Category: Online Safety for Kids

Digital Etiquette to Teach Your Kids When They’re Young

Digital Etiquette to Teach Kids

It’s true that the modern generation is far more tech-savvy than we ever were around their age. Almost everything they do, from learning to leisure, can be done online.  And as you know, the internet can be a dangerous place — there’s no shortage of online trolls and predators just waiting to create trouble… or worse.

You certainly don’t want your children to fall victim to cyberbullying or to discover they’re turning into bullies themselves. And it’s a parent’s worst nightmare even thinking about predators talking to their child online.  So, just as vital it is to teach your kids digital etiquette and rules of safety in the offline world, teaching them how to be responsible cyber citizens is equally important (and perhaps more so!).

With this in mind, we’ve outlined five online behaviors to teach your kids when they’re still young. Consider this a crash course in online etiquette for the little ones in your life.

Keep Private Information Private

First and foremost, and it goes without saying, make sure your kids understand that private information should never be shared online.

Explain to them that things like their home address, phone number, social security number, bank account details, etc. are meant to be confidential, so they should never add such sensitive information to their social media accounts or share it anywhere online.

Also, things that are personal — such as thoughts and emotions — are best shared in person with family, not over the internet with strangers.

Think Twice Before Posting or Hitting “Send”

Remind your kids that once something is posted online, deleting it does not necessarily mean that it’s gone from the internet — it can be found again. So, just like in real life, it’s always a good idea to think long and hard before posting something, commenting, or hitting “send.”

And it’s not just about typos or grammatical errors. At this young age, it’s easy to dismiss questionable posts or comments, but what happens when it’s time to apply for college or a job?

Prospective employers and universities often conduct an online background check — including social media — and even an old post can damage your kid’s reputation.

In fact, 31% of college admission officers visit the applicant’s social media profiles to learn more about them, and 30% of institutions have rejected an applicant due to information they found online.

So, encourage your kids to be scrupulous when it comes to their online activities to ensure they don’t post or say something that may be misconstrued or deemed offensive.

Be Polite and Respectful

This is one of the most crucial etiquettes to instill in your kids’ minds. Rude behavior or being hurtful to others is not acceptable whether the interaction is online or off.

So, here’s what you need to remind your kids about being digitally aware when taking part in online conversations:

  • Treat others how you want to be treated.
  • Don’t say anything that you wouldn’t say in-person and also mind your social media manners.
  • Never type when angry, you may say something that you’ll regret later or spark unnecessary conflict. Respond only when you’ve cooled off.
  • Don’t spread rumors or post insulting comments. Keep your tone polite, positive, and truthful.
  • It is always best to discuss sensitive or tense issues with the person directly instead of posting something online or sending a mean message.

Don’t Interact With Strangers

Let your kids know that just as they wouldn’t talk to complete strangers in-person, it’s a good idea to not interact with unknown people online.

They have no obligation to accept friend requests or to follow people back. If they don’t know someone in person or don’t spend time with them offline, then there’s no reason for the child to connect with them online. They have the right to choose who they want to converse with, and as their parent, you must teach them to choose wisely.

Interacting with strangers is common when playing online games, and that’s fine in some cases, but they should always set boundaries about what they share and block people who are pressuring them.

Make it clear that it’s easier for people to hide their true identity and intentions online, so there’s nothing wrong with blocking people if they feel the need to.

Dodge Digital Drama

Let your kids know that they won’t always agree with everyone online. Clashing opinions can sometimes be upsetting or infuriating, but it’s essential to learn when to exit a conversation if things are getting rude or nasty.

Instant messaging, posting comments, or tweeting are all spontaneous communication — which makes it fun — but it’s easy to get carried away and start a heated argument that serves no purpose except causing more mental distress.

So, teach your kids to log off, not reply to the message, or refrain from posting a negative comment when they spot needless drama erupting. It’s best to exit the conversation and deal with the matter in-person if need be.

Over to You

Teaching digital etiquette takes time, and you’ll need to have multiple conversations with your kid(s) to instill these best practices. You’ll have to explain the why behind everything, as that’s how your kids will continue to believe in these manners even when they’re adults.

Finally, don’t worry about being perceived as a controlling or overprotective parent by friending/following your kids on social media, frequenting their online activities, and setting boundaries — it’s a way to keep them safe online when they’re not old enough to know what’s best for them.

About The Author – Rob Gabriele is a professional writer and editor at SafeHome.org. He has a rich experience in the field of home security technology and smart home automation and a passion for distilling complex tech information into easy-to-read and enjoyable content. This lends well to writing and publishing content that empowers people to stay safe and secure in this rapidly changing world. When he’s not crafting premier content in this niche, Rob spends his time reading, enjoying the outdoors, or trying to master his air-drum solo of ‘In the Air Tonight’ by Phil Collins.

