Everyone has heard a lot about TikTok. Since its introduction, it has been incredibly popular and one of the most actively downloaded applications. Many celebrities and bloggers have their accounts there, in order to promote their content, while ordinary users watch the viral videos.

According to a 2021 study, TikTok has over 1 billion active users. Every day over 50 million people use this application.

We can only rejoice for app developers and creators and their success. However, there is a dark side. The incredibly popular networks are dangerous for kids’ online safety. Parents whose kids love to spend a lot of time on the phone should set up social media for kids and also take parental control seriously, as innocuous actions can backfire.

In this article, we will talk about the dangers of the TikTok app. We will tell you how to make safety settings and give some safety tips for your children.

What is the Danger of TikTok?

When buying a phone for our children, we do this so that our kids are always in touch and we know where they are. However, in the era of using the World Wide Web, it is impossible to keep track of all the actions of the child on the phone. Some parents do not even realize how reckless actions on the Internet can lead to dire consequences.

On the one hand, with the help of TikTok videos, they can learn a lot of new things thanks to educational content. They can observe other people’s talents and this can inspire them to find a new hobby. However, besides all this, there are also dangerous things.

Video 18+

Recommendations that are selected for viewing using the TikTok algorithms of the application can offer completely different videos for viewing. Initially, your child may watch funny videos with kittens and dogs, and the next one may be 18+ videos or clips where injuries are inflicted, or there is a conversation about the meaninglessness of life.

Application developers conduct regular work to track negative content, but such work cannot be done promptly.

Moreover, open profiles of children can lead to the fact that pedophiles or other unfriendly people can communicate with your child and force them to perform immoral actions. First of all, you need to set up your child’s account, make the account private, so that only friends can write messages and watch videos. Secondly, for your peace of mind, you can install a parental controls on a phone, which will monitor all of your child’s activity when you are not around and send you alerts, including apps inspired by TikTok.

Intimidation

Many children not only watch videos of other users, but also upload their videos, repeating trends and challenges. It seems quite harmless, but if your child provides personal information, then people with bad intentions can send messages and encourage them to shoot a video of a sexual nature, or simply send messages with threats that humiliate and insult your child. This can lead to the fact that your children become afraid and they may have thoughts of leaving life.

In order to avoid bullying, you should have a conversation with your child and explain that in no case, in any applications, they cannot indicate their personal information and place of residence. Explain that not all videos are good and harmless.

Also, do not prohibit the child from using these applications. Because everyone knows that when something is forbidden, it becomes what we desperately want. In this case, your child will hide many things from you. You should have a serious conversation with your child and explain in a calm tone how their actions on the Internet can turn out. Your job needs to include establishing trusting relationships and raising confident children.

How to make TikTok safe for your kid

How safe is the app for young children?

This year, the app has updated privacy settings to ensure that the app can be used by children over the age of 13. When registering, the application automatically makes the account private. Also, if children create their video, then only their friends, confirmed users of the application, can view it.

However, don’t completely rely on these settings. Many children may indicate that they are over 18 when registering and viewing adult content. Therefore, make sure your child’s account is private, and also check friends who can watch videos your child has posted.

Controlling content and personal interactions

One of the most invasive features of TikTok is the ability for users to go “live” after they have a certain number of followers.  Once they are streaming live, anyone can join and interact with the host in the chat.  The host can also allow individual viewers to go live with them on a split screen while everyone else watches. This can go sideways fast if a stranger taking part in the live event has anterior motives when connecting with a minor.

This is one of the many reasons to set up parental controls on TikTok to protect kids. The app allows you to link your account with your child’s account. To do this, you need to use the “Family Pairing” and “Digital Wellbeing” functions. Thanks to these functions, you get the opportunity to view personal correspondence with other users, set up restrictions on the use of the application, set time limits, and you can also prohibit viewing adult content.

Data collection

It’s no secret that many apps and social networks store your personal information. Moreover, TikTok sends your data to many companies and advertisers so that you can receive interesting advertising offers in the recommendation feed. If anyone has carefully read the privacy policy of this application, then you are well aware of this.

However, there is one thing that is not mentioned anywhere. When you are not using TikTok, but using other applications, then it collects all your data, such as passwords, bank card details, and other personal information.

