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DuckDuckGo - Protection. Privacy. Peace of mind.

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The Internet privacy company that empowers you to seamlessly take control of your personal information online, without any tradeoffs.

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Google's Chrome is, by most measures, the most popular browser in use. That being said, it also has a perception problem as far as security is concerned, causing privacy-concerned users to shake the Chrome habit. If you don't have any intention of moving away from Chrome anytime soon, here are some tips to help you maximize your privacy.

Chrome has tools for blocking first-party cookies (which are used to store your preferences for a particular site) as well as third-party tracking cookies (which follow your online activity across sites). Some of these tools need to be enabled manually, and we've included instructions on how to do that, along with steps on how to delete cookies already stored by your browser. We also address how Google plans to prevent fingerprinting - a form of tracking that uses data about your system configuration to identify you.

There are also plenty of extensions available in the Chrome Web Store if you'd like to protect your privacy beyond Chrome's built-in tools.

Deal with trackers

Version 79 of Chrome, which came out last December, concentrated mostly on enhancing password security. In Chrome 80, which began rolling out on February 4th, Google is gradually implementing a new system for sorting and blocking cookies. It will allow all first-party cookies, but third-party cookies will have to include a specific same-site setting that ensures they are being accessed from secure connections. (You can update to the Chrome 80 manually by going to Help -> About Google Chrome. However, be aware that this feature may take a while to be fully implemented.)

Google is gradually implementing a new system for sorting and blocking cookies

Google also says that Chrome will phase out third-party cookies in two years in favor of an alternative system to cookies using new technologies Google is developing.

Adjust your tracking settings

Meanwhile, you can still manually block cookies in Chrome:

Go to "Settings" (by clicking the three dots in the upper-right corner next to the URL bar). Scroll down and click on "Advanced" at the bottom of the screen or in the menu bar on the left.

Find the "Privacy and security" section, and then click on "Site settings" -> "Cookies and site data."

To block only third-party cookies, toggle "Block third-party cookies" on. To block all cookies, toggle the "Allow sites to save and read cookie data" to off.

Once you've blocked third-party cookies in your settings, a cookie icon will pop up on the right side of your address bar when Chrome is blocking cookies. You can click on that icon to see what cookies are allowed and blocked by each site and choose to block or allow individual cookies. Here's how:

Click on the icon, and a small window will open

You can, at this point, allow cookies from this site or continue to block cookies. Click on "Done" to save your settings.

To view which cookies are being blocked, click "Show cookies and other site data" at the bottom of that window. You can toggle between seeing the "Allowed" and "Blocked" cookies.

Click on the site name; you'll see either "Block" or "Allow" at the bottom of the window, allowing you to block or permit cookies from that site. If you click on the arrows next to the site names, you can see the individual cookies and can block or allow them as well.

When you click on an individual cookie's name, you'll also see its domain, when it was created, and when it expires.

Clean up your cookies

Chrome does allow you to automatically clear out your cookies and other data when you exit the browser.

Go to the "Cookies and site data" page as described above

Toggle on "Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome"

Want to see a list of all the cookies currently stored by your browser?

In the "Cookies and site data" page, click on "See all cookies and site data." You can delete cookies by site by clicking on the trash icon next to each site name, or you can delete them all by clicking "Remove all."

If you click on the site name, you'll be able to see the individual cookies left by that site. Click on the arrow for more information about the cookie, and click on the "X" to delete it.

If you want to clear a range of your data from the browser:

Go to "Settings" -> "Privacy and Security" -> "Clear browsing data"

A window will open up with two viewing options: "Basic" and "Advanced." The former allows you to clear out your cookies, browsing history and caches; the latter gives you the chance to delete all of those items along with other types of data, such as your download history, passwords, and autofill form data.

At the top of the box, select an option from the drop-down menu next to "Time range." You can clear anything from the last hour's worth to all of the data that's been collected.

In either view, make sure the categories of data you want to delete are selected, and then click "Clear data"

Fingerprinting and ad-blocking

Google has proposed a number of fingerprinting protections, which it says it plans to implement later this year. Among the proposed steps is a strategy, which involves restricting the number of requests that can be made for user information so as not to allow for the collection of enough data to identify individual users.

Chrome, by default, does filter out some ads using the rules set by the Coalition for Better Ads and EasyList, but you can always download ad-blocking extensions to increase your protection.
Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see

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How to use Chrome's tools to protect your privacy while browsing

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Google's Chrome is, by most measures, the most popular browser in use. That being said, it also has a perception problem as far as security is concerned, causing privacy-concerned users to shake the Chrome habit. If you don't have any intention of moving away from Chrome anytime soon, here are some tips to help you maximize your privacy.

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Psychologist Marc Masip explains why additional screen time is not a good idea and gives his top digital tips for summer that last all year long.

School is out and summer routines, or lack of routines, are in full swing. Most kids end the school year exhausted but on a high. They generally spend more time outdoors, heading to the beach, or just hanging out with their friends in the sunshine. But like all highs, there comes a time when it wears off.

And this is when kids tend, now more than ever, to turn to phones and digital devices to escape any feelings of isolation, boredom, or loneliness which research increasingly shows have much the same addictive power as drugs. And just like with drugs, many kids are not fully aware of the dangers. The technological equivalent is that we have a wave of "digital illiterates". If your child is like most, then they probably know even more about technology than you do. But what I am referring to here is that they are much less aware of the dangers. And I'm not just talking about digital addiction. I'm talking about everything else lurking on the internet-the bullies, groomers, scammers...

Fortunately there are parental control tools that can massively help parents get greater peace of mind while their children are on the internet over the summer and all year long. And I continually recommend these kind of tools to parents and my patients. But once you have one, you need to know what kind of time limits to set and stick with them.

This, of course, varies with your child's age and personality. But, in my experience, the amount of screen time should not change in the summer or at any time of time of year. Though it can be extra tempting in the summer to be a little lax on the rules, the problem with giving more screen time is a habit is quickly formed. This means returning to shorter time limits in the fall is extremely difficult. I see more patients in September than any other time of the year exactly for this reason.

In my experience, the amount of screen time should not change in the summer or at any time of time of year.

One of my patients told me, "I feel like now that I've finished school and done my part, I have the right to do whatever I want without my parents bugging me all the time." And to some degree he's right, but kids and teens need limits, whether they realize it or not. And it's a parent's job to set them and stick to them.

Here are some s ummer screen time tips that I recommend to help find that balance and enjoy the freedom of summer, without falling into digital addiction or using technology as a crutch for the summertime blues:

Don't give extra screen time over the summer. Just because kids have extra time does not mean they should fill it with more screen time. It's a downward slope that leads to bad habits that are difficult to fix once summer is over.

Don't use screen time as a bartering tool. It's easier said than done, but resist the temptation to use screen time as a punishment or a reward. This can easily turn into blackmail and is the wrong way to educate your children. Having good grades, doing well at sports, and doing chores are part of building good character and should have nothing to do with winning or losing screen time.

Don't give up. Parents usually give up for two reasons: we think we're helping our kids by giving them what they want or we give in to their insistence. Kids are masters at the art of getting what they want. Set your rules and stick to them, all year long. This is absolutely key and really the golden rule of parenting when it comes to screen time. Keep in mind this does not mean NO screen time. Prohibiting screen time just leads to rebellion.

Go outside! I refuse to believe kids are happier left alone with a screen than when they're with their friends. We really have to encourage this. We have to suggest activities, insist, be there for them, and spend time with them. Sadly, some kids don't even get to enjoy the high of going to the beach and hanging out with friends, making real contact. As this article by the New York Times explains, for many, spending time outdoors and having human contact has become a sort of luxury good. No matter your income level, do whatever you can to simply get out of the house.

It makes me really sad to see the increasing number of kids coming to my office with digital addiction or technology-related problems. It tells me that neither parents nor children are fully prepared for the challenges of the digital age. This is an important point. One thing is knowing that your child is not ready to have a mobile phone. Another is knowing that your child might be ready to have one, but you as a parent are not ready to enforce it. And though I often recommend parental control apps, it is not a cure-all. You cannot just set it up and walk away.

Once trouble strikes, therapy is a great help. But there is so much more we as a society need to do to help prevent children from coming to my office in the first place. Schools need to do more to educate children on the dangers of the internet, like this successful new initiative from a school in Essen, Germany that has teens come to talk to younger children about the dangers of texting. Governments also need to set stricter laws to protect children online and to encourage parents to take more responsibility.

Much of that is beyond your control, but a parent's number one job is still in your hands, or should I say in your heart, and that is to love, love, love your children. And part of that love is tough love-setting limits and sticking to them. Summer is a time for freedom, and it is fertile ground to create new habits. It's your job as a parent to make sure they are healthy ones.

More great online safety and digital wellbeing articles from Qustodio:

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Is it okay to give my child extra screen time over the summer?

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Psychologist Marc Masip explains why additional screen time is not a good idea and gives his top digital tips for summer that last all year long. School is out and summer routines, or lack of routines, are in full swing. Most kids end the school year exhausted but on a high.

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Heard about the Clubhouse app? Here's what you need to know:

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Heard about the Clubhouse app? Here's what you need to know:

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What is the Clubhouse app? What parents need to know | Internet Matters

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Clubhouse is a drop-in audio-based social media app making head waves around the world due to its recent $100m valuation and trending topics.

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What is the Clubhouse app? What parents need to know

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A practical guide for parents and carers whose children are using social media

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A practical guide for parents and carers whose children are using social media

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This document is also available as a PDF here

Social networking is hugely popular. Many young people are sophisticated in the way they use social media apps and websites, tailoring their communication for different audiences, and accessing them from a range of devices including smartphones, tablets, and games consoles.

But social media, like all forms of public communication, comes with some risks. Not all of these risks turn into actual problems; and if children never face any risks, they never learn how to deal with them. By helping your child understand what the risks are, you can play a big part in preventing them from turning into problems.

1. Understand the risks children may need to deal with:

What they might see or do:

Seeing or sharing of violent, sexual and pornographic content

Inaccurate or false information and extreme views

Promotion of harmful behaviours including self-harm, anorexia and suicide

Over-sharing of personal information

Actively or unintentionally getting involved in bullying or hurtful behaviour

Who they might meet:

How this could affect them:

2. Practical tips to help minimise the risks your child might face

It's good practice for apps and websites to have safety advice and well-designed safety features which can make a real difference to how safe your child will be when using them. Work through safety and privacy features on the apps that your child is using, or might use. Make sure they understand the point of these and how to use them.

Don't be put off by believing your child knows more than you: the tools are actually quite easy to manage.

3. Keep talking and stay involved

In a mobile age, children can't be completely protected, even by the best privacy controls; another child may use different settings. So it's important to keep talking to your child about the implications of social media. Getting a sense of what they think is a useful place to start; you may be surprised by how much thought they may have given to the issues.

Encourage your child to think carefully about the way they, and others behave online, and how they might deal with difficult situations.

People may not always be who they say they are online: how can this create problems?

Why is it unwise to meet anyone in the real world that you've only ever met online?

Even if you think your messages are private, remember that words and images can always be captured and broadcast.

People present themselves differently online - do they really look like that? Are they always having that good a time?

Be aware that screens, and especially being anonymous, can lead people to say things they wouldn't say to someone's face.

What does being a good friend and a likeable person online look like?

