Safe Search Kids - Education, Parenting, Internet Safety for All

Twitch has gained popularity over the years as a place where everyone can entertain and express themselves through live content and interact with others who share the same interests. With the continued popularity of the streaming platform, the risks for its younger users also run high.

Even with Twitch’s tireless efforts to filter inappropriate content, it is nearly impossible to monitor all live streams. Much less monitor every interaction between users, both public and private.

In this guide, we’ll look at how Twitch works, the possible risks one might encounter while on Twitch, and whether it’s safe to entrust your teens with staying on this social streaming platform.

What is Twitch?

Twitch TV started as a social network for gamers where users could stream content and discuss their favorite games. Here, those on the site can stream gameplay, and others can watch and interact with them live through chat.

Today, it has grown from a game streaming platform to a place for people interested in music, esports, arts and crafts, food, and In Real Life (IRL) content.

There are two ways a user can participate in Twitch – as a streamer or as a viewer. Twitch Creators, also called Streamers, are the ones who do a variety of activities in front of the camera, like playing games, cooking, hosting a talk show, or creating artwork.

Those on the other side of the livestream who choose to watch and interact instead are called the Viewers.

How does Twitch work?

The highlight of Twitch is the streaming feature, where creators share gameplay and other activities live while making commentary. Their followers interact with them in real-time through chat.

Viewers can show their support to streamers by:

• Subscribing to their channel
• Making donations
• Sending them cheers (can be purchased with Bits, the in-house currency of Twitch)

All of these require real money.

The minimum age requirement to create an account on Twitch is 13, but parental guidance is highly encouraged for users between 13 and 18 years old.

Some kids will be adamant and won’t listen to their parents regarding being supervised, saying that they’re already “already grown up” or “old enough” to watch Twitch alone. If this happens, stay strong and stand your ground.

Is Twitch TV safe?

Here are the potential dangers of using Twitch that you should watch out for:

Scammers

Several Twitch users and fellow streamers have reported scammers claiming to be suffering from personal problems or helping a charity.

Unfortunately, many users fall for this, and some scammers have gotten away with it, especially from their younger fans.

Online predators

Anyone on Twitch can freely send direct messages or whisper to fellow users, including online predators looking to fish out sensitive information or ask kids to do something inappropriate.

Adult content

Because of the challenge of monitoring every livestream happening on Twitch, your kid may likely encounter a stream with themes of harassment, bullying, hate speech, and other displays of inappropriate behavior online.

Violence in games played by streamers.

Some of the games streamers play may contain violence or heavy themes. Since censorship is nearly impossible in a livestream, streamers can’t do much to prevent their younger audience from seeing these violent scenarios.

Accidental spending

There have been cases of accidental spending on Twitch by younger users, where they have spent thousands of dollars on their parents’ accounts to donate or subscribe to a streamer.

Link scams

Some users may send links to fellow users that are actually phishing websites where they steal sensitive info such as personal details and credit card numbers. Educate kids of all ages about the various forms of internet scams.

How to make Twitch TV a safe digital space for your child

The Amazon-owned platform is enforcing age restrictions for new users and is constantly updating its policies to keep it safe for users of all ages.

On the other hand, here’s what you can do to keep Twitch a safe space of entertainment for your kids:

1. Co-watching

Twitch’s guideline mentions that users under 18 must have a parent or a guardian supervising them while using the streaming platform. Parents can thus monitor what their children watch and what content they’re exposed to.

2. Turn on chat filters.

When on a live stream, scroll down to the bottom of the chat box, click Settings (the gear icon next to the Chat button), and toggle the Enable filtering in chat option. You can also select the specific filters you want to block on chat.

3. Block private messages (or Whispers)

Go to Settings, then Security and Privacy, and select block whispers from strangers.

Anyone who is not a friend or follower, a moderator from a channel they follow, or a Twitch partner or staff will not be able to message your child.

4. Implement Parental Controls

As of writing, there are no specific parental controls for streaming on Twitch.  However, you can use third-party software as a band-aid solution to help you set screen time for your children, filter messages, and monitor their online activities.

