As a parent, you want your child to surround themselves with good influences. That’s true not only for who they spend time with in real life, but also for the people and ideas they’re exposed to on social media.
If you or your child are concerned about the content appearing in their feed, one beneficial step you can take is to help them reset their social media algorithm. Here’s how to reset your child’s algorithm on TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms.
Social media algorithms are the complex computations that operate behind the scenes of every social media platform to determine what each user sees.
Everything on your child’s social media feed is likely the result of something they liked, commented on, or shared. (For a more comprehensive explanation, check out our Parent’s Guide to Social Media Algorithms.)
Social media algorithms have a snowball effect. For example, if your child “likes” a cute dog video, they’ll likely see more of that type of content. However, if they search for topics like violence, adult material, or conspiracy theories, their feed can quickly be overwhelmed with negative content.
Therefore, it’s vital that parents actively examine and reset their child’s algorithm when needed, and also teach them the skills to evaluate it for themselves.
Research clearly demonstrates the potentially negative impacts of social media on tweens and teens. How it affects your child depends a lot on what’s in their feed. And what’s in their feed has everything to do with algorithms.
Helping your child reset their algorithm is a wonderful opportunity to teach them digital literacy. Explain to them why it’s important to think critically about what they see on social media, and what they do on the site influences the content they’re shown.
Here are some steps you can take together to clean up their feed:
Resetting all of your child’s algorithms in one fell swoop can be daunting. Instead, pick the app they use the most and tackle that first.
If your kiddo follows a lot of accounts, you might need to break this step into multiple sessions. Pause on each account they follow and have them consider these questions:
If the answer “yes” to any of these questions, suggest they unfollow the account. If they’re hesitant — for example, if they’re worried unfollowing might cause friend problems — they can instead “hide” or “mute” the account so they don’t see those posts in their feed.
On the flip side, encourage your child to interact with accounts that make them feel good about themselves and portray positive messages. Liking, commenting, and sharing content that lifts them up will have a ripple effect on the rest of their feed.
After you’ve gone through their feed, show your child how to examine their settings. This mostly influences sponsored content, but considering the problematic history of advertisers marketing to children on social media, it’s wise to take a look.
Every social media app has slightly different options for how much control users have over their algorithm. Here’s what you should know about resetting the algorithm on popular apps your child might use.
To get the best buy-in and help your child form positive long-term content consumption habits, it’s best to let them take the lead in deciding what accounts and content they want to see.
At the same time, kids shouldn’t have to navigate the internet on their own. Social platforms can easily suggest content and profiles that your child isn’t ready to see. A social media monitoring app, such as BrightCanary, can alert you if your child encounters something concerning.
Here are a few warning signs you should watch out for as you review your child’s feed:
If you spot any of this content, it’s time for a longer conversation to assess your child’s safety. You may decide it’s appropriate to insist they unfollow a particular account. And if what you see on your child’s feed makes you concerned for their mental health or worried they may harm themselves or others, consider reaching out to a professional.
Algorithms are the force that drives everything your child sees on social media and can quickly cause their feed to be overtaken by negative content. Regularly reviewing your child’s feed with them and teaching them skills to control their algorithm will help keep their feed positive and minimize some of the negative impacts of social media.
Just by existing as a person in 2023, you’ve probably heard of social media algorithms. But what are algorithms? How do social media algorithms work? And why should parents care?
At BrightCanary, we’re all about giving parents the tools and information they need to take a proactive role in their children’s digital life. So, we’ve created this guide to help you understand what social media algorithms are, how they impact your child, and what you can do about it.
Social media algorithms are complex sets of rules and calculations used by platforms to prioritize the content that users see in their feeds. Each social network uses different algorithms. The algorithm on TikTok is different from the one on YouTube.
In short, algorithms dictate what you see when you use social media and in what order.
Back in the Wild Wild West days of social media, you would see all of the posts from everyone you were friends with or followed, presented in chronological order.
But as more users flocked to social media and the amount of content ballooned, platforms started introducing algorithms to filter through the piles of content and deliver relevant and interesting content to keep their users engaged. The goal is to get users hooked and keep them coming back for more.
