In many ways, the internet is a great learning tool and can be wonderful for connecting children with the rest of the world. Unfortunately, there is also plenty of inappropriate content, and online social networks can give other kids a forum for teasing and bullying.

Currently, there are only a few federal protections to keep minors safe online—the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) being the most prominent.

The good news is, states have the power to rein in bullying and inappropriate interactions that happen in the digital sphere—and several are going above and beyond to keep kids safe online. Here’s a closer look at which states are doing the most to keep their young residents protected while learning on the internet.

States Taking Action on Cyberbullying

Many states have implemented some combination of laws specifically addressing cyberbullying (at school and otherwise), online harassment, and texting inappropriate content (known as “sexting”). But nine states have doubled down on establishing protections for kids online:

1. Arkansas
2. Connecticut
3. Florida
4. Georgia
5. Kansas
6. Pennsylvania
7. South Dakota
8. Texas
9. Utah

These states have taken clear legislative action against both cyberbullying—bullying, belittling, or harassment that occurs via digital means like social media or texting—and inappropriate texting with minors.

Arkansas

Here, schools are required to institute and enforce anti-bullying policies. Schools must also offer group conflict resolution services for students and training for teachers to learn how to recognize bullying.

Connecticut

Is a leader when it comes to cyber-bullying policies and resources for students and teachers. In addition to the laws put in place by Arkansas, Connecticut school districts also have strategies for including parents of both the student who was bullied and the student(s) doing the bullying to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Texas also has a strict policy that covers all these bases, though protections for specific classes aren’t clearly delineated.

Florida

This state includes a process for involving families in cyberbullying situations. It also requires districts to keep a list of programs that can offer training for school staff, parents, and students on how to identify and react to online harassment. Like Texas, specific groups aren’t called out in the laws, but state-funded schools are still held to federal anti-discrimination rules.

Georgia

While the requirements in Georgia do not include training for school personnel, the state has implemented character education programs for all grade levels and includes off-campus cyberbullying directed toward students or school personnel in their laws and regulations.

Kansas

Laws in Kansas don’t include off-campus incidents, but they do require training for educators and staff on navigating bullying situations. And Pennsylvania and Utah include everything except offering mental health support for students who have been bullied, even going so far as to require regular policy reviews and to involve families in policy creation, respectively.

South Dakota

South Dakota’s laws focus on responding to bullying as it happens, and while there aren’t plans in place for prevention or family involvement, the state does offer immunity for reporting bullying.

Additionally, all nine of these states have laws that directly address minors sending and receiving inappropriate content via text.

What Can Parents Do?

Regardless of what state you live in, there are some basic precautions you can take to keep kids safe online.

1. Educate yourself on what dangers are out there and how to identify them.
2. Figure out where your state stands on online privacy and safety for minors.
3. Monitor your children when they’re using the internet, keep computers in common rooms, and set up restrictions to keep your kids off message boards, chat rooms, etc. until they’re old enough to engage responsibly.

Last but not least, have a conversation with your children about the importance of being careful with personal information and the potential risks of being online.

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Cell phones are a major part of our lives, and getting a new phone can be an exciting time. But just when you’re using the internet there are certain things you need to remember to use your cell phone safely. Here are a few of the most important things to keep in mind.

1. Understand how mobile networks and data work

There’s more than one way to get online with a cell phone: you’ve got your service provider (T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, etc.) with its mobile network (usually LTE) and you can also connect to Wi-Fi. Most phones show which one you’re connected to at the top of the screen.

Mobile networks like LTE can have data limits. If you use up all your data for a month, your service might be slowed down or you might get an extra charge on their bill. You’re probably on a family plan, which means this data is shared among all the members of your family. Talk to everyone on your plan about your data limit and how much you can use each month.

This knowledge will also give you an idea about the functionality of your devices. From connecting my AirPods to streaming videos on my smartphone, understanding your data usage helps you manage your online activities effectively and avoid unexpected fees. Knowing how your device works will make sure you can safely use your phone without any connectivity issues.

