With students returning to classes this fall, social media can once again become a huge part of many Santa Clarita Valley teens lives.

While many great experiences can come from social media, there are also many potential dangers.

KHTS spoke with a few local experts about what parents should be on the lookout for and what they can tell their children to help keep them safe in the world of social media.

It is important for parents to be aware of what apps their children are using and more importantly what they are using them for, said Saugus Union School District PIO Lee Morrell.

Some apps may appear completely harmless but can be used in ways which can expose teens to bullying or potential unwanted contact from strangers.

Apps such as Musical.ly and Dubsmash, which allow for users to share short videos or audio clips of themselves singing along to their favorite songs and simply just going about their day, can easily be used as a window for strangers and fellow classmates to stalk or harass them. Keeping tabs on what it is their children are using social media for can also help parents spot potentially dangerous behavior early on if they are attempting to gain attention from strangers or bullying fellow students, Morrell said.

Part of the issue for parents seeking to keep tabs on their kids is the increasing ability for social media to isolate teens and young users from their parents.

There is only so much a parent can monitor with apps like After School, which use Facebook to verify the user is a student of the school. The app then allows kids to network with each other, sending pictures and messages, either directly or indirectly.

The social media networks leave children and teens vulnerable to incidents like the “SCV Purge,” in July 2014, that garnered national media attention after a local underage teen convinced his peers to send him compromising pictures, which he then publishing online.

The experts have developed a few tips for parents and kids that officials shared.

One rule of thumb, according to Shirley Miller, PIO for the Sheriff’s Station:

“Remind your kids not to post anything on social media that they wouldn’t say to someone’s face.”

With the landscape of social media always changing and the methods teens use to connect evolving and becoming more difficult to monitor it is increasingly important for parents to spend time warning their children of the potential dangers out there and educating them on how to remain safe online.

Tips for parents:

• Be aware of why your children are using social media
• Check their phones or tablets for what apps they are using and educate yourself on how they work
• Check to see if changes in mood or behavior are related to social media
• Take advantage of parental controls, restrict access to 18 and over apps

Tips for teens:

• Do not post any personal information where it can be seen by strangers
• Remain anonymous when you can, do not volunteer information about yourself
• Think carefully about what you post, nothing is ever completely deleted or removed online
• Report any abuse or inappropriate comments through the app or website and to parents or
• Don’t post anything you wouldn’t say to someone in person