By Alice Njoki
As a teenager growing up in a digital world, I often think about the challenges of using social media. Recently, I heard a story that really made me think: a girl my age was being followed by several adults on her Instagram account. This made me wonder about what it really means to have adults in our online spaces.
At first, it may seem harmless for adults to follow teens on social media. But for many of us, our accounts are places where we can express ourselves freely—sharing thoughts, interests, fashion, and moments of happiness. When adults join that space, it can feel different, even uncomfortable. Suddenly, it’s like we’re under extra scrutiny, which can make us anxious about how we come across.
Parents, on the other hand, want to keep us safe, which is understandable. But sometimes, their efforts to protect us online feel more like surveillance, creating a sense of mistrust. We want to feel safe, but we also want freedom. So, open conversations about online safety are essential. We need guidance, but without feeling controlled. When parents trust us to handle our social media responsibly, it actually helps us grow and take ownership of our online choices.
Recently, I attended a conference where Instagram’s new Teen Accounts were introduced. With this feature, profiles of users under 16 are set to private by default. This means we get to choose who follows us, giving us a sense of control. As we get older, we can switch to adult accounts if we want. These accounts also come with new parental controls. Parents can monitor who we message and set restrictions if needed, but they don’t see everything. This helps create a balance between safety and independence, letting us enjoy our space online while staying safe. I hope other platforms, like Facebook and TikTok, adopt similar features for teens.
The fact that adults follow teens online reflects a bigger issue. In today’s world, boundaries between adults and young people on social media are becoming blurry. This raises some big questions: Why do some adults feel the need to follow teens? Is it curiosity, nostalgia for their youth, or something more concerning? These thoughts often cross my mind as I scroll through my feed.
One of the toughest parts of being a teenager on social media is the mental pressure. Knowing adults are watching can make us feel like we need to be perfect. This pressure can hold us back from being creative or authentic, sometimes leading to anxiety or even depression. I’ve seen friends struggle with the weight of trying to maintain a certain image, which is heartbreaking.
The story of that teen followed by adults on Instagram is a reminder of why change is needed. The introduction of Teen Accounts is a positive step, giving teens more control while helping parents protect us in a respectful way. As I keep exploring social media, I hope we can learn from these experiences and create a more understanding online community. By having open conversations about online safety and mental health, we can build a space where everyone feels safe, valued, and free to be themselves. Let’s work together to make social media a place where we empower each other, instead of creating more pressure or barriers.
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