This Company Wants to Help Frustrated Parents Protect Their Children on Social Media

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The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.

Social media platforms are continuing to grow and inform and have become part of the fabric of engagement and conversation around the world. But parents, frustrated by the unregulated content and interaction available to their children, are sometimes loudly making their frustration known. 

In recent U.S. Senate testimony, Meta Platforms Inc.’s FB Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, one of the company’s former product managers, discussed how Facebook and Instagram could be addictive and harmful to children.  

The recent furor over Meta Platforms-owned Instagram to offer an environment built specifically for children younger than 13 drew enough instant parental and child advocacy backlash that the company decided to shut down its plans temporarily. 

“Targeting and inviting children under 13 to use Instagram is as irresponsible as the DMV giving pre-teens a license to drive and expecting them to navigate the roads safely,” Donna Rice Hughes, chairman, and president of Enough is Enough, said. 

Enough is Enough is a nonprofit that regularly shares information with parents on the dangers of online social platforms and ways to protect children. The organization recently launched a petition drive fueled by parents who want more social media accountability and protections for their kids.  

“Children are simply not equipped to handle the obstacles and challenges encountered through social media use,” Hughes said.

Issues such as cyberbullying, sexting, and body shaming have parents struggling to protect their children from platforms that turn into passive vehicles for these topics. Alphabet Inc.’s GOOGL GoogleTrends recently reported an 80% increase in parents searching for online cyberbullying help. Microsoft Corp.’s MSFT MSN.com reported a 183% increase in sexting attempts by children during the pandemic lockdown.  

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who led the subcommittee questioning Haugen, shared texted comments from one of his constituents. “I’m in tears right now watching your interaction with Frances Haugen. My 15-year-old daughter loved her body at 14. She was on Instagram constantly and maybe posting too much. Suddenly she started hating her body and her body dysmorphia, now anorexia, and was in deep, deep trouble before we found treatment. I fear she will never be the same.” 

In a recent Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago study of 2,000 parents, 58% said they believe social media has a net negative effect on their children. They cited Instagram (48%), Snap Inc.’s SNAP SnapChat (45%), TikTok (40%), and Facebook (39%) as social media platforms that concern them the most. 

As too many kids are being exposed to inappropriate media content, Grom Social Enterprises Inc. GROM says it has emerged as a social media and family entertainment company that promotes a safe haven for kids online and a refuge for parents. The company strives to provide original content while providing safe and secure digital environments for children that parents or guardians can easily monitor.

Grom offers live commenting, hashtags, streaming video content, direct messaging, and chat exclusively for children younger than 13, presented in a protected environment through its proprietary app. The company’s app is currently the only Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)-compliant social media app available to children. The Federal Trade Commission’s COPPA makes it illegal to collect or store the personal information of children 13 and younger.  

Rather than run away from important issues facing children, Grom Social focuses on helping with topics like bullying, body shaming, and substance abuse — in addition to the struggles of growing up in a pandemic. Grom believes that all kids deserve a fun, safe respite from the harsh realities of life.

The company also unveiled new features in its “safe and responsible” Grom Social Media app that allows schools, teachers, classrooms, and students to connect in a safe forum overseen by educators. Now, classrooms can use Grom Social as an educational tool designed to promote the benefits of kids being safe and responsible while engaging on social media. 

For more information on Grom Social Enterprises, visit www.gromsocial.com.

The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.