Algorithms are also hugely beneficial for generating advertising revenue for platforms because they help target sponsored content.
Each platform uses its own mix of factors, but here are some examples of what influences social media algorithms:
Most social media sites heavily prioritize showing users content from people they’re connected with on the platform.
TikTok is unique because it emphasizes showing users new content based on their interests, which means you typically won’t see posts from people you follow on your TikTok feed.
With the exception of TikTok, if you interact frequently with a particular user, you’re more likely to see their content in your feed.
The algorithms on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Instagram Explore prioritize showing you new content based on the type of posts and videos you engage with. For example, the more cute cat videos you watch, the more cute cat videos you’ll be shown.
YouTube looks at the creators you interact with, your watch history, and the type of content you view to determine suggested videos.
The more likes, shares, and comments a post gets, the more likely it is to be shown to other users. This momentum is the snowball effect that causes posts to go viral.
There are ways social media algorithms can benefit your child, such as creating a personalized experience and helping them discover new things related to their interests. But the drawbacks are also notable — and potentially concerning.
Since social media algorithms show users more of what they seem to like, your child’s feed might quickly become overwhelmed with negative content. Clicking a post out of curiosity or naivety, such as one promoting a conspiracy theory, can inadvertently expose your child to more such content. What may begin as innocent exploration could gradually influence their beliefs.
Experts frequently cite “thinspo” (short for “thinspiration”), a social media topic that aims to promote unhealthy body goals and disordered eating habits, as another algorithmic concern.
Even though most platforms ban content encouraging eating disorders, users often bypass filters using creative hashtags and abbreviations. If your child clicks on a thinspo post, they may continue to be served content that promotes eating disorders.
Although social media algorithms are something to monitor, the good news is that parents can help minimize the negative impacts on their child.
Here are some tips:
It’s a good idea to monitor what the algorithm is showing your child so you can spot any concerning trends. Regularly sit down with them to look at their feed together.
You can also use a parental monitoring service to alert you if your child consumes alarming content. BrightCanary is an app that continuously monitors your child’s social media activity and flags any concerning content, such as photos that promote self-harm or violent videos — so you can step in and talk about it.
Keep up on concerning social media trends, such as popular conspiracy theories and internet challenges, so you can spot warning signs in your child’s feed.
Talk to your child about who they follow and how those accounts make them feel. Encourage them to think critically about the content they consume and to disengage if something makes them feel bad.
Algorithms influence what content your child sees when they use social media. Parents need to be aware of the potentially harmful impacts this can have on their child and take an active role in combating the negative effects.
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You’d practically have to be living under a rock to not know that artificial intelligence (AI) has exploded over the past few years. From answering questions to planning vacations, technologies like ChatGPT and Claude are firmly a part of everyday life. But did you know that there is some great AI for parents that can help you improve your communication with your child?
At BrightCanary, we believe that AI can be harnessed to help parents maneuver difficult situations with their children. In fact, we’ve built our app around this premise. Here are several ways BrightCanary’s AI tools can help you in your parenting journey:
Ask the Canary is a chatbot powered by large language model (LLM) algorithms, which scrapes the internet to generate relevant answers to your questions. Instead of Googling your question and then wading through page after page of info to find something useful, Ask the Canary is designed to answer your question for you. So instead of spending hours looking for help, you’ll get useful, targeted advice and practical solutions in a matter of seconds.
Let’s face it: knowing how to broach difficult subjects with our kids is hard. We’re worried we won’t be helpful or that we might say the wrong thing and actually make the situation worse. That’s where AI can be really helpful — it functions as a sounding board, helping you to brainstorm different conversation-starters and directions.
To test it out, I posed some questions to Ask the Canary to see what it suggested. Here’s what I found:
My prompt: “I got an alert on BrightCanary that people are sending hurtful texts to my child. What are some conversation starters I can use to talk to them about it?
Ask the Canary’s response: “I noticed some of your friends have said hurtful things in your text messages. How does that make you feel?”