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Ads in Kids’ Apps: Recognizing Practices

Ads in Kids Apps

The online world is a very helpful place, brimming with content that helps your child learn and apps to keep youngsters connected with family members. However, there are negative sides to the web too. Today, we’re going to look at ads in kids’ apps and how they can manipulate your child.

Parents today have to be diligent about making sure their kids don’t share too much information online and ensuring that they are protected against cyberbullying. Even the apps your children use can have issues that need to be addressed.

The Problem with Ads on Kids Apps

Most of today’s app creators and business leaders use display ads to make money – and that applies whether you’re accessing an app for children or one for adults.

One study discovered that some apps are even designed to make children feel guilty if they don’t pay for in-game content.

Other apps have earned backlash from parents over the years because they serve adult-themed content, even though the apps themselves are tailored to children. Certain groups are starting to take steps to prevent kids’ app creators from adding dangerous or inappropriate ads to games and educational apps.

In the meantime, as the FTC examines the ad practices used by developers, here are some malicious practices your kids need to be aware of.

Dangers of Sharing Private Information

Children don’t always have the best grasp of the dangers associated with sharing information online. They don’t know what dangerous people might be able to use their address or phone number for. They often feel comfortable revealing information that they perceive to be common knowledge, like their age or full name.

To ensure that your child’s protected from ads trying to gather personal information, make sure your kids know the difference between sensitive and safe information. It might be helpful to give your child a list of information they should never share online that they can check if they’re unsure.

Tell your children to come and get you if an app ever asks for information that they’re not sure is “private” or not.

Your children should always feel comfortable coming to you about anything they’re unsure about when they’re using the online world. Make sure you create an atmosphere that supports open communication about internet safety and the digital landscape.

Excessive Amount of Ads You Can’t Control

If a child comes and asks you whether they can download an app on their smartphone or tablet, it’s usually a good idea to check it for yourself first – before you agree.

Examine the app for yourself after installation to make sure that there aren’t many ads that will overwhelm your child. You may need to explore the app in-depth for a while before you start seeing the different ad options available.

Even if the app seems to be appropriate for your child’s age range or the app is educational in nature, there’s always a risk that it’s packed full of ads that your children can’t control.

It’s also worth doing some extra research online by checking out comments and reviews left by other parents.

Searching for the name of an app on Google should give you some insights into the kind of content it shows. You can also check the app ratings on the Apple or Google play store. If you notice other parents warning people away from the app, don’t allow your child to download it.

If you can’t find any information about the app online at all, then this could be another bad sign. It indicates that the company responsible for the app may have deleted negative comments.

If your ban on the app is met with your child’s protest, the best way to address it is to be open about why you don’t agree with them using the app.

You can discuss any negative comments or bad practices the app developers are using – in an appropriate manner, of course.That way, your child will become more sensitive to certain topics and issues should they arise in some other app they’re using.

Avoiding In-App Purchase Ads

It’s becoming increasingly common for modern app developers to list their apps as “free” only to overwhelm children with a host of things that they need to pay for once they’ve set up an account.

These “pay to play” games encourage children to pay for extra lives or in-game content and can even guilt them into feeling like they need to spend their parents’ money.

Although you can always set limitations on your child’s phone and tablets that prevent them from being able to make a purchase in an app, it’s best to avoid games and apps with internal purchases entirely if you can.

Usually, you’ll be able to see whether in-game charges are an issue on the description for the app on the Google or Apple store.

If your child comes to you asking for money for an app that they’ve downloaded for educational purposes, make sure that you carefully check the terms and conditions of the purchase.

Ensure that purchasing a specific item doesn’t mean that you sign up for any recurring subscriptions or open the door to new ads.

Apps for Children Shouldn’t be Filled with Ads

Nowadays, many businesses develop mobile apps because they offer various benefits – from data collection to targeted mobile marketing messages in order to increase sales or awareness. However, while adults can easily detect dishonest practices, for kids, they may not always be that obvious.

A great app for children should be a source of education and entertainment. The best apps can help your child to develop new skills and provide them with access to useful information. Good apps can also be an excellent way to keep your child’s mind active and help them with all kinds of learning challenges.

While the occasional ad may be a necessity with some apps that need help to pay for development and building processes, your children’s apps shouldn’t be riddled with ads.

Until the FTC and other groups can work together to limit the kind of advertising children are exposed to on smartphones and tablets, it’s up to us as parents to carefully assess and choose the right apps for our children.

Ashley Wilson - WriterAshley Wilson is a digital nomad and writer for hire, specialized in business and tech topics. In her self-care time, she practices yoga via YouTube. She has been known to reference movies in casual conversation and enjoys trying out new food. Contact Ashley.