There can be pressure to be part of a particular group online or to be seen to be following a certain set of ideas

How can you take a step back and make your own decisions?

4. For more information:

You can find out more about how children use social media, the apps they use, the risks they face, how to use privacy settings, and advice and tips about how to talk to your children at:

5. To make a report

Concerned about online grooming or sexual behaviour online?

Contact CEOP: www.ceop.police.uk

If you stumble across criminal sexual or obscene content on the internet you should report it to the Internet Watch Foundation: www.iwf.org.uk

This document is also available as a PDF here

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Child Safety Online: A practical guide for parents and carers whose children are using social media

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This document is also available as a PDF here Social networking is hugely popular. Many young people are sophisticated in the way they use social media apps and websites, tailoring their communication for different audiences, and accessing them from a range of devices including smartphones, tablets, and games consoles.

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Useful booklet for parents from the Australian e-safety commissioner

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Useful booklet for parents from the Australian e-safety commissioner

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available in a variety of languages

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This book covers some of the key online safety issues for young people and includes a range of practical tips and advice on what to do if things go wrong. You can also find a list of important services that can offer extra support.

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Online safety book | eSafety Commissioner

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This book covers some of the key online safety issues for young people and includes a range of practical tips and advice on what to do if things go wrong. You can also find a list of important services that can offer extra support.

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Excellent video guides from Thinkyouknow website for parents

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Excellent video guides from Thinkyouknow website for parents

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A guide to cyber security

We've teamed up with The National Cyber Security Centre to give you some advice about how you and your family can work together become more Cyber Aware.

Visit our parent and carers article Cyber security: what parents and carers need to know for more information.

A guide to watching videos online.

Children and young people love watching videos online. In this video we look at the type of content that may be inappropriate and what you can do to help them watch safely.

Visit our parent and carers article Parents guide to watching videos online for more information.

A guide to social media

In this video we explore we social media, the risks and what you can do as a parent of carer to help your child be safe.

Visit our parent and carers article Is your child ready for social media? for more information.

A guide to in-game chat

We've teamed up with Ukie (The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment) to give you advice about online games and chat.

While playing games online is often great fun, it's important you understand why your children will chat online, what risks there are and what measures you can take to protect them while they're playing their favourite games.

Visit our parent and carers article In-game chat:what parents and carers need to know for more information.

A guide to live streaming

In this video will give you a brief overview of live streaming and some practical tips for your child's safe use.

Visit our parent and carers article A short guide to live streaming for more information.

Download our one page Quick guide to livestreaming.

A guide to sharing images

In these videos we explore why children and young people like to share images, the risks and what you can do as a parent of carer.

A guide to sharing images - primary aged children

Visit our parent and carers article Younger children sharing pictures or videos online for more information.

A guide to sharing images - primary aged children (BSL version)
BSL translation provided by Deaf Children, Young People and Family Service, part of National Deaf CAMHS, Manchester Outreach.
A guide to image sharing - secondary aged children

Visit our parent and carers article 7 questions parents ask about nude selfies for more information.

A guide to image sharing - secondary aged children (BSL version)
BSL translation provided by Deaf Children, Young People and Family Service, part of National Deaf CAMHS, Manchester Outreach.

Thinkuknow. An Introduction for Parents and Carers

In this presentation we will introduce you to the ThinkuKnow education programme, highlight some of the resources available for you and your children and remind you of some of the things you can do to keep your child safe online.

You can turn the subtitles on in the video, or you can download the video transcript.
Click here to download the transcript.

The best way you can protect your child is to establish a positive relationship with them around their life online. Talk to them - not just once but have ongoing conversations as part of your family life.

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Short video guides for parents and carers: delivering online safety at home

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We've teamed up with The National Cyber Security Centre to give you some advice about how you and your family can work together become more Cyber Aware. Visit our parent and carers article Cyber security: what parents and carers need to know for more information. Children and young people love watching videos online.

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PDF of Slides Social Media and Your Child

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PDF of Slides Social Media and Your Child

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All links accessible in this file.

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Interesting talk by Jim Gamble, CEO of the largest independent safeguarding organisation in the UK and Ireland.

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Online safety - it is not about the internet... | Jim Gamble | TEDxStormontWomen

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Watch our presentation here

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The British School of Milan - Sir James Henderson

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BSM E-Safety: Social Media And Your Child

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Social Media Privacy settings Step-by-step guides

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Social Media Privacy settings Step-by-step guides

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In addition to our how-to guides on the most popular apps, you can also find out more about other social apps that children are using. Below we have compiled a list of apps to watch out for and provide a related web link for you to learn more about how to set controls on the app.

Live streaming apps

Live streaming has captured the imagination of teens around the world but also introduced a number of risks they could be exposed to. See our list of safety guides to get up to speed on the most popular Live streaming apps.

Periscope - Designed by Twitter, Periscope lets you share and experience live video streams from your mobile or tablet device.

Live.me - Live.me is a social platform that allows users to connect with others and earn virtual goods which can be exchanged for prizes, rewards, and cash.

YouNow - The app allows you to comment and like users videos and buy gifts that generate money for the app creator.

Social gaming apps

If your child is gaming online, they may be using platforms to allow them to chat and communicate with other players or friends. Use the following safety guides to help keep them safe on the most popular social gaming platforms.

Steam - This is one of the most popular social gaming networks that allows you to buy and play games online and store them in the cloud.

Xbox live - Microsoft's online service for its consoles is called Xbox Live and when you're signed into the service you can chat to other Xbox Live members and befriend them.

Twitch TV - Twitch.tv is a live streaming social gaming platform that is equipped with a chat feature to allow players to interact with each other and live stream and watch video game competitions.

Roblox - One of the biggest online gaming platforms and features social elements which allows players to talk to each other and send friend requests.

Minecraft - One of the most popular gaming platforms among primary school age children (despite 13 minimum age guide).

PlayStation Network - Allows users to go online and access PlayStation Store content, online gameplay and use the chat function to talk to other players.

Nintendo Network - Nintendo's consoles are more family-friendly than most and therefore its chat functionality is a lot more geared to safe interaction for younger players.

Limitation of network filters

Some content and sites can be encrypted, which means they're coded in a way that prevents the controls from knowing what the content actually is, so filters will not necessarily apply. There are also ways of bypassing filters using what's called a Virtual Private Network (VPN) if your child is technologically savvy enough.

They also don't usually restrict purchases through apps or the use of certain programmes that are already on the device. You'll need to consider setting your device controls and platform (such as Chrome or Netflix) controls too.

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Take a look at our list of social media guides to get you up to speed on the most popular platforms and help set the right privacy settings.

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The Problem with Parents, Kids, and Social Media

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Step by step guides

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Set up parental controls on devices and platforms | Internet Matters

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Set up parental controls on a range of devices and platforms to help children develop key online safety and digital literacy skills.

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How to stop people adding you to groups without your authorisation

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How to stop people adding you to groups without your authorisation

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https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/3/18293441/whatsapp-group-block-private-invitation-misinformation

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WhatsApp groups are a very popular feature for keeping in touch with friends and family from around the world. However, in order for make things simple WhatsApp earlier used to allow anyone to add anyone to a WhatsApp group, as long as they had the other person's contact number. This had led to the massive issue of random people adding others to random WhatsApp groups. After a lot of user feedback, WhatsApp decided to fix the problem by giving privacy settings to deter users from randomly adding others to WhatsApp groups. Recently, WhatsApp rolled out these group privacy settings to everyone.

New group privacy settings on WhatsApp are available on both Android and iPhone. Here's how you can enable these settings on your smartphone.

How to enable Group Privacy Settings on your smartphone

Before we tell you how you can implement these settings on your smartphone, make sure that you have installed the latest version of WhatsApp on your device. For Android, it is version 2.19.308 and for iPhone, it is 2.19.112. You can update by going to the respective WhatsApp pages on both the Google Play Store for Android and the App Store for iPhone. With that out of the way, just follow these steps.

How to stop someone from adding you to WhatsApp groups on Android

If you are an Android user, follow these steps to stop people from adding you to WhatsApp groups without permission.

1. Open WhatsApp on your Android smartphone and tap the vertical three-dots icon on the top-right.

2. Now tap Groups and select one of the three given options - Everyone, My Contacts, orMy Contacts Except....

3. If you select Everyone, anyone can add you to groups.

4. Selecting My Contacts only allows your contacts to add you to WhatsApp groups.

5. Finally, the third option My Contacts Except lets you allow only selected people to add you to WhatsApp groups. You can either select contacts one by one or you can even select all contacts by tapping on the Select All icon on the top-right. These people will be prompted to send you the group invite through a private chat. You will then have three days to accept or deny the request for joining the group before it expires.

How to stop someone from adding you to WhatsApp groups on iPhone

If you use WhatsApp on iPhone, here's how you can stop others from adding you to WhatsApp groups.

1. Open WhatsApp on your iPhone and on the bottom bar, tap Settings.

2. On the next screen, select one of the three given options - Everyone, My Contacts and My Contacts Except. Over here as well you can select contacts one by one or you can just select all the contacts by tapping the Select All button on the bottom-right.

For more tutorials visit our How to section.

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whatsapp how to stop others adding me to group whatsapp

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How to Stop Others From Adding You to WhatsApp Groups

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WhatsApp groups are a very popular feature for keeping in touch with friends and family from around the world. However, in order for make things simple WhatsApp earlier used to allow anyone to add anyone to a WhatsApp group, as long as they had the other person's contact number.

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3 things to keep in mind: 1.  disable the option to autosave images to your phone’s photo album or gallery (if applicable) and 2. Note that if you use WhatsApp’s option to back up your chat history (Apple’s or Google’s cloud), then those backups are NOT protected by that end-to-end encryption. See more in the article below. 3. Disable 'add to group' in settings, groups, 'Who can add me to groups', 'My contacts except ...' and select every contact that is not a trusted friend.

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If you're a WhatsApp user, you will have seen the alarming stories warning about the messaging platform's surprise privacy changes, many suggesting you switch to alternatives. The good news is you don't need to do that-WhatsApp is still okay to use. The bad news, though, is that you do need to change these critical setting to stay safe.

WhatsApp is changing. The messaging platform has now confirmed changes first announced in October, that open up further data sharing with Facebook . This last week has been the toughest for WhatsApp since the damaging spyware revelations in 2019. The idea that the world's largest private messenger will share data with the world's most ruthless data machine has prompted a backlash. Installs of rival messengers are soaring, up hundreds of per cent in the last few days.

Time for some perspective. Your most private and sensitive data on WhatsApp, your messages, will remain private to you and the people you communicate with; messages are end-to-end encrypted as they're sent-only you and the other side of each message can decrypt its content. Even WhatsApp has no means of accessing content in transit, while the messages on your phone are protected by the security of your device.

The issue is metadata-the who, when and where around your messages, as well as your contacts and information about your device. WhatsApp does collect too much data, much more than the likes of Signal, Telegram and iMessage. But when compared to apps like Facebook, Messenger, Google, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, it collects very little. So, unless you avoid those others, WhatsApp isn't your biggest problem.

But, while these new headline changes are not the threat to your privacy and security that they may seem, there are real threats, real risks with WhatsApp. Yes, you can keep using the app, but you need to change your settings in order to do so safely.

