National PTA, Meta Team Up to Empower Families to be 'Screen Smart'

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Jun 06, 2024, 06:00 ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- National PTA and Meta are announcing a new collaboration to empower parents and caregivers and give them easy access to practical resources, insights and guidance so they can confidently approach conversations within their families about age-appropriate online habits.

Research shows that family engagement in teens' digital lives can help teens have positive experiences. However, parents have a lot on their plates, and it can be difficult for parents to know where to begin to build trust and open dialogue within their family.

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Through this collaboration, National PTA and Meta are coming together to host Screen Smart workshops in cities across the country to provide hands-on education for parents and caregivers—including state, regional and local PTA leaders in each location—on how to use supervision features across Meta's platforms and to facilitate open dialogue around the top questions parents have about screen time and devices. Attendees also hear from a range of academics and clinicians on ways to support their teens online.

"Families tell us that they need and want more information when it comes to devices, the internet, social media and screen time," said National PTA President Yvonne Johnson. "We remain committed to bringing knowledge, tools and resources to help families navigate digital challenges together and thrive. Expanding our collaboration with Meta provides an opportunity to give parents and caregivers access to practical resources, expert insights and guidance so they can support healthy digital habits for their teens."

This year, PTA leaders have participated in Screen Smart events in Colorado, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Texas. Today, this effort is expanding with Meta's Screen Smart workshop in Los Angeles, which will feature a panel discussion with National PTA President Yvonne Johnson.

"We want to reassure parents that we're on their side when it comes to providing them with simple ways to manage their teens' online experiences," said Meta's Global Head of Safety, Antigone Davis. "Meta has built more than 50 tools, features and resources for parents, and this collaboration with National PTA allows us to put more education in the hands of parents when they need it most so they can confidently navigate their teens' online habits."

The collaboration with Meta is part of PTA Connected, an initiative by National PTA which seeks to improve digital access and equity, digital safety and wellbeing, cybersecurity, and digital literacy for all children through tailored programs, dissemination of resources and tools and community conversations. Facebook was a founding sponsor of the initiative in 2018, and National PTA and Facebook hosted 200 Digital Families Community Events at schools across the country in the 2018-2019 school year. National PTA and Instagram also hosted community events and supported parents with the Parent's Guide to Instagram.

"National PTA has been a partner to parents on digital parenting topics, exploring in-depth the issues that are on the minds of today's families, and connecting them with tools, research and support. Our PTA Connected initiative is the foundation of our work in this area, through which we're striving to help children act safely, responsibly and thoughtfully online," said National PTA Executive Director Nathan R. Monell, CAE. "We are pleased to be collaborating with Meta in this effort as we know there is still so much work to do in this area."

This collaboration is just the beginning for Meta and National PTA, with additional engagements and activations planned for this fall.

About National PTA
National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org.

About Meta
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology.

National PTA does not endorse any commercial product, service or entity. No endorsement of Meta is implied.

SOURCE National PTA