My prompt: “My child is posting inappropriate things online. What are some conversation starters I can use to talk to them about it?”
Ask the Canary’s response: “I noticed something that worried me in your posts. What was your intention when you posted this? How do you think these posts align with the values we cherish as a family?”
My prompt: “I want to know more about a show my child is watching. What are some conversation starters I can use to ask them about it?”
Ask the Canary’s response: “Can you tell me about the show you’re watching? How does this show compare to other shows you like?”
No matter how I posed my questions, Ask the Canary came back with useful advice. But I did notice that certain things helped me get even more out of the experience. Here are some tips:
When facing difficult parenting situations, it’s hard to know what to say to your child. Luckily, there are some fantastic tools using AI for parents that can help. Ask the Canary provides targeted advice on your toughest parenting questions right from your phone, including ideas to help you have better conversations with your child. All you need is the BrightCanary app to get started.
Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok are the most popular social media apps for teens. But which one is right for your child’s first adventure into social media? In this article, we’ll break down the pros and cons of these platforms and what parents should know about online safety.
Snapchat is an integral part of many teens’ social circles. Here’s what to consider when deciding if Snapchat right for your child:
Instagram’s emphasis on self-expression and the variety of ways users can connect with friends make the app a hit with kids. Here are the pros and cons of letting your child use Instagram:
TikTok is a social media app built around short-form content, and it’s one of the hottest apps for teens. Here are some pros and cons of letting kids use TikTok:
Snapchat, Instagram, and Tiktok all have their pros and cons for kids, but one app stands out when it comes to safety. Instagram’s more robust parental controls and new Teen Accounts make it the best choice as a first platform for kids who want to try social media with their parent’s support.
But even though Instagram is slightly better than the others, there are still risks associated with the platform. Regardless of what social media your child uses, it’s important to put up guardrails for them from the outset by maximizing the built-in parental controls and downloading BrightCanary to help you monitor their activity.
Letting kids use Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok has both pros and cons, with Instagram edging out the competition when it comes to safety for minors. It’s vital that parents take an active role in their child’s social media activity on all platforms. To monitor your child on social media, start your free BrightCanary trial today.
Welcome to Parent Pixels, a parenting newsletter filled with practical advice, news, and resources to support you and your kids in the digital age. This week:
📍 Instagram and Snapchat make location sharing easier: Meta now allows users to share their live location in Instagram DMs for up to 1 hour or pin a spot on the map for easy sharing. This feature is off by default, and only those in the specific chat can see the shared location. In very related news, Snapchat debuted location sharing through Family Center, the app’s parental control hub. Once set up, parents and teens can share their locations with each other. Parents can also see who their teen is sharing their location with and receive travel notifications when their teen arrives at places like school or home. It’s actually refreshing to see the apps include some safety considerations, like restricting location sharing to accepted friends only on Snapchat. However, location sharing still raises concerns, such as teens sharing their details in a group DM that might include strangers. Remind your teen to only share their location with people they know in real life and to always prioritize their privacy — now’s a good time to talk about when they might want to use this feature (like coordinating pickups after an event) and when they shouldn’t (like meeting up with someone they haven’t met in-person before).
🕳️ YouTube pushes eating disorder videos to young teens, report suggests: The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) found that YouTube’s algorithm recommended eating disorder content to minors, including videos that violated its own terms of service. Researchers created simulated 13-year-old users who watched eating disorder-related videos, and YouTube’s algorithm responded by serving more harmful content, such as an “anorexia boot camp” and other harmful content that had accrued an average of over 388,000 views each. YouTube failed to remove, age restrict, or label the majority of videos the CCDH researchers flagged as harmful, and even profited from ads placed next to the content. This rabbit hole of negative content isn’t exclusive to YouTube — it’s a risk on any platform using engagement metrics to recommend videos without factoring in age or safety. age. Parents, here’s how to talk to your kids about the risks of eating disorder content on video platforms and on social media.
