Empowering Your Teen: How to Help Them Navigate Misinformation
Parenting a teenager has never been simple. Then, along came the internet, smartphones, and misinformation. It almost seems quaint to ponder the days when parents were worried about TV time. The digital age has transformed how teenagers live. Like anything else, this is a mixed bag. There are many pros and cons, but the flood of fake news, artificial intelligence, bots, algorithms, and deepfakes is enough to keep any parent up at night.
But it’s not all gloom and doom. Guiding your teen’s online life can be an amazing way to empower them. The lessons they learn now may have a long-lasting positive impact on their life.
Lots of Related Factors to Navigate
In this day and age, parents may be working very long hours. They are also probably pretty reliant on their devices. Factors like this have the potential to make things more difficult. Kids are already online a lot, and if you’re not around to supervise them, that can get excessive. Also, if you’re constantly staring at and scrolling on your phone, you’re not leading by example.
Therefore, a giant first step in helping your teen navigate misinformation is commitment. A venture like this must be prioritized with consistent, diligent effort. Left to their own devices (pun very much intended), kids will almost certainly not put much thought into practicing discernment regarding the content they consume. The onus is on you to emphasize the need for this kind of work and to be present enough to make it happen.
Other Elements to Consider
Social Media Peer Pressure
Teens like to envision themselves as rebel, but, in many ways, there are big-time conformists. They dress alike, use the same social media platforms, and really want to fit in. This can make it more daunting for them to challenge a collective belief — even when it’s founded on misinformation.
The Tendency Toward Doom Scrolling
We’re hardwired to pay close attention to danger and risk. This is necessary to warn us of physical danger, but when scrolling your phone, it manifests as an unhealthy pattern called doom scrolling. If you are drawn to negative content, you’re susceptible to manipulation.
Information Overload
The sheer volume of content is overwhelming and often does not leave enough time to parse out fact from fiction.
How to Help Your Teen Navigate Misinformation
Being proactive in your teen’s exposure to “news” of any variety is a tricky balancing act, but it’s well worth the effort. It can result in positive outcomes like:
Trust in their own instincts and intuition
Productive coping skills
Independent, critical thinking
Being more physically active because of reduced screen time
Better language and cognition skills
High levels of emotional regulation
How To Get Started On This Search For Truth
Stay present: Seek out a healthy balance in which you can know who your teen is without imposing yourself on their burgeoning adulthood. Don’t practice knee-jerk discipline. Instead, give them a chance to explain their choices and hear them out. Be available for conversations about the presence of bad actors online and in the media.
Be a role model: Take regular tech breaks and remain open to learning about sources and hidden agendas. Lead by example when it comes to fact-checking and a willingness to learn.
Set boundaries: Create house rules that everyone — including parents — must comply with, but always make time for intellectual explorations together.
This Is a Fluid Process
Be ready to adapt, adjust, and evolve. There is no finish line when it comes to truth-seeking. But you certainly can encourage your children to traverse the path with you.
If you need help with navigating parenthood, we are here to help. Contact our office today to see how teen therapy can benefit you on this journey.