If your teen plans to stream on Twitch, you can edit the Moderation settings on the Creator Dashboard.

5. Tell Twitch “you’re not interested” in mature content

If you encounter a stream on your child’s Twitch feed with mature or questionable content, select the three vertical dots on the upper right side of the video. Then, choose I am not interested in this recommendation.

6. Restrict access to your bank account

As mentioned before, accidental spending happens. You never know when your teen might get carried away with donating or subscribing without knowing they’re charging it to your account.

7. Have an open discussion about the risks of being online and watching livestreams

Tell them not to share personal information with strangers, even with online friends. And if they feel like they’re encountering something suspicious or inappropriate, assure them they can come to you for help.

Is Twitch Safe?

Twitch is safe to use as long as your child exercises caution and is extra mindful of their online behavior. Continuous monitoring of their activities, messages, and the content they consume on Twitch is imperative to ensure their safety.

On the other hand, Twitch is determined to implement its Community Guidelines and rules. If a user violates these rules and guidelines, Twitch will impose a temporary or permanent ban, depending on their offense. The platform is also updating its policies from time to time to protect its users from malicious behaviors and activities.

Read about the safety issues on other social media platform, such as Reddit.

Among the many expenses we expect to pay every month, health insurance is one of the most significant. This is especially true when you are supporting a family. Your entire family could require medical care at some point, and unless you have a huge amount of savings, it will be prohibitively expensive.

But what if you have healthy kids who live fairly secure lives. Maybe you have some savings or investments you could dip into if something happened. Do you still need to get your kids health insurance? Is it mandated by law?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of when health insurance is mandated, here are some other types of insurance you should consider when you have a family.

What additional types of insurance should you have?

Supporting a family is expensive. This may make you feel tempted to skimp on insurance as much as possible. However, if you don’t have it when you need it, you could be in serious trouble.

One type of insurance you may not want to get is life insurance. Is life insurance worth it? If you are the primary breadwinner, the answer is certainly yet. Even if you are not earning income, the things you do on a day-to-day basis for your family would cost a lot of money to hire someone else to do. Life insurance gives your family the security they need at a time when they are particularly vulnerable.

Contents coverage in your homeowners insurance is also crucial. The things your family owns are more expensive than you think. Replacing a child’s entire wardrobe if it gets destroyed in a fire will cost you thousands of dollars.

If you have these kinds of insurance, do you really need health insurance for your kids on top of it? Could you not leave this one thing to your savings?

Do all Kids Have Access to Health Insurance?

Access of health insurance is usually not a question of availability, rather it is an issue of cost.  There is a continual effort to reduce the uninsured rate for those under 19 years old.  Government programs seek to reach lower income families, providing health insurance coverage for those below a certain income level.

Access for those on living on the threshold rate of eligibility for assisted coverage can also depend on the state that a child resides.  Direct purchase of coverage increases in states where eligibility for programs are limited.  Regardless of where you may live, you can seek a free Medicare insurance quote online to explore options for health insurance coverage.

Expansion states are those where governments are striving to expand eligibility for families who seek Medicaid and health insurance programs.  Changes in population, economic conditions, and federal and state policies will certainly affect one’s access to care.

Length of Coverage on a Parents Plan

There are many facets related to finances and planning related to coverage.  Consult a financial advisor to answer questions you may have about ensuring the wellbeing of your family.  In most states, kids that grows into adulthood can stay on their parent’s health insurance plan until they are 26 years old.  The Patient Protection and Affordable Care (ACA) mandates this.  Even if a child gets married, is enrolled in school or not, or have turned down insurance through a job, the child can stay on their parent’s plan.

Furthermore, children do not need to be living at home and it’s not required that they be a tax dependent.  Of course, anyone 18 years or older are free to seek out their own health insurance coverage.

Is health insurance for kids mandated by law?

What does the law say about whether kids need to have health insurance? It is pretty straightforward. The ACA mandates that parents need to have health insurance for their kids, or have their family on a family plan, and charges fines to parents who do not.

This may seem extreme, especially if you have the money to pay for visits to the doctor and occasional health conditions and injuries. However, the reality is that health care is far more expensive than you probably know. Even with a minor issue, the cost of care rises rapidly. Every single aspect is charged for, with a significant markup.