Nimble Numbers

Do They Tell the Truth in Advertising?

Numbers will scream at you all your life. “9 out of 10 dentists recommend Sparkle tooth paste.” “70% of people prefer dogs over cats.” “66.6% of all girls prefer the color purple over the color pink.” Websites and textbooks and advertisers often have numbers for everything. But are those numbers always true?

Those numbers are most commonly found by asking people to answer a question with one or two answers (a poll) or a series of questions with a larger choice of answers (a survey). By asking the right questions, polls and surveys can get answers that don’t quite tell the truth.

Let’s look at advertisers who use dentists to sell a dental product. And imagine that you’ve just invented a brand new tooth paste that tastes like candy floss. You take samples to ten dentists and ask them if they would recommend it to their clients.

The dentists try the tooth paste and, while other tooth pastes they know would be better at dental care, they see nothing wrong with Candy Floss Paste. They know that some kids don’t like brushing their teeth and think that maybe they would be more likely to brush if the paste tasted like candy floss. Nine give you the recommendation.

The tenth thinks, “Well, this won’t hurt anyone, but other brands work better and still taste good.” He doesn’t give you a recommendation.

Still, you can brag that 9 out of 10 dentists recommended your paste. But what if you had given the dentists your paste as well as one of the most effective and yummy-tasting brands and asked which they would recommend? Think about it—then think about whether or not 9 out of 10 is really the truth.

Another way numbers can lie is found in who you ask.

Imagine you stand outside a dog show and ask all the people coming in to watch the show: “Do you prefer dogs or cats?” Of course, most of the people will say they prefer dogs. After all, they are going to a dog show. If you want to get a poll that says more people prefer cats, take your poll outside of a cat show.

You might think this is an obvious example, but consider that many polls and surveys take place in your favorite shopping mall. Teenagers in a mall would be more likely to say yes to the question: “Do you plan on buying a new cell phone in the next year?” If you asked that same question in front of a senior citizen’s home, what do you think the results would be?

Now think about how you would get 66.6% of girls to say they preferred purple over pink. Here’s one way: Go to a schoolyard or mall and look for girls wearing purple. Ask them if they prefer purple over pink. If they are wearing purple, chances are very good that they will say that they prefer purple over pink. One, though, might prefer pink but didn’t have an clean pink shirt to wear that day.

Here’s another way. Get a celebrity or a person who resembles a popular singer. Dress that person in an expensive, cool purple shirt or dress. Studies have shown that people will give poll responses that they hope will get the approval of the attractive person asking the question. That answer might not be the truth, but it might help make purple more popular.

Next time you see a commercial or read a news story with a percentage in it, think about that number. More importantly, think about how that number was created. That number might not be as true as it sounds.

We’ve explored claims made in advertising.  Now, let’s explore statements of fact made in the news stories.

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Instant Answers for Kids Using Safe Search

KidzSearch - Google Safe Search

KidzSearch Instant Answers is a new search feature specifically designed to help students find the information they need. It integrates many different sections of KidzSearch to help kids discover what they are searching for, including younger students who often have difficulties doing online searches to find relevant content.

Instant Answers

Instant Answers provides high quality reviewed information related to all searches next to the regular KidzSearch safe search results, such as the student encyclopedia with over 200,000 entries designed just for kids with simplified articles.

Another example of Instant Answers is for KidzTube, which contains over 50,000 handpicked high quality learning videos, as well as Wiki for Kids. Other items include educational games, related topics, AI tutoring, and more.

The information presented via KidzSearch Instant Answers is visual with large safe images and simplified summaries. It also has links to get more details. This can help students get a general feel about a topic.  While it might directly answer their question, it can also help a student do a more refined search, or to expand their search in areas they were not aware of before seeing the topic information.

AI Search Results

The search results use artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced algorithms to provide a virtual tutoring experience while they do their online research. The AI system might show them the answer to a math question and offer step-by-step tutoring on how it was solved or give a related student-focused article. It is like having a virtual tutor with them when they do their online research.

Performance is very important. With each search, multiple technologies go to work in the background to integrate content in fractions of a second. The entire system has taken years to develop and will keep improving as the company moves towards adding AI tutoring to the online student search experience in a seamless manner.

Try Instant Answers for Students

Students often have a lot of quality educational resources, but they may not know where to start. KidzSearch Instant Answers provides a solution to this problem by moving high quality reviewed resources to them. An API is also being developed that can allow companies to tap into these features to help power their educational applications.

Whether you are a student, or a parent committed to staying informed about internet safety technology, the safe search tools we provide in partnership with KidzSearch is our highest priority.  Safe research resources allow anyone of any age to seek out the information they need with a much lower risk of being exposed to harmful content.