Conclusion

The world of the Internet is incredibly exciting, but also dangerous, especially for children. Unsuspectingly, your children can fall prey to intruders and provide them with their personal information. Parents should get serious about Internet safety, review all the app settings that enable privacy features. Also, be sure to have a conversation with your child and explain what good and bad things are. It is not enough just to prohibit doing something, it is necessary to provide explanations so that your child learns to understand that many actions in applications can lead to sad consequences.

About the Author:
Ben Jacklin is an expert writer in software reviews and tutorials. He has qualifications in Media and Music Technology and has been blogging about  tech support since his teenage years. He writes on a variety of topics, including the latest trends in the world of media, gaming, and education, with a focus on providing high-quality and safe programs that might be useful for his readers.

COVID-19 is the latest in an ongoing series of events that has left most parents with unanswered questions about just how safe their children are when they’re in school.  This post will outline some of the security and safety technologies that schools should adopt to help provide a sense of peace within families.

The pandemic has left caused many parents to take a closer look about the safety of their children who may be at risk. Poor security measures can make any school unsafe, but it’s important for parents to know that there are things that can be done to keep safety and security central to the daily lives of their kids in school.

There has been a lot of attention paid to EdTech tools that ensure student safety online, but we must not neglect basic safety of the physical school itself.

School Security

It’s not uncommon that parents feel like they don’t know what’s going on with their child all day. This can erode the trust between parents and their child’s teachers and administrators, making communication difficult. That’s why it’s vital that schools implement new security technologies to help build that trust back up.

One of the most important ways to do this is to improve communication, so parents can feel more at ease when they’re not around. One way schools can do this is by implementing an app where parents can see what their child is learning, when they are in school, and how they are being graded.

It might seem like a small thing, but schools can also start by implementing technologies that help secure entrances and exits in schools. For example, schools should have an access control system that requires identification in order to enter. This might sound mundane, but it goes a long way in increasing security for our kids.

Security Technology Recommendations

Both parents and children need to feel secure about their school.  There shouldn’t be unanswered questions about safety throughout the public school system. The first step for schools should be to adopt security technology for kids K-12 that can help provide a sense of peace.

Security Cameras

Schools should have a security camera system that covers the entire building and grounds. This would allow the school to document all student and staff movements, and to manage data for all visitors.

Two-way Communication Systems

Additionally, schools should adopt a two-way communication system with remote, real-time video security capabilities to ensure that all security personnel can resolve security incidents quickly and at any point in time.

This system would allow the school to better understand the movement of staff and students and would also let them see what’s happening in various areas of the school at any given time.

Smart Door Locks

Schools need door locks that are quick and easy to install and use, as well as equipped with safety features. A wireless school door lock system offers remote unlock and lockdown capabilities controlled from any authorized personal device. When installing classroom and school door lock systems, it’s important to determine which type of credential and lock is best for each scenario.

For example, offices and storage closets should only be accessible by authorized staff, so a school door lock system that can be unlocked with a mobile or key card credentials is best. Similarly, science and computer labs with expensive equipment should have an access activity log in case an audit is needed.

COVID-19 has shown us that we can’t take security and safety for granted. Schools need to adopt these technologies to help instill a sense of calm in families and parents.

Playground Safety

With all the focus on keeping kids safe within the school, administrators should not neglect to think about proper measures for school playground safety, including proper exterior lighting around the school. This is especially beneficial in the winter when the sun is late to rise in the morning and early to set in the afternoon.  Lighting also ensures a safe playground in the evening all year round.

Prevention is key

Parents want to know that their children are safe in school, and they should have that peace of mind. With the use of security cameras, emergency call buttons, and other safety technologies, schools can provide a sense of security that parents have been missing.

Prevention is key in any situation when it comes to improving safety. It’s a matter of implementing the right security and safety technologies in schools so that people can feel safe in their environment.

Prevention starts with the idea of security and safety technologies in schools. Schools can use a variety of technologies to protect their students. For example, a school might want to invest in security cameras for hallways and the perimeter of the building. They can also install emergency call buttons in classrooms and hallways. All these solutions would provide a sense of security for students and parents alike.

Prevention is about implementing the right security and safety technologies in schools. By doing so, we give our children a fighting chance at feeling safe and secure no matter what happens.