2. Remember you can make emergency calls on other networks

No matter what type of network you’re connected to, you can always use your phone to dial 911 in case of an emergency. You can even dial 911 when you have no signal at all if you’re still in a service area of another network. This is important to remember because emergencies can happen anywhere. If you have an iPhone, you can also call for help by holding down the side button (iPhone 8 or later) or pressing it five times (iPhone 7 or earlier).

3. Don’t answer calls or texts from numbers you don’t know

Scam phone calls have become really common in the last couple years. Some phones, like the iPhone, sometimes show “Scam Likely” on the caller ID if this happens. But it’s a good idea to ignore calls and texts from any number you don’t recognize. To make sure you don’t miss an important call, add your friends and family to your contacts so you know who’s calling before you answer. 

4. Never send photos or videos to someone you don’t know

Instead of trying to scam or steal personal information, strangers might ask you for photos or videos of yourself. The person may pretend to be someone you know. Never send photos of yourself to numbers you don’t recognize. This also goes for people on Snapchat or Instagram or other apps. If someone is asking for pictures or videos, take a screenshot and investigate.

5. Talk to an adult about whatever makes you uncomfortable

If you come across something in an app or online that seems strange or makes you feel uncomfortable, discuss it with your someone you trust. This might sound scary, but they want you to be safe while using the internet, and they can explain what you’re seeing and give you advice for dealing with it in the future. And remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is!

In Conclusion

Cell phones are exciting, but they can also be overwhelming. They give us access to a world of information and entertainment. If you have questions about using your phone, making your phone more safe and secure, or anything you find online, proceed with caution. They can give you advice on how they use their phones and how to stay safe with yours.

Victoria Schmid enjoys writing about technology for the “everyday” person. She is a specialist in online business marketing and consumer technology. She has a background in broadcast journalism.

Let’s be real here: our computers are our lifelines. We work with them. We order things with them. We use them for entertainment. Our phones, tablets, and even iPods are all computers to their core. Our lives are very much revolve around computers. It would be hard to go a full day without them.

If a virus or malware hits your computers, it will be a major hassle to clean and secure your files. Of course, that is if you’re lucky to catch the problem in time. In some cases, your whole computer may be fried with no hope of retrieving any lost data. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

There are ways to protect your computer from the nightmare of spam, viruses, and malware. Common sense goes a long way in preventing the worst from happening. But taking care of a computer doesn’t always have to be a lot of work. It’s much easier than you think. Here are a few tips to save your computer from utter disaster.

Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware Programs

The installation of a reliable anti-virus program cannot be stressed enough, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. You should also install a program that specializes in scanning for removing malware. These programs can regularly do a deep scan and clean of your entire computer.

Be careful when installing virus protection and malware cleaners. Some of them are legitimate while others will make the problem even worse. How can you tell you are getting a good program to protect your computer? Do your homework. It doesn’t take much to get on Google to check out which programs are recommended by reputable websites.

Anti-Virus typically focuses on protecting your email. Anti-malware programs are better at block malicious websites you visit or block a session hijacking attack.

Ad blocker is your friend!

Blocking pop-up ads will cut down on the chances of being a victim of computer infections, including ransomware. Ransomware is a nasty program that will hold your computer hostage until you pay up.

Pop-up blockers will lessen the chances of getting all sorts of malware or viruses. As well, your web surfing experience will much smoother. The browser you are using will probably have an ad blocker but you’ll need to activate it.

Back up everything!

In case your computer crashes for any reason, make sure everything backed up. Cloud backup programs have made this much easier. External hard drives are also good for backing up files, whether you set it up automatically or do it manually every once in a while. There is nothing worse than losing your treasured pics and videos when it doesn’t take much effort to copy them to another device.

Having a strong password will help too. Not having a password is like leaving your front door wide open. It’s not wise to have a weak password either. Some sites will require at least one capital letter, one number, and one symbol to be strong. However, many accounts your sign up for are not so picky. Choose a unique password for each of your accounts.

Keep all software up to date.