Instant Answers on Kidzsearch

A Brief History of Google SafeSearch

Google is over 20 years old.  On November 11, 2009, a few years after becoming the world’s most popular search engine, Google introduced the ability for users too lock safe search settings for the very basic level Google’s web and image searches.

On December 12, 2012, Google removed the option to turn off the filter entirely, requiring users to enter more specific search queries to access inappropriate content.  However, the safe search filtering was and remains to be a basic level of filtering.

Safe Search Kids was founded on July 16, 2009 to provide Google basic filtering from our website, but it was only in recent years that we partnered with KidzSearch to use their strict filtering API to block bad search terms and spelling variations that are likely to lead to bad websites.

In addition, 1000’s of website domains are blocked from appearing in the results that many other free parental control filters allow.  In addition, the whole search experience, with kid-focused meta-content/results and a more visual experience is improved with a search designed for them.

We encourage schools and parents at home to use us as a one stop gateway to safe search tools for the safe surfing the web, images, wiki for kids, and safe videos.

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How Much Screen Time Is Too Much For a Distance Learner?

How much is too much screen time

There has been a major shift in the world towards distance learning. The discussion of how much time kids can safely spend looking at screens has only become more vital.  Whether it be on smartphone, tablet or laptop, parents have usually been concerned with the time kids spend playing games, interacting on social media, or watching TV shows and movies.

Even in a normal world you would also need to add the screen time spent on school computers used for a variety of purposes. These activities include searching Google and doing research. All of these online activities add up to a staggering number of hours per day looking at screens. And now we must also take into account the time spent doing online school.

85% of parents worry about the amount of time their kids are spending online these days.

Recommended Screen Times

The WHO & CDC both recommend no more than 2 hours of screen time for children under 18.  Finding further specifics, The American Academy for Pediatrics urges a 1-hour screen time maximum for children under 6 years old. 

Furthermore, it has been found that children under 2, who regularly watch at least 1 hour of television on a daily basis, may face an increased risk of cognitive, language, and motor delays.

Blue Light Affects

An interesting consideration about screens, in particular, is their emission of what’s referred to as “blue light”. Blue light is particularly influential because it blocks a hormone that your body makes called melatonin. When you are exposed to blue light waves, especially in the evening, melatonin is not produced, so your body isn’t getting that vital message about slowing down and getting ready for sleep. If your child continues surfing the ‘net on a tablet or smartphone after getting into bed, they could be telling their body to rise and shine, rather than slow down and rest.

Luckily, if you’re concerned about the impact additional screen time may be having on your child, there are steps in preparation for bedtime you can take to help limit your child’s blue light exposure.

Home Learning Challenges

With home learning comes more indoor time. However, this makes it especially easy to develop a screen addiction. Did you know excessive screen time can be toxic to our mental health? 56% of teens feel anxious or lonely without their phone.

Yet, distance learning sessions last more than our government recommends we spend on screens altogether – even with compelling data proving its potential to be mentally and physically dangerous.  The problem is only exasperated when you consider that students use screens to access other content as well, such as entertainment and social media.

Ask Yourself How Your Kids are Doing:

  • How often are your kids exercising, whether indoors or out?
  • How social have they been since distance learning began?

The value of education should never be downplayed, but please double check to ensure distance learning isn’t taking a toll on your little ones.

In the meantime, check out the infographic below. It may help you shape a better understanding of how much screen time is too much for your children. 

Screen Time Infographic

This infographic explores the good, the bad, and necessary use on screens due to online learning.  It explores the risk associated with screen time use in spite of the need for them for the distant learner.

It also offers tips on how to get the best out of the necessary hours needed to be in front of a screen so that the time online can be reduced.

Finally, the infographic shows ways to protect kids against harmful content while on the internet.

Infographic Screen Time and Its Effects On the Distance Learner

Tips for Managing Screen Time in a Balance Manner

Set clear boundaries: Establish designated screen-free times during the day to rest your eyes and mind.

Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away from the screen at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds to reduce eye strain.

Break up study sessions: Divide study sessions into manageable chunks with breaks in between to prevent mental fatigue.

Utilize offline resources: Balance screen time by using physical books, printed materials, or offline activities for learning whenever possible.

Prioritize quality over quantity: Focus on productive screen time activities such as attending live classes, participating in discussions, and completing assignments rather than aimless browsing.

Engage in physical activities: Incorporate regular exercise or outdoor activities into your schedule to counterbalance sedentary screen time.

Monitor and adjust: Pay attention to how much time you spend on screens daily and make adjustments as needed to maintain a healthy balance between screen time and other activities.

Additional Reading:

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