For kids who are diagnosed with a major life-threatening illness like leukemia, you may be on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single year. While in most cases, treatment will ‘only’ cost about $50,000 in that first year, most people do not have that kind of money, and there is always a risk that costs will far exceed this.

Long story short, you are required by law to get health insurance for your kids, and it is something you should have regardless. In an ideal world, we would not have to pay huge amounts just to get our kids basic care, but the American healthcare system is not going to change any time soon. Even the regulations implemented through the ACA that help parents with health insurance costs may not always be around, with many lawmakers trying to repeal the act.

How do you apply for a plan?

You can apply for health insurance for your kids through the healthcare.gov website. In certain states, you will have to go through the state’s website. Make sure you have your kids’ social security numbers, your employer’s information, and your own health insurance details at hand.

This is something you should not delay any longer. If you are struggling to make ends meet, the good news is that ACA subsidizes healthcare plans.

DevOps is both a culture and a way of working in which software developers and IT operations engineers collaborate within a single team to achieve a predetermined goal.  In older methods of developing software, software development and software operations were clearly separated.

The programmers were only marginally involved in the operation of the software they had developed, and they knew very little about its location or usage. In the meantime, those in charge of operations (known as sysadmins) had a limited understanding of what the software did and how it was developed, and they had to pray that it worked as intended.

You can become a DevOps Engineer regardless of your prior experience as a Developer, Operations professional, Quality Assurance specialist, or if you are a beginner. After the application’s code has been developed, a DevOps engineer is able to write code for it; however, they are also responsible for the application’s continuous automated build, deployment, and operations.

They collaborate with the business leaders and manage the workflow in its entirety to ensure the successful integration of the software with the automated processes. The best and fastest way to get into devops is to enroll in a devops engineer course and learn all the skills required.

Let us try to break down the skillset and aspects that are essential for being a successful devops engineer.

Skills required for a career as a successful DevOps engineer

Certain skills are required to become a DevOps engineer and are therefore considered prerequisites. You do not need to possess all of these abilities immediately; rather, you can acquire some of them through experience. Don’t let the lengthy list overwhelm you. You can begin with one or two of the following, as appropriate:

Expertise in Computer Programming

For DevOps engineer positions, the level of competition and peer pressure is always high; therefore, if you want to advance in your career, you will need to exceed expectations. Being able to code in multiple languages, such as Python, Java, Ruby, or a similar language, can put you in a better position than working in a network or information technology alone. If necessary, you will be able to debug sections of code and resolve build and deployment errors, which will prevent the software development lifecycle from cycling back and forth between development and deployment, thereby saving time and resources.

Understanding of Network and Storage Systems

Because DevOps professionals manage a large number of servers, connections, data, and storage, they should be able to handle any network issues that may arise. This implies that they should be familiar with IT network and storage concepts. Working with real-time systems requires familiarity with various protocols, application programming interfaces (APIs), and capacity decisions to support the required infrastructure.

Because of this, a network engineer with prior experience in server maintenance can easily transition into a DevOps engineer position with minimal additional training. Prioritize the acquisition of scripting skills and familiarity with a variety of configuration and deployment tools. Familiarize yourself with Linux, OpenStack, and a public cloud service such as Azure or AWS in order to prepare. Continuous integration utilizing tools such as Jenkins and Kubernetes is yet another topic on which you should focus your long-term education.

Infrastructure Management and Regulatory Compliance

For newly developed systems, the DevOps workflow is available. However, legacy systems require attention and should be quickly integrated into the DevOps world. These systems must be configured to be compliant, secure, scalable, and well-balanced. Additionally, they should have adequate backups. All of this should occur without disrupting any of the currently operating businesses. In a nutshell, it is necessary to automate the activities that were previously performed manually.

Mechanisms of Mechanization

Puppet, Kubernetes, and Jenkins are three of the many available DevOps automation tools, but Puppet, Kubernetes, and Jenkins are the most popular. Ultimately, the DevOps process aims to automate as much of its work as possible. Starting with the generation of code, every single task must be automated, including building, testing, and deployment. In addition, monitoring and post-production testing were automated, enabling continuous integration and expediting the production of results.

