their identity safe

Make sure kids and teens know that they should never send Social Security numbers, bank information, usernames, passwords, birthdates, addresses, etc. over the internet. They should also never send money to someone for any reason even the person claims it is an emergency

Keep social media private

Make sure children aren’t sharing their full name, birthday, or other personal information through their social media or have all their settings set to private. Sometimes other apps connect through Facebook, or other social accounts, so limiting the shared information can be important. Make sure you and your teen know what information is being shared between apps.

Get to know someone before meeting

If your teen is online dating, or even just socializing, you can help them learn how to spot a catfish or predator. Have your teen ask the person to FaceTime or Skype to ensure they are who they say they are. Try doing a reverse image search to see if their images are stolen from someone else.

Trust friends, family, and your gut

Sometimes someone removed from the situation may see things clearly. If you or your child’s friends believe something is off about a match, try to open a dialogue with your teen. Encourage your child to trust their gut and their friends before they get into a situation online.

Go on safe dates

If you and your teen think they can meet their online date in person try and set up clear guidelines. Try and set these guidelines up before they ask to meet someone. This gives them a clear idea of your expectations and boundaries beforehand. Example rules could be to them meet in a public place or go with a group of friends. You could also chaperone a meeting yourself first so you can assess the situation. Help your child set up location services on their device to share with friends and family.

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About the Author

Megan Winkelmann has been a Community Health Educator with the Jefferson County Health Department for just over two years. She attended Truman State University earning a bachelor’s degree in Health Science with a minor in Biology. While working for JCHD she attended A.T. Still University to earn her master’s degree in Public Health. Megan was born and raised in Jefferson County and enjoys creating programs that encourage healthy habits in the place she was raised. Megan likes to spend her free in time in the presence of family and friends.

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