Emergency Protocols

Your child’s school should be a place that fosters a strong support system, along with exploration, inclusively and inquisitiveness. Schools should be a place of happiness and safety. Children should be taught about potential dangers in a calm manner so they feel empowered to do the right thing when an issue arises. An investment in the security and safety technologies is one thing, but we all need to know the things we can do to protect ourselves as well.

For example, schools already have emergency protocols in place in the event of a fire. Do you also have those safety instructions at home? Here are some tips to teach kids what they need to know so you can both feel more prepared.

Teaching-Children-Emergency-Safety-Protocals
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This infographic was created by BlowHard Fans, where the needs, challenges, and demands of firefighters are at the core what we do.

Kids are full of natural curiosity. For them, discovering the world is a constant source of wonder and awe that entices them ever further down the path of knowledge. That virtuous circle makes scientific exploration particularly fun and engaging for them.

We can’t simply let learners run full-tilt into scientific study, though. There are a few measures we need to take so that kids get the maximum benefit while still keeping them – and everything else safe.

These tips will let your learners marvel at the natural world without you worrying about them getting bored or accidentally harming themselves.

1. Setting Up Safety Rules

Those of us with a taste for nostalgia remember well the mid-20th Century chemistry sets and science kits that were so popular in those days. The boxes most often included the words ‘fully tested’ and ‘safe’ but the pictures of budding scientists showed one glaring omission: any type of safety gear.

If you look at pictures of chemistry sets from the 1950s and later, they often feature boys with test tubes held at eye level, pouring something into them. Not one of those scientists was shown wearing splash goggles and, should a mentor or teacher feature in the design, he wasn’t shown wearing any either.

Thankfully, television science programs made up for that oversight by always insisting that everyone wear safety gear. You should do the same thing.

At the very least, you should have latex gloves on hand, as well as splash goggles and protective clothing. Also, you should have a hand-wash station nearby and conduct experiments in a well-ventilated space.

Finally, if your scientist is on the younger side, always supervise the experiments, especially if they involve chemical reactions or fire.

2. Awesome Science Experiments to Try at Home

Exciting science experiments don’t have to involve chemicals and it makes science easier for kids to understand.  There’s a whole range of demonstrations you could set up with ordinary household items.

Take the water glass experiment, for example. In your science study space, line your table with a waterproof cloth. Set up six to ten empty glasses, all the same size, and prepare a pitcher of water. You will also need various implements to tap each glass with: a pencil, a fork, a spoon and, if you have one, a nylon or silicone spatula.

While the glasses are empty, tap each implement against them and ask which ones render the clearest sounds. Eliminate those your student declares unfit for further experimentation.

Next, fill each glass with varying amounts of water. Have your scientists tap each one with the implement of their choice and comment on each glass’s sound, as well as how each sounds different from the others.

Note that the glasses should be made of glass; this experiment is far less satisfying when plastic cups are used.

Other fun experiments include the soap-and-pepper trick, the walking water experiment and the magic milk experiment.

Each time you conduct an experiment, ask your scientists what they predict the results will be before you tell them to put on their protective equipment and begin.

3. What Makes an Effective Science Lesson

Growing a lima bean sprout and turning a white carnation blue with a few drops of food coloring in its water are fun science activities but are they effective?

What can your scientists learn from such experiments? How do they learn from them?

Every time you launch such a learning session, you’re doing a lot of talking. You, the experiment leader, should narrate the experiment and ask open-end questions like “What do you think will happen?” and “What did you think about this experiment?”.

Likewise, your scientists should present their hypotheses, discuss their ideas and impressions and draw conclusions based on their observations.

The most important aspect of these experiments is not to observe phenomena but to learn how to think critically.

Sure, it’s a lot of fun to drop a Mento in a full cola bottle but fun is all that experiment is unless you and your scientists talk about what might happen and compare those ideas to what’s actually going on.

In short, effective science lessons are those that teach kids how to think critically and express their ideas.

4. Techniques to Make Science More Interactive Online

As we move ever deeper into the digital world, hands-on science experiments become more challenging. The pivot to online learning has spurred more creativity on teachers’ parts to keep their students engaged.

Experimentation has moved from teacher-centric to student-driven. Some teachers assign ongoing projects and task students to record their observations and conclusions; perhaps turning their written papers in as homework.