😬 Guys, TikTok might actually get banned: A federal appeals court upheld the January 19 deadline for TikTok to be sold or face a ban in the United States. As a recap: earlier this year, President Joe Biden signed a law requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell the app to an approved buyer due to national security concerns or face a ban. ByteDance had asked the Supreme Court to review the statute, but unless the Court intervenes, the ban will take effect as scheduled. If your child is asking about the ban, here are some helpful talking points.
Parent Pixels is a biweekly newsletter filled with practical advice, news, and resources to support you and your kids in the digital age. Want this newsletter delivered to your inbox a day early? Subscribe here.
Let’s talk about location sharing. On the one hand, it’s a helpful way to make sure your child gets where they need to go. On the other hand, without boundaries in place, it can make your child feel like they lack your trust. Here’s how to start a conversation with them about it.
A kid’s first phone is a big step, but with some proper planning, you’ll set them up for success by teaching healthy tech boundaries. Here’s what we recommend.
Most US teens use iPhones, which means it’s important to find a parental monitoring app that’s effective on Apple devices. Here are a few of the best options for parents in 2025.
🙈 A majority (62%) of social media influencers don’t verify information before sharing it with their audiences, highlighting their vulnerability to misinformation. If your child gets all their news and updates from influencers, this is your reminder to talk to them about digital literacy.
⌛ Most popular social platforms have a minimum age of 13, but 22% of 8–17-year-olds fib about their age on social media, according to a report from UK media regulatory company Ofcom. Although apps like Instagram and TikTok have safety measures in place for underage accounts, those go out the window if kids pretend to be adults online.
⚠️ A proposed bill in California would require social media platforms to display warning labels that cautioning users about their potential impact on youth mental health. This initiative echoes US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s proposal to include tobacco-like warning labels on social networks, aiming to raise awareness about the risks of prolonged exposure to these platforms.
⚖️ Despite bipartisan support, the Kids Online Safety Act is unlikely to pass this year, despite last-minute changes and an endorsement from Elon Musk on X.
From dance challenges to funny videos, TikTok has taken the world by storm. But is TikTok safe for kids? We’ll get into that issue and help you discover ways to keep your child safe on the app.
TikTok is a social networking app where users can create, share, and discover videos and photos. Videos can be as short as 3 seconds and as long as 60 minutes.
Users can browse content made by others, and the app uses an algorithm to serve up personalized content on its For You Page. Hashtags are used to group videos that correspond with things like memes, current events, or challenges.
As of 2024, TikTok remains one of the top apps for teens ages 13–17. About 67% of teens say they use TikTok, and 16% of teens say they use it almost constantly, according to Pew Research Center.
As fun as it can be, TikTok does have serious downsides. Here are the primary risks kids face when using TikTok:
The safety of TikTok comes down to how your child uses it. For example, posting dance challenges on a private account to share with their friends is much safer than having a public account. You can further minimize the risks by monitoring their app use, taking advantage of safety features, and helping teach them how to use the app responsibly.
Here are some tips for how to help your child use TikTok safely:
Although TikTok poses inherent risks for younger users, it’s possible for kids to use the app safely if the proper precautions are put into place.
Welcome to Parent Pixels, a parenting newsletter filled with practical advice, news, and resources to support you and your kids in the digital age. This week:
🛡️ Attorneys general push Congress for child online safety bills: A bipartisan group of 32 state AGs are urging Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) this year. KOSA is intended to boost online privacy and safety for children, creating regulations that reduce the addictive nature and mental health of social media platforms. Last summer, KOSA overwhelmingly passed the Senate in a 91-3 vote, but it’s struggling to clear the House because lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are divided over its language — and there are only weeks left in the current session. In a letter to House and Senate leaders, the AGs cited recent investigations and lawsuits against Meta and TikTok for allegedly harming minors to bolster their case that children need better safeguards online.
🔃 Instagram makes it easier to “refresh” your teen’s recommendations: Instagram is testing the ability for everyone on Instagram — including teens — to reset recommended content. In the app, recommended content appears on Explore, Reels, and Feed. Over time, the algorithm gets a sense of your child’s interests and starts showing them more of what they like. But that can get problematic if your child is consuming a lot of negative content — the app will deliver more of the same. When resetting, users have the option to review the accounts they’re following and unfollow any that share content they don’t want to see. It’s a great addition and something we recommend sitting down with your teen to do together. If the feature isn’t available for your teen’s profile yet or they want to start fresh on other platforms, check out our guide to reset your child’s social media algorithms.
