Pia Miranda, Peter Rowsthorn and Billie Rowsthorn sit together in a warmly lit studio. They all have large microphones stretched out on stands in front of them.

A super appears on screen over a shot of Pia that reads: Keeping teens safe online.

Pia:
So I find a little bit hard to find that balance of trying to be the parent, but also realising that a lot of the time I don't get what's happening online.

Peter:
Yeah. You feel really on the outside.

Pia:
What is your experience with making friends online? Is it a normal way for teenagers to meet new people?

Billie:
I feel like at the moment it's a really normal and very common to meet people online. Having friends that might follow someone on Instagram and you might be interested in that person. Just mutuals is the big way to meet someone.

Pia:
What are some red flags when talking to people online?

Billie:
When they're asking quite personal questions. This guy requested to follow me and we had mutuals so I accepted it 'cause that's what I usually do. And he texted me straight away going, 'Hey gorgeous girl'. And I just responded with, 'oh hell nah'. And then I blocked him <laugh> because that is so weird.

Pia:
That's 'cause you're clever.

Billie:
Like why would you do that?

Peter:
'Hell nah!' <laugh>

Pia:
And do you feel like having a private account has protected you from a lot of the stuff that can go on?

Billie:
Yes. Definitely I think having a private account is a safer option.

Pia:
Have you got friends with open accounts?

Billie:
Some kids just went straight in public account rather than trying to be safe.

Pia:
Do they do the Two-Factor Authentication thing or is that not really a thing?

*Billie looks noticeably confused*

Pia:
I do know something! <laugh>

Peter:
Yeah, baby! *Peter pumps his fist in the air*

Pia:
I know something!

Peter:
Bring it on down!

Pia:
So you can just switch on Two-Factor Authentication.

Peter:
Okay, yeah. I know the one.

Pia:
And then if someone's trying to get into my Instagram, I'll get notified. Then I can just go in and change my password.

Billie:
I'll do that. I did not know about that.

Pia:
Do you find it hard? 'Cause I find it a little bit hard to find that balance of trying to be the parent but also realising that a lot of the time I don't get what's happening online.

Peter:
Absolutely. Yeah. You feel really on the outside. And the more I've got to know about how Instagram works and the more faith I have in this person *Peter gestures to Billie*, then I'll trust her judgment on all of it. A, she's more informed than I am and she's over the platform more than I am. It's really difficult. As much as the kid doesn't wanna have the conversation, you don't really wanna have the conversation.

Pia:
So true! You're like, I just wanna put my head in the sand.

Peter:
And just go 'Oh man'. *Peter drops his head into his hands*

Billie:
A lot of friends that I have, a lot of their parents would rather be the friend than be the bad guy. Like when it comes to keeping their child private and protected.

Pia:
Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>.

Billie:
But sometimes that can put their child in a bad position, and in a dangerous position.

Pia:
I'm a little bit guilty of really not wanting to have those hard conversations. Because I do have a teenager and I want my teenager to like me.

Billie:
Yeah.

Pia:
And I wanna seem cool, but I also know that I have a job as a parent and sometimes I find that's really hard to navigate. I've dropped the ball a little bit in the sense of keeping up those conversations because I think as a parent we just assume our kids are okay.

Peter:
It's an easy ball to drop. Because it's a very wobbly ball.

Billie:
Yeah. I definitely think that you can stay being the friend, but also not being the bad guy, but keeping your child protected. By doing things like Teen Accounts.

Pia:
Yeah.

Billie:
Keeping it private.

Pia:
What do you like to look at on Instagram?

Billie:
Okay. One thing that I love is Instagram Reels. Sharing videos that you see and like having a laugh about it.

Pia:
I'm the same. Yeah. I love it when my kids send me things.

Billie:
Yeah. Yeah. It's great. So good

Pia:
Having teenagers, it's a nice way to remind them to clean their room by sending them a funny meme.

Billie:
Yeah. Yeah. <laugh>

Pia:
Rather than going, 'You need to clean your room'.

Billie:
There is obviously the bad parts, but you can have so much fun on it.

Peter:
There's bad in everything <laugh>, but there's a hell of more good than there is bad.

-END-