At what age should kids be on social media? Should they be on it at all? If they arensa国际传媒檛, will they be social pariahs? Should parents monitor their conversations? Do parental controls work?

Navigating social media as a parent sa国际传媒� not to mention a child sa国际传媒� is not easy. Using social media platforms is still the default for most American teenagers, with the Pew Research Center reporting that 58% of teens are daily users of TikTok, including 17% who describe their TikTok use as almost constant. About half of teens use Snapchat and Instagram daily, with near-constant use at 14% and 8% for each, respectively.

But parents sa国际传媒� and even some teens themselves sa国际传媒� are growing increasingly concerned about the effects of social media use on young people. Lawmakers have taken notice and have held multiple congressional hearings on child online safety. But even with apparent bipartisan unity, making laws and regulating companies takes time. So far, no regulation has passed.

What are parents sa国际传媒� and teens sa国际传媒� supposed to do in the meantime? Here are some tips on staying safe, communicating and setting limits on social media sa国际传媒� for kids as well as their parents.

IS 13 THE MAGIC AGE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA?

Theresa国际传媒檚 already, technically, a rule that prohibits kids under 13 from using platforms that advertise to them without parental consent: The Childrensa国际传媒檚 Online Privacy Protection Act that went into effect in 2000, before todaysa国际传媒檚 teenagers were even born.

The goal was to protect kidssa国际传媒� online privacy by requiring websites and online services to disclose clear privacy policies and get parentssa国际传媒� consent before gathering personal information on their kids, among other things. To comply, social media companies have generally banned kids under 13 from signing up for their services.

But times have changed, and online privacy is no longer the only concern when it comes to kids being online. Theresa国际传媒檚 bullying, harassment, the risk of developing eating disorders, suicidal thoughts or worse.

For years, there has been a push among parents, educators and tech experts to wait to give children phones sa国际传媒� and access to social media sa国际传媒� until they are older, such as the sa国际传媒淲ait Until 8thsa国际传媒� pledge that has parents sign a pledge not to give their kids a smartphone until the 8th grade, or about age 13 or 14. Some wait even later, like 16 or 17.

But neither social media companies nor the government have done anything concrete to increase the age limit.

IF THE LAW WONsa国际传媒橳 BAN KIDS, SHOULD PARENTS?

sa国际传媒淭here is not necessarily a magical age,sa国际传媒� said Christine Elgersma, a social media expert at the nonprofit Common Sense Media. But, she added, sa国际传媒�13 is probably not the best age for kids to get on social media.sa国际传媒�

The laws currently being proposed include blanket bans on the under-13 set when it comes to social media. The problem? Theresa国际传媒檚 no easy way to verify a personsa国际传媒檚 age when they sign up for apps and online services. And the apps popular with teens today were created for adults first. Companies have added some safeguards over the years, Elgersma noted, but these are piecemeal changes, not fundamental rethinks of the services.

sa国际传媒淒evelopers need to start building apps with kids in mind,sa国际传媒� she said.

Some tech executives, celebrities such as and parents from all walks of life have resorted to . While the decision is a personal one that depends on each child and parent, some experts say this could lead to isolating kids, who could be left out of activities and discussions with friends that take place on social media or chat services.

Another hurdle sa国际传媒� kids who have never been on social media may find themselves ill-equipped to navigate the platforms when they are suddenly allowed free rein the day they turn 18.

TALK, TALK, TALK

A more realistic and effective approach to social media, experts say, that gives children the tools and information they need to navigate a world in which places like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat are almost impossible to escape.

sa国际传媒淵ou cannot just expect that the kids will jump into the world of social media, learn how to swim on their own,sa国际传媒� said Natalie Bazarova, a professor of communications and director of the Cornell Social Media Lab. sa国际传媒淭hey need to have instruction.sa国际传媒�

Start early, earlier than you think. Elgersma suggests that parents go through their own social media feeds with their children before they are old enough to be online and have open discussions on what they see. How would your child handle a situation where a friend of a friend asks them to send a photo? Or if they see an article that makes them so angry they just want to share it right away?

For older kids, Elgersma says to approach them with curiosity and interest, sa国际传媒渁sking about what their friends are doing or just not asking direct questions like, sa国际传媒榃hat are you doing on Instagram?sa国际传媒� but rather, sa国际传媒楬ey, I heard this influencer is really popular.sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� And even if your kid rolled their eyes it could be a window.sa国际传媒�

Donsa国际传媒檛 say things like sa国际传媒淭urn that thing off!sa国际传媒� when your kid has been scrolling for a long time, says Jean Rogers, the director of the nonprofit Fairplaysa国际传媒檚 Screen Time Action Network.

sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 not respectful,sa国际传媒� Rogers said. sa国际传媒淚t doesnsa国际传媒檛 respect that they have a whole life and a whole world in that device.sa国际传媒�

Instead, Rogers suggests asking them questions about what they do on their phone, and see what your child is willing to share.

Kids are also likely to respond to parents and educators and the sometimes insidious tools companies use to keep people online and engaged, Elgersma said. Watch a documentary like sa国际传媒淭he Social Dilemmasa国际传媒� that explores algorithms, dark patterns and dopamine feedback cycles of social media. Or read up with them how Facebook and TikTok make money.

sa国际传媒淜ids love to be in the know about these things, and it will give them a sense of power,sa国际传媒� she said.

SETTING LIMITS

Rogers says most parents have success with taking their kidssa国际传媒� phones overnight to limit their scrolling. Occasionally kids might try to sneak the phone back, but itsa国际传媒檚 a strategy that tends to work because kids need a break from the screen.

sa国际传媒淭hey need to an excuse with their peers to not be on their phone at night,sa国际传媒� Rogers said. sa国际传媒淭hey can blame their parents.sa国际传媒�

Parents may need their own limits on phone use. Rogers said itsa国际传媒檚 helpful to explain what you are doing when you do have a phone in hand around your child so they understand you are not aimlessly scrolling through sites like Instagram. Tell your child that yousa国际传媒檙e checking work email, looking up a recipe for dinner or paying a bill so they understand yousa国际传媒檙e not on there just for fun. Then tell them when you plan to put the phone down.

WHAT ABOUT PARENTAL CONTROLS?

Social media platforms that cater to children have added an ever-growing array of parental controls as they face increasing scrutiny over child safety. For instance, Meta has tools that allow parents set time limits, see who their kid follows or is followed by, and allows them to track how much time the minor spends on Instagram. The company also implemented new to protect childrensa国际传媒檚 privacy for anyone under 18.

Such features can be useful for families in which parents are already involved in their childsa国际传媒檚 online life and activities. But experts say thatsa国际传媒檚 not the reality for many people.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek itsa国际传媒檚 unfair to expect parents to manage what their children do with rapidly evolving technology that sa国际传媒渇undamentally changes how their kids think about themselves, how they build friendships, how they experience the world sa国际传媒� and technology, by the way, that prior generations never had to manage.sa国际传媒�

Putting all of that on the shoulders of parents, he said, sa国际传媒渋s just simply not fair.sa国际传媒