Such assignments might range from experiments in food decomposition to measuring the bounce height of different types of balls. You might task students with a bit of drain maintenance by pouring baking soda in the sink or shower, followed by vinegar. In cold weather, students may witness and record instances of static electricity and learn how friction generates heat.

hen possible, encourage students to record their experiments in a short video so they can show their work.

5. Using Technology to Make it Interesting

Kids love to play games. Luckily, there are plenty of science-based games online, many of them at no cost.

It’s not enough to direct your students to learning-games websites, though. You still have to take the lead, either by asking questions and leading discussions or by supervising gameplay. The younger the student, the more direction and input they will need from you.

Conclusion

The wealth of scientific experiments that can be safely conducted outside of the classroom makes learning about science even more fun and engaging. Still, no matter how keen your learners are to witness reactions and record impressions, make sure they follow all safety rules at all times, no exceptions allowed.

Making use of online tools to enrich students’ science education is the next, logical step to teaching science, at home or in the classroom. You only need to make sure that students’ screen time stays within healthy limits and don’t forget to discuss what they learned as they played.

Ransomware is malicious software that locks your computer including all your files so you can’t access them.  It can happen to individuals, businesses, schools and governments.  Your computer screen will show a message that your files have been ‘held for ransom’ and will be unlocked only if you pay.

The payment is most often requested in Bitcoin so that the identity of the thieves can’t be tracked.  The larger the organization the larger the payment amount will be, but it’s quite a hefty sum even for individuals.  Unfortunately, this encrypted ransomware software is so secure the only way to unlock the frozen computer files is to pay the ransom.  This is why it’s so important that individuals and institutions alike take steps to prevent ransomware from taking hold if their computer’s operating system in the first place.

How Does Ransomware Infect Computers?

This malicious software most often enters a victim’s computer through phishing emails.  An unsuspecting yet official request comes to you in an email and asks you to click a link or open an attached file.  This activates the ransomware immediately and your computer is locked.

Computers can also be hijacked by ransomware when you visit an infected website. It may not even be a link to a site in an email.  You may be surfing the web and be taken down a rabbit hole and end up on a seemingly innocent website that has been infected.  Or the website may have been created for the sole purpose of hosting ransomware.

How to Stop a Ransomware Attack

The first step to protecting yourself against ransomware is to never click a suspicious link in an email and be very cautious about opening attachments in emails from someone you don’t know.  You will also want to ensure you have proper anti-virus software on your computer to screen your emails and remove virus attachments, but it won’t stop a phishing link from arriving in your email.  Your operating system may already have a built in anti-virus program or it may be activated on your email server if you are a business or school.

Important:   Anti-virus programs do not block ransomware.  They simply quarantine viruses and malicious software in attachments to protect you from opening them. As mentioned, anti-virus software does not stop phishing emails either.

The only reliable and secure way to prevent someone from locking your computer files is to install anti-malware software that also provides ransomware protection.  It keeps malware away from your computer and blocks a variety of cyber attacks, as well as any ransomware attacks that come to you via an email attachment or when visiting an infected website.

When ransomware where infects a single computer within an organization it quickly spreads throughout the entire network to lock all files on the network.

Anti-Virus vs Malware (and Ransomware) Protection

Computer protection can easily become confusing.  How many different internet security solutions does a person need to feel safe online?  Let’s review what we’ve discussed.

Anti-Virus:  This is the most commonly promoted software related to internet security.  But before you buy anti-virus software, research what built-in protection your computer may already have.  The main benefit to anti-virus is to stop viruses from coming to you in emails, but anti-virus will not stop a phishing email with a link to a virus or to malware such as ransomware.  Most phishing emails exist to fool you into logging into you personal account to steal your user name and password, but that doesn’t mean it could be to other harmful malware such as ransomware.

Anti-Malware:  This is not a new software program but it is commonly overlooked when many people think about online security.  Any built in security that comes with your operating system, or an anti-virus program, will not stop malware related internet threats such as spyware, Trojan Horses, bots, adware and worst of all Ransomware.

Being a victim of Ransomware may be one of the most scary things that can happen to a computer because it can end up costing you or a large organization a lot of money.  Some people who have paid the request ransom find the online cyber thieves asking for more money before computer files are unlocked for the victim.  Education only goes so far to stop it come happening.  Prevention through software is a small price to pay, especially for a larger institution.