5 things parents should know about social media, from Facebook to Snapchat

With high-profile cyberbullying cases gaining national attention, here are five things parents should know about their kids' use of social media.

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1. Facebook is not king anymore.

Parents may use Facebook, but most students in digital citizenship programs said they do not use the network. Students use Instagram and Snapchat most often. Experts say it is important for parents to keep up with trends to know what apps kids are using.

2. Some apps can be used anonymously.

Gilbert school administrator Katey McPherson said she thinks the worst app is Ask.fm because users can ask questions completely anonymously, leading kids to say things that they wouldn't if they could be identified.

3. Children can create several social-media identities.

It is common for kids to have multiple accounts on one app or website. Often parents are lulled into a false sense of security because they are "friends" with their children online, only to find out later that the child has more than one account.

4. Kids can be lulled into a false sense of safety online.

Apps like Snapchat, whose pictures disappear after a few seconds, can encourage kids to think that whatever they send will be gone forever. Parents should tell their children it is easy for the receiver to take a screenshot or record what they are receiving, so even if the sender thinks it's gone, it could come back to haunt them.

5. Cyberbullying can have devastating consequences.

A Gilbert administrator decided to write a bullying prevention book after a student threatened suicide at school. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows teens who are bullied are at a higher risk for suicide or suicidal behavior. Parents should remind their children not to strike out at others on on social media.