MORE FROM FORBES Why You Should Stop Using Android Messages Until You Change This

First, you need to stop malicious content sent to you on WhatsApp from infecting your phone with malware by avoiding links and unknown attachments. You also need to disable the option to autosave images to your phone's photo album or gallery. Image files can be crafted with embedded threats, and in a world of virally shared content, you don't want to give all these unknown files access to your phone.

Much more importantly, there are two further settings that really do put your privacy at risk and which you should change. Unlike the new terms of service change, these also put your actual message content at risk.

Your biggest risk on WhatsApp is getting your account hijacked-this is an ongoing scourge that impacts a frightening number of people every week. And although an attacker taking over your account will not have access to your past message history, they will receive all messages sent to you while they control your account, and they will see your contacts in each of your groups and in any new messages received.

The hack works by tricking you into sharing the SMS message WhatsApp sends you when you activate your account on a new phone. They install WhatsApp and enter your phone number on their device. then get a text with a six-digit code and they use the already hijacked account of one of your friends to message you and ask for the code, which they say was meant for them. As soon as you do, you lose your account.

You will get your account back-but it will take time. And if the attacker adds extra security to your account, security you should have added yourself, then you can be without WhatsApp for a week or longer. This risk is easy to prevent. All you need to do is add a PIN number in your app. Without this, an attacker can't hijack your account, even if they get hold of that SMS code. It's setting this PIN themselves, if you haven't done so, that allows an attacker to make it more difficult for you to restore WhatsApp.

And finally, we come to the biggest hole in WhatsApp's privacy-backups. While your messages on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted as they're sent, and protected by phone security when they're received or saved, if you use WhatsApp's option to back up your chat history to either Apple's or Google's cloud, then those backups are not protected by that end-to-end encryption. There are no serious claims that your content is analyzed or datamined in the cloud, but it can be accessed by Apple or Google, invalidating the purpose of WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption.

I have hesitated to recommend disabling these back-ups, given the risk that a lost phone means a lost chat history. But given the clamor for Signal, which does not offer cloud backups given the risks, the time is probably right to disable these now. The hope is that when WhatsApp launches its long-delayed multi-device option, you will have a backup for a lost device by turning to your other devices. This is how iMessage works, where a central, encrypted message store can be accessed by trusted devices.

And so, keep using WhatsApp-at least for the time being. As the platform in a new FAQ, published in response to the backlash it prompted with the forced change in terms, this is all about business services, helping companies use WhatsApp to message you and sell to you, and link back to Facebook as they do so. This is the real change that WhatsApp is making-commercializing the platform.

There's a much bigger problem, though, lurking in the near future, much worse than anything that has just happened. Facebook is midway through a program to integrate WhatsApp's underlying platform with those of Messenger and Instagram. The idea is to create a vast, interoperable messaging giant that brings all its audiences together.

At a technical level, the challenge is to bring Messenger and Instagram, which have already part integrated, together with WhatsApp, which is the only one of the three with default end-to-end encryption. Facebook has talked in the past about extending privacy and security to this larger user base. But taken with WhatsApp's commercial evolution, it looks much more like this integration will take a different direction.

You just need to take a look at WhatsApp's data privacy label compared to the other two to see the scale of the problem. The stark reality is this integration could mean a much more serious to your privacy than we've just seen. So, yes, you can still use WhatsApp-but in the future that advice might change.

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Yes, You Can Still Use WhatsApp-But Change These 3 Critical Settings First

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If you're a WhatsApp user, you will have seen the alarming stories warning about the messaging platform's surprise privacy changes, many suggesting you switch to alternatives. The good news is you don't need to do that-WhatsApp is still okay to use. The bad news, though, is that you do need to change these critical setting to stay safe.

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The ultimate parent's guide

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What is TikTok? How safe is TikTok? How does TikTok work? Is TikTok appropriate for kids? What age is TikTok recommended for? Can kids under 13 use TikTok? How can you make your TikTok account private? How can I use TikTok with my kids? How do you do a duet on TikTok?

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What is DISCORD? A parent guide

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Next up on the list of wacky social apps that teens totally get but leave parents scratching their heads: Discord - Chat for Gamers. Compared with the bright and friendly feeling of kid faves like Snapchat and Instagram, Discord mixes low-key design with high-tech features. Initially created for gamers to talk while they're playing, Discord has morphed into a place for anyone to explore their interests in subject-specific groups. Like other social networks, Discord can be iffy or safe. But, because it allows any user to create both public and private groups, the risks for kids can be tiny or huge, depending on how they use it.

Partly due to the popularity of games such as Fortnite, Discord grew quickly (it now has over 100 million users -- a bit less than Snapchat but a lot less than Instagram's 400 million). It's also had safety problems, including being at the center of at least one serious crime against a teen and a human-trafficking ring. If they know where to look, teens can easily find mature content on its public channels. And its invite-only private servers also have become places where bad actors and even cybercriminals can come together to communicate. At the same time, teens can use the app without contacting anyone but their friends and avoid the unrestricted chat from other games and platforms for a more secure experience.

So is Discord the best thing that ever happened to gamers, or is it a Wild West of inappropriate content? Read Common Sense Media's full review of Discord - Chat for Gamers, and learn more about how it works. Then check out some of parents' most frequently asked questions about the app and how to use it safely, below.

What is Discord?
How old should you be to use Discord?
What are servers on Discord?
Is Discord safe?
How is Discord related to Fortnite and Pokémon Go?
Are there privacy settings for Discord?
Are there parental controls for Discord?
How does Discord chat work?
Can you share images or video on Discord?
Is Discord just for gaming content?

What is Discord?

Discord is a free app for mobile and PC that lets people chat via text, voice, or video in real time. Combining the internet-calling features of Skype with Reddit-like discussion boards, it's broadened from gamers-only to a social networking site for communities of all types, including those with non-gaming interests like anime, TV series, music, and more. It can also be an easy-to-use group-chatting tool for friends.

How old should you be to use Discord?

Discord requires that users be at least 13 years old, although they do not verify users' age upon sign-up. Common Sense Media also recommends Discord users be at least 13 due to its open chat. Because it's all user-generated, there's plenty of inappropriate content, like swearing and graphic language and images (though it's entirely possible to belong to a group that forbids these). Discord also has "NSFW" channels and servers that require users to be 18 or older to join (but it's easy to click through the verification).

What are servers on Discord?

Servers are the main communities on Discord, often focused on a single game or topic. Anyone on the app can create a server upon sign-up. There are private servers that require an invitation to join as well as public servers that anyone can take part in. Servers are broken up into text channels and voice channels, and some have bots (computer programs that mimic human interaction) that do automatic moderation, welcoming, and community management. Discord doesn't have an in-app way to search for servers unless you've already joined them, so users have to be invited directly or else find out about them from other sources, like friends or social media.

Is Discord safe?

With the right privacy settings and monitoring, it's easy to use Discord safely. However, there's always a risk when it comes to sites and apps with open chat. The safest way to use Discord is to only accept friend requests and participate in private servers with people you already know. Although it's rare, there have been a handful of cases where predators have targeted kids by using Discord's public servers to send direct messages (DMs). Even though most server moderators (and other users) are often quick to police this kind of behavior, kids and parents should know how to recognize and deal with creeps and online predators.

How is Discord related to Fortnite and Pokémon Go?

and are two games with particularly big followings on Discord, especially for tweens and teens. There are plenty of public servers dedicated to those games but also tons of private servers that friends use to chat while they play together. For example, a squad on Fortnite could create a private server on Discord to chat and strategize together in order to avoid the public chat on Fortnite itself. Discord also allows an in-game "overlay" for Fortnite and other PC games, so gamers can use Discord to chat directly within those games (instead of having the app open in the background or using the in-game chat).

Are there privacy settings for Discord?

Discord has a wide array of privacy and safety settings that allow users to control who has the ability to send them direct messages or add them as a friend. Its "Safe Direct Messaging" feature can automatically scan and delete direct messages containing explicit content (although this isn't foolproof, and it doesn't apply outside of DMs). Discord also lets its users decide whether the app can collect and use their data for customization or analytics purposes, which is a nice change of pace from other social apps that provide no insight or control over your data. To view and change your privacy settings, select the "User Settings" gear icon by your username, then choose the "Privacy & Safety" menu item.

Are there parental controls for Discord?

At this time, Discord doesn't offer parental controls, so there's no way for parents to restrict content or password-protect the privacy settings within the app.

How does Discord chat work?

Each server on Discord has both text and voice channels. Text channels allow people to type messages to each other, while voice channels let people use the microphone and speakers on their device to talk to each other. Users can directly invite friends to a specific chat channel, or you can join a channel after being invited to a server. Some channels have limits on how many people can join, which are set by the server owners. Server owners can also set their own rules for what is or isn't allowed (for example, swearing or hate speech) and block from chat users who break the rules.

Can you share images or video on Discord?

You can share images, video, and GIFs on Discord either in text channels or direct messages (voice channels are audio only). Discord also allows for video chat and screen sharing in direct messages.

Is Discord just for gaming content?

You don't have to play video games or even discuss them to use the app. Just about any topic is represented on Discord, although gaming, music, anime, and memes tend to be the most popular categories. The app can also be used for friends and groups to chat with each other directly, as with WhatsApp, Skype, or any other messaging service.

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Next up on the list of wacky social apps that teens totally get but leave parents scratching their heads: Discord - Chat for Gamers. Compared with the bright and friendly feeling of kid faves like Snapchat and Instagram, Discord mixes low-key design with high-tech features.

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E-safety and Online Wellbeing link to First parent presentation 'Online Wellbeing'

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E-safety and Online Wellbeing link to First parent presentation 'Online Wellbeing'

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Please find the recording of the parent presentation at this link under the 'Parent Support' column.

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Parent Presentation: E-safety and Online Wellbeing Dec 2020 (PDF)

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Parent Presentation: E-safety and Online Wellbeing Dec 2020 (PDF)

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Digital Resilience Toolkit: Supporting 11-13 year olds | Internet Matters

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Digital Resilience Toolkit: Supporting 14+ year olds | Internet Matters

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Addressing social media: Internet Matters advice

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Addressing social media: Internet Matters advice

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Although social media can present some risks, it's important to understand what the benefits are to give your child the guidance they need to make the best out of their social media use. Below is a list of ways social media can be a source for good for children and young people.

Collaborative learning

Broaden connection and understanding of the world

Children can learn and appreciate different perspectives and worldviews to better understand the world around them and build up their knowledge on a range of topics. With so many ideas shared across a number of platforms, they can discover areas of interest and use the platforms in an educational capacity.

Digital media literacy

Develop communication and technical skills

As social media is now a part of everyday life, it is important for children and young people to learn how to communicate online to prepare them for future opportunities in the workplace and support them in interacting with friends and family.

Mental health and wellbeing

Removing boundaries to develop connections

Social media removes the boundaries of meeting and maintaining people and forming bonds beyond borders. For children who may have a disability or may not feel they can connect with others within their community, it can be a great way to connect with other people who share their ideas and interests.

Strengthen relationships

Having access to family members who may live miles apart of friends who have moved from a local area can help maintain relationships and allow them to stay in touch and share their lives with ease.

A place to seek support

It can open up opportunities to offer support to friends and family that may be experiencing a particular issue. On the flip side for some young people, it can be a place where they can seek support if they are going through something that they cannot talk to those close to them about.

