Social Media Privacy: Taking Control

Social media platforms collect vast amounts of personal data from teen users, often with limited understanding of how this information is used. Your posts, likes, location data, and even how long you look at certain content becomes part of your digital profile.

Understanding your privacy settings isn't just about hiding posts from your parents — it's about protecting your personal information from being sold to advertisers, used to manipulate your behavior, or accessed by potential employers or colleges in the future.

Essential Privacy Settings to Check

  • Profile visibility: Set your account to private so only approved followers can see your content
  • Location sharing: Turn off location tracking and remove location data from existing posts
  • Data download: Request your data to see what information platforms have collected about you
  • Ad preferences: Limit ad tracking and opt out of personalized advertising where possible
  • Third-party access: Review and revoke permissions for apps that access your social media accounts
  • Contact syncing: Disable automatic contact uploads and friend suggestions based on your contacts

Platform-Specific Protections

Each social media platform has different privacy policies and protection levels for teen users:

  • Instagram: Automatically sets new teen accounts to private, limits contact from adults, and restricts sensitive content
  • TikTok: Accounts for users under 16 are automatically set to private with restricted direct messaging
  • Snapchat: Offers "Ghost Mode" to hide your location and has specific protections for users under 18
  • Facebook: Limits who can contact teens and what information is visible to adults not in their network

Data Collection: What They Know About You

Every click, scroll, and pause online generates data about you. Companies use this information to create detailed profiles about your interests, behaviors, and even your emotional state. This data is incredibly valuable — and you have more control over it than you might think.

Understanding data collection helps you make informed decisions about which apps to use, what information to share, and how to protect your privacy. Remember: if a service is free, your data is often the product being sold.

Types of Data Being Collected

  • Behavioral data: How you interact with content, time spent on pages, click patterns
  • Personal information: Name, age, location, contact information, photos
  • Device information: Phone model, operating system, browser type, IP address
  • Social connections: Friends, followers, family members, communication patterns
  • Purchase history: What you buy, when, and how much you spend
  • Health and fitness: Sleep patterns, exercise habits, health conditions from fitness apps

How to Limit Data Collection

  • Use privacy-focused browsers like Firefox or Safari with tracking protection enabled
  • Install ad blockers and tracking blockers
  • Regularly clear cookies and browsing data
  • Use incognito/private browsing modes
  • Read privacy policies before using new apps or services
  • Opt out of data collection when possible

School Surveillance: Your Rights in Educational Settings

Schools have significant authority to monitor student activities, but this power isn't unlimited. Understanding your rights can help you navigate the balance between school safety measures and your personal privacy.

The rise of educational technology and remote learning has expanded school surveillance capabilities. Schools can now monitor your online activity, track your location, and access your digital communications in ways that weren't possible before.

What Schools Can Monitor

  • School-issued devices: Complete monitoring of activity on school laptops, tablets, and accounts
  • School network activity: Websites visited, downloads, and online activity while using school WiFi
  • Educational platforms: Your activity on learning management systems, online textbooks, and educational apps
  • Email and messaging: School email accounts and communication platforms
  • Physical surveillance: Security cameras, ID card tracking, and visitor management systems

Your Rights and Protections

  • Personal devices: Schools generally cannot search your personal phone without reasonable suspicion
  • Off-campus activity: Limited authority to discipline for off-campus online speech unless it disrupts school
  • Data access: Right to know what data is collected and how it's used
  • Parental involvement: Parents must be notified of certain monitoring activities
  • Due process: Right to appeal disciplinary actions based on digital evidence

Online Safety: Protecting Yourself Digital

Online safety isn't just about avoiding strangers — it's about protecting your mental health, personal information, and future opportunities. Understanding how to recognize and respond to different types of online threats is essential for navigating the digital world safely.

Cyberbullying, harassment, and predatory behavior can have serious real-world consequences. Knowing your rights and options for getting help can make the difference between a minor incident and a life-altering experience.

Common Online Threats

  • Cyberbullying: Repeated harassment, threats, or humiliation through digital platforms
  • Doxxing: Publishing private information like addresses, phone numbers, or personal details
  • Catfishing: Someone pretending to be someone else to deceive you
  • Sextortion: Threats to share intimate images unless you comply with demands
  • Identity theft: Someone using your personal information to impersonate you
  • Scams: Fraudulent schemes designed to steal money or personal information

How to Stay Safe

  • Never share personal information with strangers online
  • Use strong, unique passwords for each account
  • Enable two-factor authentication on important accounts
  • Be cautious about meeting online friends in person
  • Report harassment and inappropriate behavior to platform administrators
  • Save evidence of cyberbullying or threats