What is Finstagram?
A recent study showed that 95% of teens own a smart phone or have easy access to one (Anderson. M. & Jiang, J. 2018). And with easy access to a smart phone comes unlimited access to social media and the many apps that make up the world of social media. Facebook used to be the most popular social media app but not anymore, especially amongst teens. According to Pew Research Center, Youtube is the most popular with 85% of teens reporting to use it, with Instagram and Snapchat coming in second and third with 72% and 69% respectively. Instragram tends to be popular amongst adults too, therefore parents may be more familiar with this app. However, are you familiar with this new trend… FINSTAGRAM?
What is Finsta or Finstagram. Finsta refers to a fake instagram account. This is a second account where teens post their unfiltered photos to a more selective audience. These accounts tend to be private and for only their closest friends to see, which often means not mom and dad. On one hand this may not be a bad thing as it allows young people to post freely without the pressure of the perfect post with the perfect filter to generate the most likes. However, on the other hand, this is a private account where your child is posting content that you are unaware of. Finsta’s often come with fake names so it may be difficult to identify who it belongs to.
What is Finsta or Finstagram. Finsta refers to a fake instagram account. This is a second account where teens post their unfiltered photos to a more selective audience. These accounts tend to be private and for only their closest friends to see, which often means not mom and dad. On one hand this may not be a bad thing as it allows young people to post freely without the pressure of the perfect post with the perfect filter to generate the most likes. However, on the other hand, this is a private account where your child is posting content that you are unaware of. Finsta’s often come with fake names so it may be difficult to identify who it belongs to.
How can you know if you child has a Finstagram? First you could simply ask them and request that they show you the content or allow you to follow. Secondly, if you are monitoring your child’s smart phone and social media, which we recommend you should, you can search for it yourself. When opening the Instagram app and viewing the profile (found by tapping the icon on the bottom right) rather than the feed you will see the username at the top of the screen, if there is a small arrow pointing down after the name this means there are additional accounts. If you tap the username an additional screen will pop up which shows the other accounts, you can then select the account to view the content. It is important to note that children and teens are becoming very smart with their social media and may be logging out of their Finsta accounts and therefore they would not be open for parents to see, so as always, open communication is the best approach with your children. Invite them to show you and teach you about how they use social media and who they are allowing to see their posts.
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