Campaigning for social good

Social media can help young people raise awareness of a particular cause that they are interested in to have a real-world impact on effecting change where they want to see it.

Develop a positive digital footprint

Young people can also use their accounts as bespoke CVs to share their achievements, showcase their talents and build a positive online portfolio that can benefit them in later life.

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Social media tips and advice to support teens | Internet Matters

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Although social media can present some risks, it's important to understand what the benefits are to give your child the guidance they need to make the best out of their social media use. Below is a list of ways social media can be a source for good for children and young people.

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Addressing sexual content: Internet Matters advice

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Addressing sexual content: Internet Matters advice

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Addressing online pornography

As a result of their curiosity, or by accident, children can find pornography fairly easily on the internet. Dependent on their age, it can be upsetting or confusing as pornography portrays an unrealistic image of sex and relationships.

Although industry and Government are working towards a solution to protect children from seeing porn online, understanding how your child may access it and what impact this can have on their emotions will help you prepare them for what they might see and build their resilience if it happens.

Navigate our hub of advice to learn more about the issue and find practical tips on how to give them the support they need.

Watch video to see why it matters

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Online porography advice hub and resources | Internet Matters

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Addressing online pornography Although industry and Government are working towards a solution to protect children from seeing porn online, understanding how your child may access it and what impact this can have on their emotions will help you prepare them for what they might see and build their resilience if it happens.

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Most (80%) Australian parents worry children spend too much time with screens.

But what children are doing on and off screen matters more than how much time they're exposed to screen media.

Too much time?

There was a time when society was concerned about children reading. If kids are reading, how will they complete their chores or homework?

The fear that time spent with media replaces other "acceptable" activities of childhood is often referred to as the displacement hypothesis. One such concern is that screen time occupies time spent on physical activity.

Read more: What is physical activity in early childhood, and is it really that important?

Because screen time is often sedentary, researchers have investigated whether it displaces the time children spend being physically active. But the relationship between screen time and physical activity is not straightforward.

from shutterstock.com

Low levels of screen time do not always equate to higher levels of physical activity. And when there is a relationship between more screen time and less physical activity, it's often a result of excessive daily screen time.

The Australian guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour advise children under two avoid screen time entirely. But a nationally representative poll conducted by the Royal Children's Hospital found 63% of children aged two and under had screen exposure.

For children aged two to five, the Australian guidelines encourage parents to limit the time children spend with screens to no more than one hour a day. The child health poll found around 72% of children in this age group exceeded this recommendation.

Read more: Look up north. Here's how Aussie kids can move more at school, Nordic style

So, most Australian families are exceeding the guidelines, which are essentially built on a premise that isn't clear-cut. Not all screen time is "bad".

Is screen time bad?

A 2004 study from the United States explored the average time children spent watching television per day when they were aged one and three, and whether this affected their attention span in later years.

They found watching TV in the early years was associated with a higher risk of attention problems when these children were seven. But the research didn't test the types of programs the children were watching.

In 2007, the same researchers looked at the effects of the content children watched. They found an association between watching violent or entertaining television such as Scooby Doo and Rugrats before the age of three and an increased risk of attention problems five years later.

But there was no such association when it came to educational content such as Sesame Street.

from shutterstock.com

So, content plays a role, but the child's age also matters. In this same study, the type of content viewed by four- and five-year-olds did not affect their attention five years later.

The above studies describe changes over time. But other studies looked at the immediate effects of different screen content on children's executive functioning - the thinking required to problem solve and stay on task.

Read more: Two-hour screen limit for kids is virtually impossible to enforce

These studies found exposure to educational content didn't hinder children's subsequent executive functioning. But these abilities were depleted in four- and six-year-olds who had just watched fast and fantastical shows that played with the bounds of physics and reality.

What if you use screens with your children?

Decades of television research has shown children under three years old learn better from live interactions than from two-dimensional sources. So, these young children have little to gain from screens in the absence of a parent or peer.

Television meant for adult audiences, as well as television on in the background, disrupts the quality of children's play and parent-child interactions that are critical for early language and social development.

The adverse effects of this type of screen exposure are due to limiting both the frequency and quality of interactions between child and caregiver. In the presence of background television, parents are less attentive and responsive to their child.

Read more: Let them play! Kids need freedom from play restrictions to develop

Parents' own device use can be detrimental to the interactions they have with their children. Smartphone use can cause parents to be less attentive and responsive to their children.

All this is important to be mindful of, especially during the early years when these interactions directly contribute to language learning and social skills.

But what about if a parent uses a screen together with their child?

A 2014 study found preschoolers' storybook comprehension and parent-child interactions did not significantly differ between a traditional book and an electronic book.

However, the quality of play and parent-child interactions are reduced with electronic toys as compared to traditional toys.

So, what screen time is OK?

To have healthy, positive, quality screen media experiences, parents could ask the following questions:

Is the screen content

optimally challenging (meaning not too difficult or too easy)?

engaging (does it have age-appropriate features that maintain attention and invite participation)?

meaningful (can children relate the content to their lives)?

interactive, in the physical or social sense. Young children can actually form relationships with screen characters, which improves their learning. Older children can engage virtually in worlds such as Minecraft, then talk about it in school.

Sharing the screen experience with an adult has benefits too. These include helping children understand the content and having an adult direct learning and ask questions.

The best way to engage in screen time with your children is to talk about it, ask questions and create opportunities to take the screen into the 3D world.

And, importantly, model the media use behaviour you want your children to adopt.

By occasionally employing the "digital babysitter", you are not dooming your children's success. What children are doing matters just as much, if not more, than how long they're doing it for.
Parents can find more information about creating positive screen media experiences at:

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Stop worrying about screen 'time'. It's your child's screen experience that matters

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Most (80%) Australian parents worry children spend too much time with screens. But what children are doing on and off screen matters more than how much time they're exposed to screen media. There was a time when society was concerned about children reading. If kids are reading, how will they complete their chores or homework?

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How to set parental controls on PS4 consoles

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Learn how to set up parental controls and limit your child's use of apps and features on your PlayStation®4 console.

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Family link

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Stay in the loop as your child explores on their Android device

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Screen Time lets you know how much time you and your kids spend on apps, websites, and more. This way, you can make more informed decisions about how you use your devices, and set limits if you'd like to. Learn how to use parental controls to manage a child's device.

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.

2. Tap Turn On Screen Time, then tap it again.

3. Select This is My [device] or This is My Child's [device].

After you turn on Screen Time, you'll see a report showing how you use your device, apps, and websites. If it's your child's device, you can set up Screen Time and create settings on their device or you can use Family Sharing to configure your child's device from your device. After you set up your child's device, you can also use Family Sharing to see reports and adjust settings from your device.

With Screen Time, you can also create a dedicated passcode to secure settings, so only you can extend time or make changes. Make sure to choose a passcode that's different from the passcode that you use to unlock your device. To change or turn off the passcode on your child's device, go to Settings > Screen Time and tap your child's name. Then tap Change Screen Time Passcode or Turn Off Screen Time Passcode, and authenticate the change with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode.

If you forgot your Screen Time passcode, update your device to the latest iOS or iPadOS, then reset your passcode.

You can set a passcode so that only you can change Screen Time settings and allow more time when app limits expire. Use this feature to set content and privacy limitations for your child's device. The steps to set up a Screen Time passcode depend on whether you're using Family Sharing.

If you're using Family Sharing to manage a child account

If you're not using Family Sharing to manage a child account

Screen Time gives you a report showing how your device is used, apps you've opened, and websites you've visited. To see the report, go to Settings > Screen Time and tap See All Activity under the graph. From there, you can see your usage, set limits for your most used apps, and see how many times a device was picked up or received a notification.

If you turned on Share Across Devices, you can view overall usage across devices that are signed in with your Apple ID and password.

Go to Settings > Screen Time. Then tap See All Activity, select a category in the list below and set limits. You can manage these settings with Screen Time:

Downtime

App Limits

Communication Limits

Always Allowed

Content & Privacy Restrictions

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Use Screen Time on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

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Screen Time lets you know how much time you and your kids spend on apps, websites, and more. This way, you can make more informed decisions about how you use your devices, and set limits if you'd like to. Learn how to use parental controls to manage a child's device.

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With Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time, you can block or limit specific apps and features on your child's device. You can also restrict the settings on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch for explicit content, purchases and downloads, and privacy.

Set Content & Privacy Restrictions

1. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.

2. Tap Turn on Screen Time, then tap it again. Choose "This is My [Device]" or "This is My Child's [Device]."

If you're the parent or guardian of your device and want to prevent another family member from changing your settings, tap Use Screen Time Passcode to create a passcode, then re-enter the passcode to confirm. After you confirm your passcode you'll be asked to enter your Apple ID and password. This can be used to reset your Screen Time passcode if you forget it.

If you're setting up Screen Time on your child's device, follow the prompts until you get to Screen Time Passcode and enter a passcode. Re-enter the passcode to confirm. After you confirm your passcode you'll be asked to enter your Apple ID and password. This can be used to reset your Screen Time passcode if you forget it.

3. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode, then turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions.

Make sure to choose a passcode that's different from the passcode that you use to unlock your device. To change or turn off the passcode on your child's device, tap Settings > Screen Time > [your child's name]. Then tap Change Screen Time Passcode or Turn Off Screen Time Passcode, and authenticate the change with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode.
Learn what to do if you forgot your Screen Time passcode
With iOS 16 or later, while you're setting up Screen Time for a child's device, you can set age-related restrictions for content in apps, books, TV shows, and movies. Just follow the onscreen instructions during setup.

Prevent iTunes & App Store purchases

You can also prevent your child from being able to install or delete apps, make in-app purchases, and more. To prevent iTunes & App Store purchases or downloads:

1. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.

2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode.

3. Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases.

4. Choose a setting and set to Don't Allow.

You can also change your password settings for additional purchases from the iTunes & App Store or Book Store. Follow steps 1-3, then choose Always Require or Don't Require.

Allow built-in apps and features

You can restrict the use of built-in apps or features. If you turn off an app or feature, the app or feature won't be deleted, it's just temporarily hidden from your Home Screen. For example, if you turn off Mail, the Mail app won't appear on your Home Screen until you turn it back on.

To change your Allowed Apps:

1. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.

2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.

3. Enter your Screen Time passcode.

4. Tap Allowed Apps.

5. Select the apps that you want to allow.

Prevent explicit content and content ratings

You can also prevent the playback of music with explicit content and movies or TV shows with specific ratings. Apps also have ratings that can be configured using content restrictions.

To restrict explicit content and content ratings:

1. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.

2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Content Restrictions.

3. Choose the settings that you want for each feature or setting under Allowed Store Content.

Here are the types of content that you can restrict:

Music, Podcasts, News, Fitness: Prevent the playback of music, music videos, podcasts, news, and workouts containing explicit content

Music Videos: Prevent finding and viewing music videos

Music Profiles: Prevent sharing what you're listening to with friends and seeing what they're listening to

Movies: Prevent movies with specific ratings

TV Shows: Prevent TV shows with specific ratings

Books: Prevent content with specific ratings

Apps: Prevent apps with specific ratings

App Clips: Prevent app clips with specific ratings

Prevent web content

iOS and iPadOS can automatically filter website content to limit access to adult content in Safari and other apps on your device. You can also add specific websites to an approved or blocked list, or you can limit access to only approved websites. Follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.