Security

To ensure the overall security of a DevOps environment, specific practices must be developed using a wide range of policies, strategies, and methods. The development, testing, build, deployment, and monitoring phases of the DevOps life cycle cannot be completed without security. There are risks associated with each successive phase. For example, the vast majority of deployments are conducted in a cloud environment; therefore, cloud security concerns must be addressed. Similarly, containers and the tools used to manage them, such as Docker, Kubernetes, etc., have their own vulnerabilities.

To address these security challenges in a cloud environment, it’s crucial that DevOps teams prioritize security at every stage of the development lifecycle. By adopting shift left security practices, teams can identify vulnerabilities earlier, reducing risks and improving overall software quality. This involves integrating security measures from the earliest phases of design throughout testing and deployment.

Virtualization and Cloud Computing

Virtualization refers to the execution of a virtual instance of a computer system in a layer that is separate from and abstracted from the actual hardware. Due to virtualization’s ability to partition a large system into several smaller ones, a server can be utilized by a greater number of users or applications with varying requirements.

In light of this, virtualization is an essential component of DevOps. Imagine we have the ability to virtualize the hardware and duplicate the existing network. This will facilitate collaboration and coordination between the development and operations (IT) teams. In addition, a simplified testing interface will be made available.

Testing

If you are familiar with agile methodologies, you are aware that their development process follows a pattern of incremental and iterative development. Software development includes both testing and development. DevOps represents a natural progression. In addition to testing the functionality of a product, testers are responsible for testing its operations, performance, and security, as well as the analysis of data and logs.

Competence in Speaking and Hearing

Finally, but by no means least, a successful DevOps engineer Chicago must have excellent communication skills. Due to his role as a mediator between the IT team and the development team, he is responsible for ensuring that both teams collaborate effectively. In addition, as a DevOps engineer, you will always be part of a large team, which will provide ample opportunities for interaction and discussion. Effective communication requires not only saying the right things at the right times but also in the right order. You can compete for any job if you possess this skill, not just the position of DevOps engineer.

Smart technology is becoming the norm rather than the exception, with more and more gadgets helping make our homes more efficient. This technology can help make our lives more convenient, and our kids’ educational experience more enriched.

Smart tech can add an extra measure of safety in our homes, but parents also need to be aware of potential security risks. Here’s an overview of things to consider when adopting smart tech into your home.

Teaching smart online behavior is key.

As smart devices are becoming more integrating into your child’s life for entertainment, education and daily living, it’s important to teach them about safe online behavior. Older kids who are on social media should know why privacy settings are important. They should be selective about accepting friend requests and ensure location services are disabled. They also should understand the perennial nature of posting, and how nothing on social media is ever really gone.

Ensure your pre-teens and teens understand the nature of cyberbullying. This includes understanding that photos and situations that are funny to them now, might lose their humor down the line because they can hurt people’s feelings. These posts might come back to haunt them later when they want to join a club, get an after-school job or apply to college.

They also should understand that posting about an event or activity on social media can cause resentment by those who have been deliberately left out, helping them to think critically about what they wish to share publicly.

Smart sensors in the home make sense.

A smart home can incorporate many different types of smart sensors. Some are particularly useful for keeping kids safe, especially for curious toddlers who haven’t yet learned about boundaries. Sensors installed in doorways can create greater peace of mind for parents of small explorers. For example, they can send a signal to your phone when a child exits a threshold, or if an intruder enters one.

Sensors can connect to a video camera so you can check your phone to see what’s happening. Doorbell cameras are particularly useful for when your kids get older and start inviting the neighborhood over when you’re not home.

Among the various types of sensors a home may have, motion sensors can be set up around danger areas, such as swimming pools or driveways, to provide a notification to you when a child has entered the area unsupervised. Window sensors can not only help save energy but can create an extra measure of safety by notifying you when one is left open or opens unexpectedly, ensuring there are no unexpected escapes or entries.

