Kids, the Internet, and the online dangers we have to navigate

What do you think about when you hear the phrase "online safety" come up?

Most peoples' minds go straight to things like preventing identity theft or protecting kids from online predators or trafficking, and I'm not saying that's wrong - it isn't! But, a recent report released by the Wall Street Journal that indicates that Facebook is aware that Instagram is toxic for teenage girls causes me to realize that there is a piece missing from what we're saying when we discuss online safety for ourselves and for our kids.

The reason Instagram is so toxic is because it allows us as people to post all the best aspects of our lives. When you're feeling low and all you see is everyone else doing these incredibly fun and happy things, it can really make you feel isolated and like you're missing out on something major. Now, this is no one's fault - people are allowed to enjoy themselves and share happy things, of course! - but imagine being a kid or a teenager and not having the experience and knowledge necessary to process the source of your negative feelings.

Data and statistics aside, I think this is an instance where the platform can't easily fix the problem (they should, however, at the very least acknowledge that it exists). This is the sort of thing where these kids really need parents, guardians, and other loved ones to help educate them about how everything you see online isn't usually the complete picture and how they shouldn't be actively comparing their own lives to the perceived "betterness" of someone else's.