2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and enter your Screen Time passcode.

3. Tap Content Restrictions, then tap Web Content.

4. Choose Unrestricted Access, Limit Adult Websites, or Allowed Websites.

Depending on the access you allow, you might need to add information, like the website that you want to restrict.

Each time your child updates a device signed in with their Apple ID to iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, or macOS Sonoma for the first time, Web Content Restrictions is reset to Limit Adult Websites for all their devices.

Restrict Siri web search

To restrict Siri features:

1. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.

2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Content Restrictions.

3. Scroll down to Siri, then choose your settings.

You can restrict these Siri features:

Web Search Content: Prevent Siri from searching the web when you ask a question

Explicit Language: Prevent Siri from displaying explicit language

Restrict Game Center

To restrict Game Center features:

1. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.

2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Content Restrictions.

3. Scroll down to Game Center, then choose your settings.

You can restrict these Game Center features:

Multiplayer Games: Prevent the ability to play multiplayer games with everyone, allow with friends only, or allow with anyone

Adding Friends: Prevent the ability to add friends to Game Center

Connect with Friends: Prevent the ability to share a Game Center friend list with third-party games

Screen Recording: Prevent the ability to capture the screen and sound

Nearby Multiplayer: Prevent the ability to enable the nearby setting

Private Messaging: Prevent the ability to voice chat or send or receive custom messages with game and friend invitations

Profile Privacy Changes: Prevent the ability to change profile privacy settings

Avatar & Nickname Changes: Prevent the ability to change Game Center avatars and nicknames

Allow changes to privacy settings

The privacy settings on your device give you control over which apps have access to information stored on your device or the hardware features. For example, you can allow a social-networking app to request access to use the camera, which allows you to take and upload pictures.

To allow changes to privacy settings:

1. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.

2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode.

3. Under Privacy, tap the setting that you want to change.

Here are the things you can restrict:

Location Services: Lock the settings to allow apps and websites to use location

Contacts: Prevent apps from accessing your Contacts

Calendars: Prevent apps from accessing your Calendar

Reminders: Prevent apps from accessing your Reminders

Photos: Prevent apps from requesting access to your photos

Share My Location: Lock the settings for location sharing in Messages and Find My Friends

Bluetooth sharing: Prevent devices and apps from sharing data through Bluetooth

Microphone: Prevent apps from requesting access to your microphone

Speech Recognition: Prevent apps from accessing Speech Recognition or Dictation

Apple Advertising: Prevent changes to advertising settings

Allow Apps to Request to Track: Prevent tracking activity by apps that you've denied access to

Media & Apple Music: Prevent apps from accessing your photos, videos, or music library

Allow changes to other settings and features

You can allow changes to other settings and features, the same way you can allow changes to privacy settings.

1. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.

2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode.

3. Under Allow Changes, select the features or settings that you want to allow changes to and choose Allow or Don't Allow.

Here are some features and settings that you can allow changes for:

Passcode Changes: Prevent changes to your passcode

Account Changes: Prevent account changes in Accounts & Passwords

Cellular Data Changes: Prevent changes to cellular data settings

Reduce Loud Sounds: Prevent changes to volume settings for safe listening

Driving Focus: Prevent changes to the Driving Focus

TV Provider: Prevent changes to TV provider settings

Background App Activities: Prevent changes to whether or not apps run in the background

Make changes to health and safety features

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional information.

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Use parental controls on your child's iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

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With Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time, you can block or limit specific apps and features on your child's device. You can also restrict the settings on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch for explicit content, purchases and downloads, and privacy.

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Set up parental controls on devices and platforms | Internet Matters

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Set up parental controls on a range of devices and platforms to help children develop key online safety and digital literacy skills.

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Esafety and Wellbeing presentation December 2020

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Esafety and Wellbeing presentation December 2020

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Microsoft FAMILY SETTINGS APP for Xbox. All you need to know!

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What you need to know

Microsoft tries to make gaming with Xbox as safe as possible for players of all ages, with extensive account settings.

Now, those online safety settings and more have been brought together in an Xbox Family Settings app, now available on Android and iOS.

Using this app, parents can remotely monitor their child(ren)'s activity, privacy settings, friend's list, the content they're allowed to access, and more.

This is the perfect tool for parents as children go back to school, and ahead of the Xbox Series X and S release later this year.

This year has been a strange one, to say the least, with many parents left unsure if their child(ren) is going to return to school anytime soon, and many children left at home to take advantage of online learning resources. Especially with next-gen consoles like the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S just around the corner on November 10, 2020, it's more important than ever for parents to be able to monitor and manage their child(ren)'s presence in online gaming.

To answer this call, Microsoft announced today the introduction of their new Xbox Family Settings app (opens in new tab), which combines the online privacy and account settings already available to all parents, which we go over in our comprehensive parent's guide to Xbox One and gaming safety with additional tools. Parents can use this app to ensure their child(ren) is accessing safe content, playing at appropriate times, playing with genuine friends, and more, all from their phone.

Screen time limits. Set specific times during the day or week in which your child(ren) are able to play on Xbox, as well as time limits for how much time your child(ren) can play a day. Grant additional time straight from your phone, and even allow your child(ren) to remotely request additional time from their phone.

Content filters. Restrict and manage what kind of content your child(ren) is able to access, using regulated and standardized rating systems. Younger children can be restricted to games rated "E for Everyone", while more mature children can be allowed to access more mature games.

Play and communication settings. An extension of online account settings already present, manage what kind of interaction your child(ren) is allowed to have with other players online, from no access, to "friends only" to "everyone."

Friends list. The Xbox Family Settings app allows parents to accept or decline new incoming friend requests, as well as view your child(ren)'s existing friends list.

Activity report. Get a comprehensive overview of how your child(ren) is spending their time online and on their Xbox.

The app was already in preview and was collecting valuable feedback, but now is ready for the general public, and includes a powerful suite of functions for every parent. A quick overview of the app's features include:

A specialized function built into this app is also specific settings for Minecraft, which also includes an entire host of parental settings and functions that we go over in our full guide to keeping your child(ren) safe in Minecraft. This setting allows parents to quickly enable access for online and multiplayer functions in Minecraft.

If you're interested in trying the Xbox Family Settings app out, you can download it on Android and iOS right now. Microsoft's goal with the Xbox Family Settings is to give parents the flexibility to decide how and when to manage their child(ren)'s gaming life, and give them the tools to do so. And, whenever you set up that brand-new Xbox, you can rest easy knowing you have the Xbox Family Settings app on your side.

A catalog of games
(opens in new tab)

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Xbox Family Settings app for parents now available on Android, manage your child's gaming

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Microsoft tries to make gaming with Xbox as safe as possible for players of all ages, with extensive account settings. Now, those online safety settings and more have been brought together in an Xbox Family Settings app, now available on Android and iOS.

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Support for those 'Hard-to-have' conversations

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Support for those 'Hard-to-have' conversations

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Excellent advice on how to start those difficult conversations with children about online risks and behaviour.

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How to start the chat

General tips about how to start the chat, whatever the subject.

Plan

Work out what you want to say and how you want to say it, depending on the issue you want to talk about. Go somewhere together where you can talk privately, like in a car driving somewhere. Being in an environment where you can talk without being interrupted can also make things more comfortable for both parent and child.

Perhaps have the talk while you're doing something together, like a long walk or a car trip - especially if you think it will be hard to keep your child engaged in the conversation.

Think of some positive examples of good behaviour that you can use to contrast negative or harmful behaviours.

Listen, don't judge

Let your child know you are there to help them, no matter what. Listening will also help you understand their attitudes and respond to specific issues. For example:

'I understand what you're saying, and I'm glad you came to me about this. You're not going to get into trouble, but we need to trust each other, fix this and move forward.'

'You might not want to tell me all the detail, but if we can talk honestly about what's happened I promise I will listen and stay calm. No matter what happens, we can do this and I love you.'

Ask questions

Asking questions about how they feel and what they know helps you to gauge your child's level of knowledge and keeps you from lecturing.

For example, you could ask:

'Have you seen anyone being bullied online? How did you think that made them feel? How did you feel? Has anything like this ever happened to you?'

'Is cyberbullying a problem at your school?'

Do kids at your school talk about watching online porn?

'Do you think it was right for him to post that video online of his friend having sex with a girl? What do you think might happen to him now that he's done that?'

'What do your friends think about sending nudes? Do you agree with them?'

'Have you ever been sent a nude? How did you feel? What did you do?'

'Has anyone asked you to send a nude? How did that make you feel?'

'Have you ever felt uncomfortable about someone contacting you online?'

Get help if you need it

You could seek advice from a counsellor or Parentline.

Your child's teacher may also be able to point you towards suitable resources to help you explain things.

If your child says that they have been abused or assaulted, help is available from a professional counselling service, like Kids Helpline. The Australian Institute of Family Studies also has some advice on this.

If the subject is just too difficult for you to talk about with a child in your care, see I need help to start the chat below.

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The hard-to-have conversations | eSafety Commissioner

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How to start the chat General tips about how to start the chat, whatever the subject. Work out what you want to say and how you want to say it, depending on the issue you want to talk about. Go somewhere together where you can talk privately, like in a car driving somewhere.

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"people who tend to engage in self-monitoring, reflective behaviours and put more thought into the sites they visit and content they share – are likely to be less susceptible to misinformation"

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Are you a purveyor of fake news? People who are most confident about their ability to discern between fact and fiction are also the most likely to fall victim to misinformation, a US study suggests.

Although Americans believe the confusion caused by false news is all-pervasive, relatively few indicate having seen or shared it, something the researchers suggested shows that many may not only have a hard time identifying false news but are not aware of their own deficiencies at doing so.

Nine out of 10 participants surveyed indicated they were above average in their ability to discern false and legitimate news headlines. About a fifth of respondents rated themselves 50 or more percentiles higher than their score warranted, the analysis of a nationally representative study of data collected during and after the 2018 US midterm elections found.

In the survey, 8,285 Americans were asked to evaluate the accuracy of a series of Facebook headlines, and then rate their own abilities in discerning false news content relative to others.

When researchers looked at data measuring respondents' online behaviour, those with inflated perceptions of their abilities more frequently visited websites linked to the spread of false or misleading news. The overconfident participants were also less able to distinguish between true and false claims about current events and reported higher willingness to share false content, especially when it aligned with their political predispositions, the authors found.

"No matter what domain, people on average are overconfident ... but over 70% of people displaying overconfidence is just such a huge number," said the lead author, Ben Lyons, an assistant professor of communication at the University of Utah.

Although the study does not prove that overconfidence directly causes engagement with false news, the mismatch between a person's perceived ability to spot misinformation and their actual competence could play a crucial role in the spread of false information, the authors wrote in the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

It also suggests that those who are humble - people who tend to engage in self-monitoring, reflective behaviours and put more thought into the sites they visit and content they share - are likely to be less susceptible to misinformation, said Lyons.

Factors such as gender also played a key role in the likelihood of overconfidence and, in turn, vulnerability to false news, suggested Lyons.

"Male respondents [in the study] displayed more overconfidence - and this is a consistent finding in overconfidence literature - men are always more confident than women, which is always not so surprising."

He added: "Overconfidence is truly universal. I would be shocked if we didn't find this in every country we looked at ... although we might not see this extreme level of overconfidence, just based on cultural differences."