Out-of-date software is an invitation for malware and viruses. Within all of your computer programs, select “automatic updates” and you won’t have to worry about it. This includes your computer operating systems, whether it be Windows, Mac or any tablet.

For additional protection, a VPN might be a good way to go too. More people are looking for a secure way to enjoy their time on the internet. This will keep out spying eyes for sure. It does not take more to look up how to install a VPN either. Again, just be careful to look for a legitimate VPN system that will not mess up a computer.

Use Comment Sense. In all your online activities, don’t rely on an anti-virus software program to do all the work for you. If an email looks suspicious, don’t click the link or open the attachment. Delete it right away. If a website doesn’t look right, close your browser and don’t visit the site again.

Read about more ways to protect yourself online:

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Now that university is back in full swing, you will have noticed students in every corner of the city. This may instill some fear into you, especially if your child is in their last year of school and planning to head to university. You may have some worries about them leaving or home, or whether they will get a place in the university of their dreams.

Whatever the case, you need to start preparing for your child’s future in university, as this move will affect them as well as you. Take a look at these tips which will help you assist your child with the next step of their education.

One of the hardest decisions your child will have to make is which university course is right for them, as this will define their future career. Parents tend to have a big say on this, as some would prefer their child to stay closer to home, while others are adamant that their offspring will attend a prestigious university. Both can offer your child clouded judgement, as they may end up at university they don’t enjoy or take on a course that provides them with little to no job opportunities.

Choosing a University Course

Instead, you and your child should conduct thorough research on UCAS where you can look into subjects that he or she finds enjoyable or will excel at, while also taking note of the employment prospects. You should avoid just focusing on the course overview, as this will only provide you with a generalized description.

Most universities lay out each module for individual courses to help the potential students decide if its right for them, and whether the entry requirements suit them. If they can relate to any of the skills or experience mentioned on the course, they can use this to their advantage in their personal statement. Before making a final decision, you should try to choose three universities where you can attend open days with your child to help them choose up to five universities to apply for.

The Application Process

After researching courses and selecting the top five universities, you can then commence with the UCAS application. This consists of everything from your child’s education to work experience, along with a personal statement of 4,000 characters which is used to promote your child’s key skills, knowledge and work experience in support of their application. Once it has been sent off, your child will receive a notification whether they have an offer. If they receive a conditional offer, they will have to wait until they receive their results to find out, whereas if they are granted an unconditional offer, they will have secured a place immediately.

If your child is lucky enough to be approved of all five, they must decide which university is right for them and decline the remaining four. This is a hard decision to make, so make sure you and your child sit down and discuss their options before confirming where they want to attend.  If they are seeking the best masters in education programs it will most likely narrow the list of choices.  Any important detail that is inline with their educational goals helps to ensure the best match.

Don’t worry if your child does not get accepted at any of their desired universities, as there is always the opportunity to get place through Clearing. This process enables students to find spaces in last-minute courses that aligns with their grades.  When searching for the best university that is right for the student, another option is to explore the pros and cons of online education versus traditional education.  e-Learning may be a valid choice for many students for a variety of reasons.

Funding Options

Once your child’s place at university is secure you can then start looking into finances. The majority of students tend to receive funding from student finance, where they can apply for living expenses and tuition fees, which are now charged a standard rate of £9,250. Your child may receive a maintenance loan or grant, but this will all depend on your income, as student finance takes into account the parents or guardians financial situation and their ability to support their child.

So basically, the less you earn the more financial support your child will get. You must input all the right information when applying for student finance, as the application may be rejected if the information is incorrect. Make sure you do not take too long with this, as the deadline is around May or June time, and if you do not submit in time, your child’s financial aid will be severely delayed.

Finding the Right Accommodation

Some parents wait to see how much their child is awarded before they can find somewhere for them live, while this is financial responsibility it can actually result in slim pickings. The majority of first-year students living in student halls, however, others do opt for private student accommodation. Some of the best purpose-built student accommodation is located in central areas, such as the RW Invest developments which are located next to some of the UK’s top universities. These provide students with comfortable and sociable living spaces, which include high-quality bedrooms, common area and even gym facilities.

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