Happy National Cyber Security Awareness Month! Once again, KidsPrivacy is excited to be a Champion for this campaign. Every October, my Twitter feed lights up with security tips and tools for keeping devices safe and secure. Every year, I discover more new and updated security tips. One of the best places to find tips for…
While teens are not interested in Facebook, Facebook is still interested in them. Facebook is doing its best to draw them back in. Recently, Facebook launched a new app only for teens. I have doubts about the success of Lifestage (and this may be a subject for a future post). Where Facebook has been successful is splintering…
Most parents do not allow their children to run out the door without telling them where they are going. In the same way, children should not be running around online without parents knowing where they are. Not every app or website is suitable for kids. By using filters and parental controls, parents can allow their…
Smartphones enable teens to connect and engage with their friends and the world. These devices can also capitalize on the impulsivity of teenagers. Add in hormones and boyfriend/girlfrend, teens may be tempted to take or share a sext. I wrote about sexting with Amy Lang, from Bird+Bees+Kids, almost 4 years ago. We collaborated on a script…
A couple of years ago, I attended a luncheon where a counselor from ReStart spoke about internet addiction. ReStart is a clinic here in Washington that specializes in treating internet addiction, video game addiction and phone over use. For a while now, I had this half-written post on internet addiction kicking around in my folder.…
On average, teens spend 9 hours a day online. While 9 hours seems excessive, it is a hard to tease out what is wasted time and what is not. Sure, part of that time is scrolling through their Instagram feed or taking silly snaps but it is also working on group projects together, planning club…
Highlights, the first magazine for kids, is 70 years old! Back in the day, we used to thumb through issues of Highlights while waiting in the doctor’s office. I remember we were always excited to find one where someone else had not already circled the hidden pictures. Waiting in a doctor’s office today, children are not sitting…
Last week, I updated my parenting guides and invited readers to contact me with questions about apps. The next day, I received an email from a parent about musical.ly. I immediately downloaded and played around with it. After cruising around musicaly.ly, I am not surprised parents have questions. Musical.ly profiles are public and full of young faces. If…
For the last five years, Splashdata has released a list of the most frequently used passwords. I stumbled upon this list a few years ago and quizzed my eldest child on her password. I guessed it in four tries. Yes, she had the #4 password on the list. Every year, I quiz them on their passwords. Over…
This holiday season, many kids received their own device. The first device used to be an iPod Touch or a Nintendo DS in 3rd or 4th grade. With tablets becoming cheaper and easier to use, children are starting off with a brand new tablet. If your family is like mine, you probably eased up on-screen time and checking in over…
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