Category: Privacy
How to Delete That Unwanted Google+ Profile of Your Child
The other day my son asked if he could have a YouTube account of his own. He enjoys listening to music and watching the sports videos on the site. He’s 13 now so I said yes. While the intention was for me to help him create his account, he jumped right in and suddenly he [...]
Internet Cookies – What They Are and How to Block Them
If you’re like most parents, the first time you heard of Internet cookies you probably wondered to yourself, ‘what the heck are cookies?’ Well, simply put, cookies are small, often encrypted (protected) text-only files that reside on your web browser or computer’s memory. In a nutshell, cookies are used to make your web-browsing experience a [...]
How to Easily Block Ads on Your Child’s Computer
The idea of ad companies and marketing firms having an “online profile” of your child based on their web browsing habits is of definite concern. Unfortunately, this isn’t just an idea; it’s a reality. In fact, it’s how companies like Google and Yahoo! make money. One of the key methods used to collect this data [...]
Three Good Reasons Why Your Child Shouldn’t Be on Facebook
As a mother of two college students and two tween boys, I absolutely understand the urge to give children what they want. Right now, in this world of digital media and instant gratification, that ‘want’ is to be on a social network with their friends. Most children, as you know, use Facebook as that social [...]
Instagram – Is It Okay for Kids? What Parents Need to Know
In many ways, and without reinventing the wheel, Instagram is changing the way people share photos with each other. The mobile app, which is only available on the iPhone, is steadily growing in popularity among the kid and teen crowds, causing parents to take notice and ask, what exactly is Instagram, and is there anything [...]
Google’s New Privacy Policy – a Safety Workaround for You and Your Teen
Taking a page from Facebook, Google has now lowered the minimum age required to join Google+ from 18 to 13. They claim that opening Google+ to younger kids will help educate them about social networking. If you’re a regular reader of Yoursphere for Parents or follow any of the work I do in the Internet-safety [...]
Online Gaming Safety Information for Parents
First and foremost, it’s important to understand that, one, there are safety controls available on gaming consoles like the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, and two, that there are a number of other safety precautions that both you and your child can take to help protect their safety and privacy on said consoles—most of which [...]
Safety Tips for Social Networking
Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have become extremely popular in recent years. They’re a great way to keep family and friends updated on your life and connect with colleagues and communities that share your interests. You can use social networks to build a positive online reputation. The first step is STOP. [...]
Stickam – A Very Dangerous Site for Kids
I’ve written and talked at length about the challenges that webcams create for parents, as well as the safety and privacy risks that they can create for our children. You may have heard of some of the more headline-grabbing sites, like TinyChat and Chatroulette, but have you heard of Stickam? Like the former two, Stickam [...]
Screen Retriever Review and Installation Guide
As a parent, I always want to know where my children are, who they’re hanging out with, and what they’re doing. I like to try and give them a balance between freedom and safety, let them grow and mature yet still make sure they don’t do anything that has the potential to harm them. This [...]
Cyberbullying and Online Gaming: How to Protect Your Child
First let me say that, just as I am not OK with it offline, I am not okay with the idea of my children talking to strangers online. But that’s exactly what happens in online gaming services like Xbox Live and Playstation Network. As soon as your child logs on to their profile or joins [...]
Mary Kay is a nationally-recognized Internet safety expert, and the founder of 