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Overconfident of spotting fake news? If so, you may be more likely to fall victim

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Are you a purveyor of fake news? People who are most confident about their ability to discern between fact and fiction are also the most likely to fall victim to misinformation, a US study suggests.

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Digital Wellbeing - age-relevant info for parents from Childnet

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Digital Wellbeing - age-relevant info for parents from Childnet

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Young people are growing up in a world where technology has always been present for them and this can have both a positive and negative impact on their lives.

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Teen Voices: Who You're Talking to Online

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By now you're used to the constant intrusion of cookie pop-ups. The question is always the same: "Do you accept cookies from this website?" You probably just click yes and don't think twice about navigating through the labyrinthian settings nested in obscure menus.

But it doesn't have to be this way. While we can't blame you for not wanting to dive into each website's detailed and often confounding cookie permissions, there are some steps you can take to stop websites from tracking you and also get rid of the pop-ups completely.

The explosion of cookie consent pop-ups started in 2018 and is partly the fault of the General Data Protection Regulation. The change was meant to make it easier for people to understand and control how they are tracked online. In reality, it has made the internet even more unusable.

The way many websites have implemented cookie notices hasn't helped. Dark patterns trick people into clicking yes, while some websites have been found ignoring people's choices entirely. And a lot of websites rely on third parties to provide their cookie pop-up tech. The result? Confusion. Your options for controlling cookies are grouped into bizarre categories such as "device characteristics" and "performance cookies." And, to make matters worse, data protection regulators have done little to make the situation any better.

"Cookie consent banners are a joke," says Sergio Maldonado, cofounder and CEO at software development firm PrivacyCloud. "Rather than helping people protect their future choices, cookie consent requirements are extremely annoying and often run counter to accessibility guidelines on mobile devices, making life harder for people with all sorts of disabilities."

So what can be done? Aside from pushing for big changes-enforcing laws, improving the consent notices, and rethinking the way online tracking works-there are a few things you can do to help yourself. Here are some tips to consider.

Reject All Cookie Consent Notices

Midas Nouwens has been inspecting cookie consent pop-ups for years. The digital rights academic aims to show data protection regulators that cookie consent notices don't work. But regulators haven't done much about them, so at the end of 2019 Nouwens and his colleagues from Aarhus University in Denmark released Consent-O-Matic. It's an open source browser extension ( Chrome, Firefox, GitHub) that automatically fills in your preferences when cookie pop-ups appear.

"It actually submits a legally valid consent response to the website, so you can be quite confident (although not 100 percent) that the answer the extension gives for you is actually abided by," Nouwens says. When cookie settings are sent to a website by Consent-O-Matic, a notification briefly appears in your browser to let you know the system has worked. "Out of principle we don't collect any kind of usage information," Nouwens adds.

Maldonado's PrivacyCloud has created a similar open source extension: Consent Manager ( Chrome, Firefox, GitHub). The system declines all cookies where it's possible to do so and flags if a website doesn't respect your choices. "The tool looks for the most common cookie banner formats and removes them," Maldonado says. NinjaCookie does a similar thing and rejects cookies by default. While it isn't open source and has a premium tier, there are also extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. Both PrivacyCloud and NinjaCookie say they don't collect data on your behavior.

The most popular cookie blocker is 'I don't care about cookies,' which has been around since 2012. More than 500,000 people are using it on Chrome, but it won't necessarily protect your privacy in the same way as the examples above. Its purpose is to simply get rid of the pop-ups and in most cases it blocks or hides cookie pop-ups, creator Daniel Kladnik says. "It does whatever is possible to get rid of cookie-related pop-ups, presuming that users protect themselves by using other tools, extensions, and browser settings," Kladnik says.

Third-party cookies are dying. Apple and Firefox have largely killed off the tracking technology in their browsers, and when Google gets rid of them in Chrome next year they'll be almost obsolete. That doesn't mean it's not worth taking some action against the cookies websites use at a browser level right now.

Chrome's settings let you block both first-party and third-party cookies. The former are the cookies created by the websites you visit-when you log in to Spotify, for instance, it will create a cookie that remembers it's you using that browser. These first-party cookies are mostly useful, and you probably want to keep them turned on.

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How to Avoid Those Infuriating Cookie Pop-Ups

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By now you're used to the constant intrusion of cookie pop-ups. The question is always the same: "Do you accept cookies from this website?" You probably just click yes and don't think twice about navigating through the labyrinthian settings nested in obscure menus. But it doesn't have to be this way.

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Government advice on staying safe online during COVID-19

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Government advice on staying safe online during COVID-19

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We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

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Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance and support

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We use some essential cookies to make this website work. We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

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A short story about social media and depression

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A short story about social media and depression

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A Social Life | Award Winning Short Film | Social Media Depression

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Common Sense Media editors help you choose Apps That Inspire Kids to Play Outside. Who says apps and outdoor adventures don't mix?

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How TikTok Is Rewriting the World (Published 2019)

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TikTok will change the way your social media works — even if you’re avoiding it.

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UNICEF article on screen time balance during COVID-19 

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UNICEF article on screen time balance during COVID-19 

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"For many stuck inside today ... active video games or exercise videos might be their best chance for physical activity"

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Expert perspective | 4 minute read

Today, about 3 billion people are in lockdown around the world - and almost 90% of the student population cut off from school. It's no surprise that a lot of children and their parents are increasingly connecting to the outside world through screens they might have once regarded with restraint or even reproach.

With more than 130 countries restricting movement to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, it is time to recognize the internet as a critical tool for children's access to learning, play, entertainment and social interaction. In short, they might have a lot to gain from spending time in the digital space.

But for parents who worried about the time their children spend on social media and online games before the pandemic, the figurative 'jump' into screens can also cause more concern or even distress. How can children and families make the most of the increased reliance on screens - which are helping to maintain a sense of normalcy during lockdown - while also finding the right balance with other important activities?

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Rethinking screen-time in the time of COVID-19

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Expert perspective | 4 minute read Today, about 3 billion people are in lockdown around the world - and almost 90% of the student population cut off from school. It's no surprise that a lot of children and their parents are increasingly connecting to the outside world through screens they might have once regarded with restraint or even reproach.

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Are You Living an Insta Lie? Social Media Vs. Reality

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How can you manage screen time with teens?

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Geoff and Ellie live in a suburban Chicago neighborhood that looks familiar from movies like Pretty in Pink and Ferris Bueller's Day Off - both filmed in the area.

They have three kids - Nathan, 5, Benji, 11, and Abby, 14 - and they're worried that all three are too into their screens.

An all-too-common experienc e

Ninety-eight percent of families with children now have smartphones. Young children Nathan's age consume over two hours of media per day on average, tweens take in about six hours, and teens use their devices for nine hours a day, according to the nonprofit Common Sense Media.

Technology overuse ranked as the No. 1 fear of parents of teenagers in a national survey last year.

As we sit in the family room, Ellie tell us how it feels to have a houseful of tiny electronic devices that travel with her kids into their bedrooms, to the table, in the car - everywhere.

"We're the first generation of parents that has to do this monitoring," Ellie says.

Case in point: Nathan, her 5-year-old, is tugging at her sleeve:

"Mommy, Mommy. MOMMY, CAN I PLAY ON YOUR IPAD? CAN I NOW?! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!"
The problem with time-based rules
How did Geoff and Ellie get here? They are not hands-off parents, nor are they lacking in rules. In the kitchen, Ellie has posted color-coded schedules for all three kids, which show when each child is allowed to use screens.

But the kids don't listen. They fight back and complain. And sometimes, with dad working full time, mom part time, and three kids with three different schools and three different schedules, the rules fall through the cracks. "Give them an inch, and they'll take a mile and you're in trouble," Ellie says. "It's exhausting."

At one point, all three kids are sitting in separate corners on the sectional couch in the family room, each on his or her own device. Nathan, the little one, is playing on his iPad, totally hidden under a blanket - head and all. As I talk with Abby, Benji looks up and comments, "This is the most I've heard my sister say in a while."

Ellie puts it this way: "I lost my daughter when I gave her the cell phone."

I've brought an expert to observe and to give Geoff and Ellie some tips. Devorah Heitner has a Ph.D. in media, technology and society from Northwestern University and is author of the book Screenwise.

Heitner says she hears this kind of thing all the time. "I think all parents are like, 'Can you just tell me how many minutes?' Or I'll go speak at schools, and people will say, 'Can you just tell me the device I can use to fix the problem?' "

This misconception comes in part from the media, she says, and from companies - Apple, Google, Amazon - that advertise parental controls and settings as a magic solution.

Heitner and other experts do say to draw a bright line - and be a little authoritarian if you have to - over two times of day: bedtime and mealtime. Research says that more than two hours a day of screen time for young children doubles the risk of childhood obesity. Staring at screens can interfere with sleep, not only because of blue light but because of the emotional excitement of media content and the feeling of urgency about responding to messages.

But in general, Heitner advises that families like this one need to switch from monitoring to mentoring. Policing their kids' device use isn't working. They need to understand why their kids are using devices and what their kids get out of those devices so they can help the kids shift their habits.
The relationship between teens, screens and mental health is complex and multidirectional
The real lightning bolt of wisdom on this comes from the oldest child, Abby.

Abby, who has braces and a short crop of curly hair, is snuggled in a hoodie. She starts our conversation speaking softly, but when asked what she wishes grown-ups knew about the phone, she speaks right up.

"Taking it away won't eliminate problems, 'cause it's not the sole reason that they existed in the first place."

Abby's mom has sent her articles about research linking teen depression and suicide to screen use. A 2017 article in The Atlantic magazine - " Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?" - drew a link between negative trends in teens' mental health and the rise of smartphones and social media.

But Abby has a point: The relationship between screens and kids' mental and emotional health may not be so simple.

"[People always say] the iPhones are the only reason kids are depressed and can't sleep and have all of these problems - not stress from school, from other people, from other things happening," Abby says. "It's never the only reason."

More recently, a paper from Oxford University analyzed the same data featured in that Atlantic article - more than 350,000 participants in three huge surveys - and arrived at a different conclusion.

The negative relationship between teens' mental health and technology use is real - but tiny, the researchers found.

"It is extremely, extremely small," says Amy Orben, the lead author of that paper and two other related studies. "A teenager's technology use can only predict less than 1% of variation in well-being. It's so small that it's surpassed by whether a teenager wears glasses to school."

In Orben's view, Abby is dead-on. As Heitner says, "If you hand a happy kid a phone, they're not going to turn into an unhappy, miserable kid."

Heitner does caution, however, that devices can "turn up the volume" on existing issues. Children who have special needs or mental health challenges are also more likely to have problems with screens.

This goes for Benji, the middle child. He has anxiety, ADHD and emotional disabilities, and he is prone to meltdowns. Heitner says, in cases like his, parents should consult a professional who knows the child, be it a psychiatrist or occupational therapist.

But there's another side to that dynamic as well. Some children and teenagers who struggle with mental or emotional health may find that zoning out and playing a game helps them regulate their emotions and avoid meltdowns. For this family, for example, letting Benji bring his iPad allowed him to sit through his big sister's eighth-grade graduation, and that's a trade-off the family is willing to make.

And kids can use smartphones to connect with others and therefore feel better too.