🍎 Social media interactions predict health years later: A recent study found that, at age 21, receiving positive social media posts from peers — such as inside jokes and messages about shared experiences — predicted better physical health seven years later, including lower inflammation, better sleep quality, and healthier BMI. Conversely, receiving posts that deviate from peer norms — like those featuring profanity, drug references, or skipping class — was associated with worse health outcomes. Social media plays a big role in your teen’s peer connections, but quality matters. Parents can play a critical role in their child’s long-term health by encouraging positive online connections, talking about healthy friendships, and staying aware of any red flags (that’s where monitoring comes in handy).
Winter break is just around the corner, and it’s a perfect opportunity to help your teen strike a healthy balance between chill time and productivity. Open communication can help you get a sense of what they want from their break — and guide them toward meaningful activities that recharge and inspire them. Use these conversation starters to chat with your teen about their plans and how they can make the most of their time off.
If you’re thinking about giving your child a phone, you might be debating between a flip phone or smartphone. But are they mature enough for a smartphone? Will the flip phone have all the features they need? Here are the pros and cons of both.
Text message monitoring can help you stay informed and involved when your child starts messaging friends independently. Here are the three main ways to view your child’s iPhone texts, plus tips to make this a team effort.
📱 About one in five Americans get their news from social media, Pew Research Center reports. Seventy percent of the survey respondents believe the news they get from influencers is somewhat different than what they hear elsewhere. Does your child get their news from social media?
🙈 Most social media users don’t read an article past the headline, according to a new study from Penn State. Researchers found that 75% of links were shared without posters clicking the link first. Now’s a good time to digital literacy with your child and remind kids how to check their sources online.
👋 Good news: We always check our sources. Follow BrightCanary on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.
It’s a fixture in modern culture and one of the most popular social media platforms for teens, but is Instagram safe for teens? Read on to find out more about Instagram’s risks and what parents can do to keep their child safe on the platform.
There are several reasons why Instagram is so popular with the younger crowd. One is its visual nature — the social media app’s emphasis on photos and videos is eye-catching and appealing to kids, and it’s all contained in an easy-to-scroll feed.
Instagram’s filters and editing tools also make it easy for kids to customize their own content right inside the platform. This gives teens the opportunity for self-expression and creativity, as well as easy ways to find other people and creators who share their interests.
Because tweens and teens are social creatures by nature, they also like the various ways they can connect with friends on Instagram — such as posting photos, liking and commenting on their friends’ posts, and direct messaging their peers.
For all its upsides, Instagram does pose significant risks for kids. Here are several dangers for parents to consider as they decide if they want to let their teen use the platform:
Instagram has made great strides of late to protect underage users on its platform — in large part because they have faced mounting public pressure to do so.
Their new teen accounts include built-in protections for kids and updated supervision tools for parents. While this is a step in the right direction (and a long time coming), parents need to be aware of where the new measures fall short.
As with other social media platforms, Instagram’s safety for teens depends largely on how they use it. Here are some tips for how to help your child use Instagram safely:
While Instagram’s new teen accounts are a step in the right direction for kids’ safety on the platform, they are still vulnerable to risks like cyberbullying and exposure to inappropriate material. The safest way for kids to use Instagram is with the parental monitoring app like BrightCanary, which gives parents additional insight into their child’s activity on the platform. Start your free trial today.
If you’re looking to get your child their first phone, you might be wrestling with whether to get a flip phone or smartphone. Both options have pros and cons, and there are great selections in both categories. However, you need to weigh a variety of factors as you decide whether a flip phone or smartphone is right for your child — are they mature enough for a smartphone? Will the flip phone have all the features they need? Here are some important factors to consider.
Start by considering why your child needs a flip phone or smartphone. That will help narrow down your options.
