Cyberbullying

Fake Instagram
Should I be concerned about my teen’s Finstagram (fake Instagram) account?
Should I be concerned about my teen’s Finstagram (fake Instagram) account? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: My 16 year old daughter is obsessed with Instagram and constantly taking pictures to share on the app. I recently discovered that she has two accounts…one of which she calls her “Finstagram” and says she only allows her closest friends to follow her (I follow her on her more “popular” account). While I understand it’s…

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Woman texting over coffee
Can my teen be charged for a crime based on what she texts to her friends?
Can my teen be charged for a crime based on what she texts to her friends? 750 315 Mediatrics

Es En Espanol Q: I recently read that a young woman was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for texting a friend to kill himself.  I find this case incredibly concerning because the girl who was convicted was only 17 at the time and my own teens text each other in ways that could be easily misinterpreted. For example,…

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Kik ATM
Should I let my tween use the Kik messenger app?
Should I let my tween use the Kik messenger app? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: Would you allow an 11-year-old child to use the Kik app? I say “no”, but would like to know your thoughts – thanks! ~ Kik Me, Annapolis, MD A: Dear KM, Parenting in the 21st Century includes deciding how to manage children’s screen media use, which means many different decisions about issues from television…

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twins cell phones
Should I give my tween twins smartphones?
Should I give my tween twins smartphones? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: I have a set of twins, ages 11 soon to be 12. My son has Asperger’s Syndrome and my daughter has ADHD.  They both have a natural affinity for screens and are very rule-oriented.  My daughter very much wants a smartphone, as “everyone” at middle school has one and she wants to fit the…

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