In a national study of teens and young adults, Vicky Rideout, a longtime media-effects researcher, found no significant relationship between the young people's self-reported mental health and how often they used social media.

The young people in the study who were depressed didn't use social media more often - but they did use it differently, sometimes to feel better. "One of the things that teens are doing online is searching for information and tools to help promote their well-being," Rideout says.

This has been Abby's experience."When you're really upset, you can use your phone to distract yourself, or contact a friend who can help you, or use it to get your mind off the bad thoughts."
How to strike a balance? To start, try mentoring, not monitoring
Heitner's work emphasizes a concept that's also put forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics in its guidelines for parents: media mentoring.

As opposed to monitoring - with charts, schedules and parental controls - mentoring means understanding the media that kids use.

"Mentoring is knowing the difference between Minecraft and Fortnite. Mentoring is looking at the emotional effects of playing in a competitive mode versus a collaborative mode," Heitner says.

"It's understanding that ... what your kids are doing is part of their identity, whether it's through the kinds of people they follow on Tumblr or the kinds of things they share."

Abby, for example, follows YouTubers who talk about important issues - emotions, mental health, body image, self-esteem. It's important that her parents understand what she is looking at so they can talk to her about it, share their own values and offer support if needed.

This goes double if your kids encounter stuff that is more questionable - porn, video bloggers with hateful messages or bullying or drama with peers online. Parents can't step in and solve social problems, but they can be sounding boards for advice.
Look for the good in your kids' media interests
For Benji, Minecraft is a social space where he plays with other kids and pulls pranks. He says he wishes his parents understood more about his screen use - "why it's entertaining and why we want to do it. And also, for YouTube, why I watch other people playing games. When you watch sports, you're watching another person playing a game! Why is it so different when you're watching a person play a video game?"

Abby points out that as kids get older, having their own private worlds online is kind of the point. "There's a language that teenagers have formed though memes - it would be hard to explain" to adults, she says. But Geoff, her dad, jokes with her about it: "There are things that I understand, even though I'm super old."

Heitner reminds Geoff and Ellie that the distance they feel from their oldest is also a normal part of growing up. Ellie responds, "That's a really important fact. I didn't think of it that way. I just thought of it as it's the phone's fault."
Work together as a family to make changes.
A few days later, Heitner gets on the phone with Geoff and Ellie.

She tells them to get the devices out of sight and out of mind more often. This goes for mom and dad too, she says. Her advice:

Take Abby's phone away at night.

Impose more chores. Even the 5-year-old can put away his own toys, Heitner says. The older kids can do their own laundry and load and unload the dishwasher. Send the 14-year-old into the grocery store with a list. "It's a source of self-esteem to get things done for the family and to be valued in the family."

Introduce new interests. For Benji, Heitner says, set a goal this summer to try to reduce screen time and add something else in.

Try more screen-free whole-family activities like board games, a trip to the water park, or just a walk after dinner to get ice cream.

Ask Benji to monitor his own mood after he plays video games, say, on a color chart. Heitner says this can help him develop self-regulation skills. Instead of just fighting against the limits his parents set, "it would be good for him to start to see, OK, an hour is good, but two hours starts to make me a little crazy."
Little changes, big differences
Two weeks later, we checked back in with Geoff and Ellie to see how things were going.

They said that they sat down with all three kids with "a bribe" - their favorite Ben & Jerry's ice cream - to talk about making some changes to the screen-time rules.

Nathan, the little one, was pretty easy - he's playing more with his toys now and reading books during snack time.

Benji has made the most progress. He tells us he has been reading a lot more. He found a book series he loves, Wings of Fire, about dragons.

He has advice for parents who want to help their kids cut back on screen time. "If you have kids who are interested in fantasy games, maybe they'll like fantasy books, or if they're interested in sports games or animals, maybe they'll like realistic fiction."

His parents say his mood is much better. They're amazed.

Abby, the oldest, has been the toughest nut to crack. But she has been helping out more around the house and doing more projects like cooking.

She made edible cookie dough from a recipe she found online, and the whole family ate it together while watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off - a bit of sanctioned screen time, because it counts as a whole-family activity.

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At Your Wits' End With A Screen-Obsessed Kid? Read This

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Geoff and Ellie live in a suburban Chicago neighborhood that looks familiar from movies like Pretty in Pink and Ferris Bueller's Day Off - both filmed in the area. They have three kids - Nathan, 5, Benji, 11, and Abby, 14 - and they're worried that all three are too into their screens.

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The online world offers a wealth of resources for education, entertainment, and connection with other people. Unfortunately, the internet also poses new dangers, and those dangers threaten teens especially. The following guide provides the resources necessary for both parents and their teens to safely utilize the Internet.

There are plenty of horror stories: discovered that an entire website had been set up to denigrate him and encourage others to harass him at school. Another young woman was abducted by a man who had posed as a teen online, traced her to her home through the personal information she'd given out, and then stalked her to discover when she'd be home alone.

Even the non-horror stories are troubling: one young woman found that an entire suite of social media accounts had been set up to impersonate her online. She wasn't harmed personally by this crazy scheme, but others are less lucky: half a million teens have had their financial histories blemished from the start due to identity theft. And online scams abound-from prom dresses ordered online that turn out to be cheap knock-offs to software that secretly downloads itself and steers browsers to dangerous corners of the internet.

Online life is as fraught with peril as real life, and it can be much harder for parents to monitor the risks their kids are taking in the virtual world. But as with the other challenges of growing up, getting knowledgeable about internet safety for teens, talking over your concerns with the teens in your life, and arming them against the obvious dangers can build your relationships with them-and prepare them for adulthood.

Start with the Hardware

You should start your child internet protection plan with one of the most vulnerable aspects of your teen's online life, and one that may not be obvious because it's there in plain sight. But if your teen has a laptop of their own (or if they routinely borrow yours) it can lead to a world of trouble. Left unattended in a public place, a laptop-which may offer unfettered access to e-mail accounts, personal information, and even vital passwords and credit card numbers-can be gone in seconds. So if you want to boost your teen's cybersecurity, start by protecting their laptop.

At a bare minimum, insist that they set up password protection on their computer. This may act as a deterrent: a thief having to choose between unattended laptops may not choose one that's locked down with a password. The next step is a physical lock: computer cables are inexpensive, and will allow your teen to leave their seat at the library or a coffee shop without having to decide whether or not to bring their computer into the bathroom.

You can go an extra step by turning on the laptop's locator function, which comes as a native feature in Apple OS and iOS, with PC versions available for installation on other platforms. This will allow you to locate the computer if it's lost, and delete the data on the computer if it falls into the wrong hands.

Finally, you should talk to your teen about the type of information they leave on their laptop. It may be tempting to record all their vital passwords and other useful information, but of course doing so puts them at risk if someone steals it or manages to access it in some other way. At the very least, any files that they use to store this kind of sensitive information should be password protected.

1. Set Up Password
Protection

2. Turn on the Locator

3. Discuss Sensitive Information

Malware, Viruses, and Spyware

Protecting your computer means much more than physical protection, as important as that is. Much of the information on your computer can also be accessed by malicious software that can make its way onto your hard drive any time you connect to the internet, and sometimes when you're connected to any network at all.

Malware

Malware is a generic term for all malicious software.

Virus

Among the types of malware is the Virus, a piece of software that will secretly enter a computer's operating system and manipulate it into actions that damage it or hinder its performance.

Trojan Horse

Trojan horses are apparently innocuous applications or utilities that are used by hackers to insert malware into your operating system.

Spyware

Spyware is malicious software that allows a third party to take information off your computer without your knowledge.

The frightening thing about malware is that you may not even know it's on your computer until you look for it. If your teen complains about their computer's performance, though, or if they claim that their web browsers are "acting weird" (prompting browsers to flood the screen with pop-up windows and erratic results on search engines are two common symptoms of computers infected with spyware), take action immediately.

What's more, if your teen downloads a trojan horse, it's entirely possible that they'll give the harmless-looking software all the permission it needs to damage your computer or steal vital information, including passwords and credit card numbers. So in addition to a robust virus detection program, it's essential that you warn teens-and other users of your household computers-to be aware of the risks of downloading software from the internet, and to be leery of downloading any type of application from a non-reputable vendor.

Fortunately, there are some straightforward ways to protect your teen's computer: anti-virus software will take care of many of the greatest threats to your computer. Some manufacturers, like Apple, will provide anti-virus software for free, as will many internet service providers. Note, though, that anti-virus software needs to be updated to be effective.

Protect Your Mobile Hardware

Many of the same precautions you take with your laptops should be taken with mobile phones, tablets, and other devices that might contain similar types of sensitive information, or might be used to access personal information via the internet. Encourage your teen to use password protection and enable the device locator function on every device they own.

At the same time, it's not a good idea for teens to allow apps in general to use location services, since these may reveal where they live. Many devices will allow you to select what apps can use your location, so it might be worth the time to sit down with your teen and look at their phone or tablet's location settings-to make sure, for example, that when they put a picture of their dog up on Instagram, they won't also post your home address.

Everyone loves the camera function on their phones, but they present another risk that comes with mobile devices. Even with the location function turned off, photos taken and shared online can, by sending landmarks out over social networks, provide almost as much location information as a phone's location services function. Suggest to your teen that they take some care in choosing what shots to share, so they don't reveal too much about where they live.

ID Theft

So why is it so risky for a teen to reveal where they are? Revealing credit card numbers, or passwords to online merchant accounts, presents an obvious risk. But why would an address-or a photograph that gives their address away-cause problems?

Unfortunately, teens are just as susceptible to identity theft as adults, and for teens the consequences of someone using their information to apply for a credit card or access other financial resources can be just as bad, if not worse, than the consequences for an adult. Since teens don't have a credit history already, having an identity thief run down their credit rating can make building a decent credit history an uphill battle from the very start.

Even apparently innocuous information, like an address or a birth date-information that many people, not just teens, will sometimes include in their social media profiles-can be enough for a criminal to apply for a credit card, for example. And while you may stay on top of what they post on social media, teens, like adults, can also give out that information in an act of forgetfulness. Online quizzes or surveys are sometimes really just mechanisms by which scam artists try to get useful intel (a quiz might ask "what's your mother's maiden name?" for example, in order to get the answer to one of the most popular security questions).

Teens should be cautioned against putting up too much identifying information online. Birthdates are out; addresses should be, too. Even if the information doesn't seem like it's going to be collected in any permanent way, there's still a chance that it will be, and that it will be used by a scam artist to destroy a teen's financial reputation before they've even had a chance to build it.

"Unfortunately, teens are just as susceptible to identity theft as adults."

Only Make Sales Through Reputable Platforms

Look Out for Hidden or Extra Fees

Review Your App Subscriptions

Limit Your Teen's Online Spending

Scams and Online Shopping

Online scam artists have other schemes besides identity theft, however. Online shopping presents its own dangers. In the notorious case mentioned above, a teenaged girl thought she was buying an expensive prom dress at a bargain price only to discover that the dress she received in the mail didn't match the online photo at all. It was cheaply made, poorly fitted, and impossible to return.

Again, these are risks that even adults fail to see in time, but you can help your teen avoid getting taken in by insisting on having a look at any purchase they make online. You can also insist that any sales go through reputable vendors like Amazon, or that, at the very least, they go through reputable sales platforms like eBay, where it's possible to get purchase protection and the site's management provides tools and assistance in resolving customer complaints.