While every home should be equipped with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, smart versions of these devices can also monitor your home’s air quality, checking for pollen and other particles that can be troublesome for young lungs.

Smart light bulbs can improve school performance.

Smart tech in your home can include smart light bulbs, which can help your kids get better grades in school. How? For one, some smart bulbs can adjust their blue light emissions from day to evening, helping your kids be more energized in the mornings and move more easily toward sleep at night.

Blue light, which comes to us naturally through sunlight, can interfere with the sleep hormone melatonin when we get too much blue light artificially. Better sleep equals better performance at school and on tests.

It’s important to recognize that every person’s experience with sleep issues is different.  Managing the challenges can be both frustrating and isolating.  Studies have shown that different colors of light can promote sleep by examining the effects of light and habits that may improve sleep.  Determining which are the worst colors for sleep is also key in helping parents determine which colors are best for their kids.

Smart devices can protect infant safety.

Parents of newborns already know the important benefit of baby monitors in keeping an ear on activity in the other room. The frightening worry posed by SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome, has led developers of baby monitors to evolve the product. Some connect to your smartphone or can be sent to a mobile speaker.

Other smart items like onesies, mattresses or socks can measure and monitor your baby’s vital information like heart rate, breathing, movement, pulse oximetry and body position. You will be able to hear sounding alarms or receive notifications to your phone when there’s a problem.

Internet-connected smart toys need vetting.

Smart toys with an Internet connection—which can include robot dogs, dinosaurs, cars and other items—should be carefully vetted before purchase or forgone altogether. Many of these toys have cameras and microphones and can gather data during play as well as share your child’s location.

While these toys can provide educational opportunities, the Federal Trade Commission urges parents to carefully collect information on the toy before purchasing. That includes researching what kind of information the toy will collect about your child, learning of there are security issues or safety recalls, and knowing whether there have been security complaints.

Know the features of the toy and when it will be listening in, and whether you have the option to control the information. Smart toys, just like any other smart item in your home, pose a risk of being hacked or their data used in ways you didn’t expect.

Pros and Cons of Smart Home Technology

The impact of smart home technology is evident throughout our world today. It’s is used in homes in varying degrees.   It helps save money and time for home security and safety, while intriducing new security challenges.

Some of the most common benefits that smart home technology are:

Customized Preferences & Settings

No matter which device you have, smart products can adjust to match any specific user’s customized preferences or needs.

Health & Wellness Tracking

Checking in on your health provides reassurance regarding safe and independent living. Adding smart technologies like a Wellcam facilitates real-time, two-way audio and video communication.

Energy & Utilities Management

Lighting, heating, and cooling can save on energy costs. Consider smart outlets to manage auto shut-off for electronic devices. Smart LED bulbs enable users to turn lights on and off at certain times for security and convenience.

Easy & Interconnectivity

Implementing smart home products is also convenient for monitoring many home-bound systems. Such interconnectivity enables users to manage and monitor thermostats remotely, review surveillance camera footage, and more, all without leaving their workplace—or even their kitchen table.

As much of a great benefit and commodity is to have these features at home, this can have crucial drawbacks such as:

High cost and skill requirements

The utility of smart devices comes at a steep price — compare a conventional and a smart fridge. A regular fridge costs between $1,000 and $2,000, while a smart model can have a price tag between $2,000 and $4,000.

Cybersecurity risks

Remember that these electronics collect large volumes of data and information, some of which are personal and sensitive. For example, your phone contains passwords, and your car’s global positioning system monitors your location.

To prevent hacking into your smart devices, ensure they’re equipped with anti-tampering and endpoint protection solutions. Implementing encryption protocols is recommended for protection, so hackers won’t be able to infiltrate a smart device or intercept its data.

The Bottom line

Smart home technology has evolved throughout the years; this has been a rapid and beneficial solution for everything surrounding us. From automating your kitchen and common areas to installing sprinkler systems and even viewing guests arriving at your front door has been quite convenient when having a smartphone.

Smart technology has great potential to improve safety and enhance kids’ lives when approached carefully and sensibly. Talking with your children and teaching them about the proper use of smart technology will help ensure the best experience for everyone.