A recent study conducted by the Hart Research Associates for the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) found that when teens look to seek out information about how to stay safe online, nearly three in four (74%) turn to their parents. The study also found that parents and teens indicate similar levels of concern for a [...]
As far as tablets go, the new Kindle Fire is one of the best family-friendly values out there. The 7-inch version retails for $174 and is a great e-reader and entertainment tablet that the whole family can enjoy, granted the right safeguards are in place. In order to give your child a rich, age-appropriate experience [...]
Nintendo has consistently been one of the best family- friendly video game console makers. Additionally, their video game lineup is much more family-friendly than Microsoft’s or Sony’s, they offer some of the most comprehensive parental controls available and their handheld game devices have limited Internet access, which means your children can play online with their [...]
The countdown to Christmas has already started. Santa’s elves need help, so you may have asked your children to create a holiday wish list, and if your kids are like mine, there’s at least one technology gadget on their list this year. My 8-year-old wants a new iPod, my 12-year-old a new Xbox and my [...]
*This is a guest editorial post from Gecko Monitor. Parents of younger children will probably have noticed the keen interest and curiosity that they show towards computer use. Being able to press a button or move a mouse and have an instant reaction on screen inhabits the same pleasure that kids get from toys that [...]
The Parental Controls in Windows 8, now called Family Safety, can be used to filter websites, set time limits on computer use, monitor and restrict apps purchased from the Windows Store and send activity reports via e-mail to parents–the latter of the two being the biggest improvements between 7 and 8. For those of you [...]
When you first find out that your child has been involved in a cyberbullying incident as the perpetrator, your emotions can be overwhelming. You might feel shock, denial, embarrassment and anger towards your child, and though these feelings are normal, they need to be put to the side because your first responsibility as a parent [...]
*This is a guest editorial post by McAfee The holidays are just around the corner and while we’re busy buying gifts and making travel arrangements, cybercriminals are making their lists, and checking them twice, as they prepare to unleash a host of scams designed to take advantage of the seasonal surge in online shopping and [...]
Gecko Monitor ($49.00, Windows 7/Vista/XP/2000) is a comprehensive computer-based monitoring solution that monitors web browsing history, keystrokes, and applications. It can also be set up to take screenshots of user activity every 60 seconds, or at another predetermined interval. This monitoring system is unique in that it also monitors printer use and what files your [...]
From what they are eating to where they are going, young people everywhere are sharing everything they do online. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter make it possible for people to instantly connect – and sometimes, unknowingly to them, become easy targets for identification theft, bullying or home burglary. Does it seem like a stretch? It’s not. [...]
This is a guest post from McAfee “Where are you?” It’s a simple question, but one that opens up a world of possibilities. That’s why so-called location-based services, that log and share your location as you move through the world, are growing in number and popularity. As these services grow in popularity, so does the [...]
Balancing safety and freedom on the Internet can be tough for many parents, yours truly included. We all want what’s best for our child, but sometimes we tend to lean too much in one direction. Past monitoring systems didn’t help at all in this regard because they didn’t give parents options when it came monitoring, [...]
When most people think of a bully, the first image that comes to mind is an angry, scowling child who resorts to physical or verbal aggression whenever possible. That may have been true before the advent of social media, but in today’s world this mentality isn’t only inaccurate, it’s dangerous. The truth is anyone can [...]
It’s been great working with Simon & Schuster during the last 10 months. In addition to supporting what we’re doing with the “I Choose” Anti-Bullying Campaign, they’ve delivered exclusive book content to the Yoursphere community that’s both entertaining and educational, further expanding on our company’s mission to change the way children use social media. I [...]
Have you ever been a victim of a scam from something you either tried to buy or sell on Craigslist? It’s a common story being told more often around the U.S. Stories abound from people who have tried to sell goods and being paid with counterfeit cash, to buyers seeking good being lured out into [...]
K9 Web Protection is a free Internet monitoring software program from Blue Coat that allows parents to log Internet activity, block websites, place time restrictions on Internet use, and make search engines safe for children by forcing “Safe Search”. Because K9 is free, you can use it in conjunction with Windows or Mac parental settings, [...]
McGruff SafeGuard (Windows only; free 30-day trial; pricing) is a parental monitoring program that was created by the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and ParentsOnPatrol (POP). The word “McGruff” makes most people think of the giant crime-fighting dog, McGruff the Crime Dog, and for the record, yes, McGruff is still taking a bite out of [...]
This is a guest post from McAfee. A recent study “The Digital Divide: How the Online Behavior of Teens is Getting Past Parents” (conducted by TRU Research and commissioned by McAfee) shows an alarming 70% of teens have hidden their online behavior from their parents, up from 45% in 2010. And yet half of parents live under the assumption [...]
Parental monitoring solutions are essential in this day and age. Computers, smartphones, satellites and massive data networks have made this process easier and more convenient (and some cases more challenging) than we could have ever imagined. As our children grow up and begin socializing online and in real life, we begin to realize the value [...]
Caution – Some links lead to adult-intended images I’ve written extensively on the topic of children using Facebook, and one of the points that I always come back around to is the fact that a lot of the people and content in Facebook create an online environment that simply isn’t appropriate for children. Sure, risks [...]
A recent Los Angeles survey on sexting found that “LA teens who had sent racy texts were seven times more likely to be sexually active than those who said they’d never sexted.” The correlation is concerning, but sexting is just one of many online behaviors that influences real-world consequences, carrying with it the potential to ruin a child’s social [...]
Mary Kay is a nationally-recognized Internet safety expert and the founder of Yoursphere.com.
You can learn more about her work at marykayhoal.com.
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