How to Protect Your Kids Online: Actress Shilpa Shetty’s Advice

Internet use among children is a cause of serious concern. This truth yet again made itself loud and clear after the recent alleged suicide of three Ghaziabad sisters. As per reports, the sisters jumped off to death due to online gaming addiction. Investigations are underway to dig out the truth. But this news has started conversations around how the internet impacts children and teens. Recently, actress Shilpa Shetty shared a video on social media, where she attempted to bring focus on why we need to raise digitally aware children. Let’s take a look at what she has to say.

To get an expert view on how social media impacts children’s mental health, we reached out to Dr Divya Shree KR, Consultant – Psychiatry, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore. Read on.

‘Supervision Till 16’: Shilpa Shetty Says Digital Control Is Care

Shilpa Shetty shared a reel on social media. In the video, she urged parents to take out time from their life and monitor their children’s online behavior and interaction with the internet. In her Instagram reel, she voiced her concerns as a mother. The fitness enthusiast noted that the internet is a great place for learning and creativity. But she brought about focus on the risks it brings with it. Shetty noted that while technology is a storehouse of knowledge, it can expose kids to content that they may not be emotionally ready to deal with.

The actress said in the video, “It couldn’t be a better day to broach this topic, and not as a public figure but as a concerned mother. The internet is a powerful teacher, a playground for creativity. So with the pros come the cons, and we must be aware of them. It can also expose young minds to things that they’re not ready for, and as parents, our role isn’t to just simply ban technology; it’s to balance the access and exposure to it.”

Shilpa Shetty’s Advice To Parents For Making Internet Safe For Kids

Shilpa Shetty urged parents to be mindful. She said in the video, “Know what your child is watching, scrolling and consuming. Curiosity grows in silence, not in conversation.” The actress mentioned that we need to teach our children that not everything online is real or safe. She noted that trust and supervision are even more vital. Shilpa Shetty added that monitoring a child until they are sixteen should not be viewed as an attempt to control them, but as an act of care.

In the video’s caption, Shilpa jots down the following advice for parents:

• Know what the baby is watching and scrolling.
• Speak openly to children, conversation makes perfect understanding.
• Parental control is necessary, but trust is even more.
• I guess monitoring for 16 years is care, not control.
• Important to explain to children that everything online is not right, true or safe.

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How Social Media Impacts Children

As per an UNICEF report, the rise of AI-driven technology brings grave risks, especially as altercations in digital platforms outpace the safeguards and regulations needed to protect young users. They noted that the most alarming is the threat of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse.

On this note, Dr Shree KR mentions that social media can impair kids’ ability to concentrate. “It may increase ADHD-related symptoms. Social media apps are all about fast videos, constant notifications, and endless scrolling. This can train the brain to expect quick rewards – this makes it harder for children to focus on slow or detailed tasks such as reading, studying, or listening in class,” says the expert.

The expert further explains that frequent switching between posts can reduce attention span and increase restlessness in kids. “Poor sleep due to late-night social media use can also worsen focus and behaviour during the day. Limiting screen time and encouraging offline activities can help protect attention and mental health,” concludes Dr Shree KR.

The Final Word

Shilpa Shetty shared a reel on social media, where she urged parents to monitor their children’s online behavior. She focused on the importance of raising digitally aware children. The actress noted that supervising children’s online activity until they turn 16 is not control, but an act of care.

ALSO READ- France Set To Ban Social Media For Children Under 15 – Expert Shares Internet’s Mental Health Impact On Kids