Some reasons a kid might need a phone:
Flip phones have grown in popularity in recent years, especially as more parents seek to delay giving kids access to smartphones and reduce the temptation of screen time. But flip phones do have some drawbacks. Here are the pros and cons of flip phones for kids:
Flip phones are a great option for some kids. But if your child needs more functionality, you might consider a smartphone. Here are the pros and cons of smartphones for kids:
When deciding between a flip phone or smartphone for your child, it really comes down to what works best for your family. Regardless of what device you choose, it’s important to stay informed and involved with how your child uses their phone through things like digital check-ins and parental monitoring apps like BrightCanary.
Welcome to Parent Pixels, a parenting newsletter filled with practical advice, news, and resources to support you and your kids in the digital age. This week:
🚫 TikTok banned from operating in Canada, may remain in US: The controversial social media app was politely yet firmly asked to shutter its offices in Canada, although Canadians can still use and access TikTok at their own risk. CBC reports that the decision to shutter TikTok’s Canadian offices was based on national security concerns and the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community — pretty similar to the reasons TikTok was heading toward getting banned in the US. President-elect Trump has signaled that he will try to halt the ban, which would likely face formidable political challenges and legal hurdles. Either way, odds are high that your child will still be able to record TikToks for the foreseeable future. Stay informed with our guide to TikTok parental controls.
👤 NYT profile uncovers the dark side of minors on social media: The New York Times recently profiled Jacky Dejo, a child influencer turned social media entrepreneur who grew up in the creator economy — and in close proximity to men who are sexually interested in minors. Jacky’s parents started social media accounts for her when she was 6, intending to chronicle her snowboarding prowess. But as Jacky grew older, she captured the attention of adult fans, ultimately leaning in to their interest and charging for exclusive access to salacious posts and images. The profile is as enlightening as it is disturbing, but one of its more harrowing illustrations is the way that social media algorithms play a distinct role in surfacing children’s images to men who have a sexual interest in them — and failing to remove underage content that violates terms of service. Parents, talk to your kids about the risks of online predators, grooming, and why they should keep their social profiles private.
🔐How schools implement “away for the day” phone policies: More schools across the country are asking students to put away their phones, but are these policies really helping kids? A recent feature in the Seattle Times says yes. Robert Eagle Staff Middle School is one of 4,000 schools worldwide that use Yondr pouches, neoprene bags that lock away the child’s phone for the day. Staff at these schools say that students are more focused during class, spend less time dealing with conflicts from group chats or social media, and even have fewer disciplinary incidents (like vaping and alcohol use) because kids can’t use their phones to coordinate meetup locations. “The last two years, 70% of my job has been dealing with cellphones. It felt like whack-a-mole,” Principal Zachary Stowell said. “And now that’s removed. Now I’m talking to teachers about their teaching, which is cool.” Does your child’s school have a phone-free policy?
Parent Pixels is a biweekly newsletter filled with practical advice, news, and resources to support you and your kids in the digital age. Want this newsletter delivered to your inbox a day early? Subscribe here.
Is social media influencing your child’s eating habits and relationship to food? We spoke with Maiken Wiese, RD, about eating disorder warning signs. Here are some important conversation-starters based on her insights.
Is your child consuming an endless loop of bad news? This habit can expose your child to an endless stream of negative content and fuel their anxiety. Find out what to do about it.
Text message monitoring is a great way to keep your child safe. But if your child is deleting texts, your alarm bells might be going off. Is it harmless, or are they hiding something?
🤬 What’s the best way to stay cool, calm, and collected with your children? Check out these tips to improve self-regulation — your ability to keep your emotions in check — via Parenting Translator.
📵 Australia has proposed a ban on social media for kids under age 16, but it isn’t clear how the ban would be implemented. If the legislation becomes law, the platforms would have a year to figure out the details.
🧩 Looking for some screen-free activities you can do with your children this winter? Save this list from Techno Sapiens.
🎧 We were featured on the Calm Parenting Podcast in an episode about practical strategies for screen time and parental controls — give it a listen!