Some scams involve more than just a single purchase. Teens should, for example, be aware of one scam that promises "free" ringtones, but charges a high monthly fee that the teen might not be aware of until it shows up on your credit card statement.

Both these online scams involve disreputable businesses. But some online shopping risks are harder to spot. The teen years are probably too late for the "I didn't know" excuse for in-app purchases, the $800 iTunes bills that are the stuff of legend. But some smartphone apps involve "subscriptions" that it's easy to forget about, and that can ding your credit card for three, four, or five dollars on a weekly basis.

So it makes sense to review your accounts on iTunes or other app marketplaces to make sure such subscriptions aren't adding up. If they are, the best recourse is just to mention them to your teen and ask them to be more careful in the future.

Finally, there are ways to limit your teen's online spending. iTunes offers an "allowance" feature that will deposit a set amount in an iTunes account on a regular basis rather than simply giving the account unlimited access to a credit card. Many online marketplaces, from Amazon to Google Play, offer gift cards that can be redeemed online (this approach also keeps teens using more reputable retailers). Many online retailers will also accept cash cards-that is, what are essentially prepaid credit cards-as payment. And if you're interested in high-tech solutions, you might want to look into VeeLoop, an app that allows your teen to seek your approval for items in their virtual shopping carts before an online vendor processes their purchase.

Social Media: Online & In Public

As bad as they are, scams and malware aren't the only online dangers. Social media has dramatically expanded the amount of their lives that teens can live online. And while social media allows teens to keep up with friends and family, even across vast distances, a lot of life's dangers have followed them online as well.

Remember: social media is designed to convince users that they're a part of a community. And while they do function as virtual communities, it's easy to forget how many people can be privy to online conversations between friends. That's why many teens may, without thinking, reveal vital information of the kind that's most useful for ID theft and other criminal acts. Beyond that, wherever kids congregate, there's a possibility for hurtful or inappropriate behavior, and the virtual world is no different.

There are many social networks, but here's a look at some of the most popular.

FACEBOOK

Many teens will have a profile on Facebook without using it much. Even so, Facebook's platform allows for interactions with strangers, and its various levels of privacy and multiple means of sharing can make what seem like private interactions more public than a user may realize.

TWITTER

Like Facebook, Twitter isn't the most popular teen social media platform, and while teens should continue to take care with it-and parents should be aware that there's no way to prevent teens from coming across adult material, and no particularly effective means of stopping harassment-it's tamer than some online outlets.

INSTAGRAM

Instagram is much more popular among teens, and it's based primarily on sharing images which people in a user's network can then comment on. Because it's based on images, Instagram can tempt teens to post embarrassing or inappropriate images online, but it has similar privacy settings to Facebook, which means that the user can exercise some control over who can see their content.

SNAPCHAT

Snapchat takes Instagram a step further: it's also based on sharing images presented as an occasion for comments. These images disappear after a few seconds, however, so things that appear on Snapchat may seem to be gone forever. As it happens, however, most devices can capture any images that appears on its screen. And while Snapchat now notifies users that when someone takes a screen grab of an image they've put up, some apps allow users to circumvent this feature. As a result, Snapchat is even more likely to lure teens into thinking an inappropriate or embarrassing picture will never be seen again.

This may seem like an unmanageable array of platforms-and this list leaves out some other, less-used sites as well. But if you're concerned about your teen's online life, there are some easy ways to keep tabs on what they're up to. You can ask what platforms they use most frequently and check their profile pages.

You can also use a search engine to search for your teen's name and see what results you get: if their social media profiles appear in search results, they may not be using their privacy settings appropriately. If that's the case-and even if it isn't-sit down with your teen and look at each social network site's privacy settings to make sure that no sensitive information or embarrassing material can come in reach of people they don't know. And if you're active on social media, one simple way to keep up with your teen's online life is to follow or friend them yourself.

Given the various ways social media platforms make it easy to share photos, you may also want to talk to your teen about what constitutes "embarrassing" or "inappropriate." It's possible that they may have a different perspective than you, of course, but it's also possible that they're defining those terms without taking into consideration how far an image can spread, and how permanent it may be. Knowing that a future love interest, or an elderly relative, might someday see a comment or image they post online may change the teen's perspective.

Meeting People Online: Stalkers and Predators

All parents fear the possibility of their child coming in contact with strangers who who mean to do them harm. The risk of that happening through online interactions, and through social media in particular, is very real. That's because sensitive information isn't only a boon to scammers hoping to profit off of identity theft: carelessly spread information, and thoughtless interactions with unknown people, can also put teens at risk of encountering stalkers, predators, and others who could harm them physically or emotionally.

750,000

Predators are online looking to foster inappropriate relationships with teens at any given time.

One threat that's easier to avoid is that of the stalker, a person who gradually gathers information about a person in order to harass them or violate their privacy. You should remind your teen that even the blandest photo can reveal information about their age, what school they go to, where they live, and even times that they're most likely (or least likely) to be alone. Privacy settings may help prevent the wrong people from getting that information, but teens should also use that awareness to restrict what they'll give away in their profiles, pictures, or in an ordinary exchange of comments or messages.

Predators-people who work to gain a youth's confidence either in order to build an inappropriate relationship or in order to lure them into inappropriate behavior-are a bigger online safety concern. Many of the most popular social media sites or apps, including Instagram and Snapchat, are effectively electronic messaging services, and beyond the world of social media, teens can often get drawn into online forums, chat rooms, or other venues where they can have extended exchanges with people they don't know.

These virtual interactions have been a boon for online predators: according to statistics put out by the FBI and United Nations, at any given time there are 750,000 predators online looking to foster inappropriate, and sometimes illegal, relationships with teens. And there have been bad outcomes: teens have been lured into abductions and into sexual situations, and have been subject to sexual assault as a result of relationships begun online. And there's a chance that none of the exchanges leading up to such an outcome will be easily visible to parents.

One way to prevent such horror stories is simply to educate the teen. The website onlinesense.org, for example, offers a list of ways to recognize someone who's trying to lead you into a potentially dangerous situation. For example, predators will:

Many of these behaviors would, of course, be easily spotted as obnoxious or creepy if they were done by a stranger the teen met in person, and that's probably the best way to communicate the warning signs here: ask the teen to imagine themselves alone in a strange place with a stranger pestering them with questions or telling them to keep their meeting a secret. Remind them, too, that in the online world, it's easy for someone to assume an identity: the 12 year old girl mentioned at the beginning of this article had been convinced by her abductor that he was also a teen, even though he was in his mid thirties. So don't just encourage your teen to imagine a stranger asking them questions: have them imagine a stranger wearing a mask.

If you suspect your teen may already be in contact with someone who doesn't have their best interests at heart, it may be daunting to bring up the subject. Again, though, linking the issue to real life may be your best bet. You can, as you would with real acquaintances, ask to be (virtually) introduced. If a teen seems to be spending an inordinate amount of time in chat rooms, you can set limits as you would on any other social activity-and insist on being able to view browser histories in order to keep track. You can approach one of the teen's trusted peers, older relatives, or mentors and ask them to do a reality check or inquire what's going on. Teens often rebel against control, but they're also often swayed by genuine and respectful concern.

When the Predators Aren't Strangers: Online Bullying

Unfortunately your teen's emotional well-being may not be threatened by strangers only. Online bullying is a real possibility as well, and can have devastating effects, leading to long-term problems with self-esteem. Bullying can also lead to depression and (in some tragic instances) suicide.

As with real-life bullying, the shame associated with the experience can make it difficult for a teen to seek help or advice. Because the online world provides harassers with potentially unassailable anonymity, this, too, can make the teen unwilling to speak out. So it's important to look for signs . If your teen:

* Is avoiding online activities (such as gaming or social media) that they used to enjoy, and yet don't seem to have traded these activities for something else they like to do

* Seems to be relieved when coming away from their computer or device, as if they've just had an unpleasant experience

* Seems to be routinely dismayed by messages they receive or by other interactions with people on their mobile device or computer

* Are suddenly becoming much more secretive about their online experiences

* Are showing signs of depression

They may be subject to bullying online.

If that's the case, though, what can you do? You should, first of all, try to talk to your teen. According to Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin of the Cyberbullying Research Center, your first step should always be to sit down, ask what's going on, provide unconditional support without "freaking out," and very much take a problem-solving approach to the situation. Document the abuse, be ready to report it to the authorities, and keep lines of communication open between you.

Understand, too, that even if your teen isn't being bullied, they may very well know of someone who is. If you can, encourage your teen to report bullying, if only to you. And just in case, remind them that in many jurisdictions the online harassment that we call cyberbullying is actually a crime, and can have serious repercussions for them if they're involved. Even if they never become a cyber bully themselves, the fact that bullying is illegal may be enough for them to convince friends or acquaintances not to join in when others do it.

How to Handle Gaming

One online community in which bullying is especially prevalent is online gaming. Not that bullying is an unavoidable feature of such games: many teens may find a valuable social outlet in the community that springs up around their favorite role-playing game, or around the online component of their favorite console games. What's more, many games themselves teach valuable lessons about teamwork, problem-solving, and other important developmental skills.

At the same time, however, online games, just like neighborhood sports, can be an occasion for trash talk which then escalates to harassment or bullying. Especially for a teen whose social life revolves around an online community, the effect can be traumatic. As with other types of bullying, keep tabs on your teen's mood and behavior, and try to look for signs that you might have a problem. Nor is bullying the only risk that online games present. Often games will include forums for online communication, and these can serve as tools for predators in the same way as social media.

Finally, like other online activities, online gaming can gradually take over more and more of a teen's life until it becomes an addiction.

If you're concerned about this prospect, here are some tell-tale warning signs of internet gaming addiction:

Obsessively thinking about gaming, even when the teen isn't playing.

Lying about gaming activities-to family and friends.

Deep distress when gaming activities are curtailed for any reason.

Lack of interest in other activities, and neglect of hygiene, schoolwork, or other responsibilities, whether in the household or outside of it.

If you suspect that your teen may be addicted to gaming, the first approach, as always, is to talk to them. Try to set limits and seek to tie the privilege of gaming to responsibilities they may be neglecting. If these approaches don't work, you might want to try counseling or other professional help. A video game addiction is unlikely to be as damaging or difficult to overcome as an addiction to alcohol or drugs, but soldiering on against it without help is just as likely to damage your relationship with your teen.

Should My Teen Have a Blog?

Absolutely! Blogging-and webcasting videos via YouTube-can be a great creative outlet, and may inspire your teen to acquire the skills and dedication of a successful blogger, or the technical savvy (and even greater dedication) that a successful video channel requires. What's more, bloggers, Youtubers, and podcasters (people who disseminate audio content via iTunes or other platforms) can in rare instances earn money from their efforts, which adds a key incentive for teens to persevere.

At the same time, these outlets present some of the same dangers as other online activities. They can be a way for stalkers and predators to learn personal information about your teen, and-even more than social media-they put your teen's actions, attitudes, and behaviors on public display, putting them at risk of later embarrassment or shaming, and even possible legal consequences if they say the wrong thing.

If your teen is putting content online, be sure to go over with them the various risks of putting out personal information on the internet. And you may also want to lay down some ground rules, such as requiring all content to get your approval before it's put out for the rest of the world to see.

A survey of more than 600 teens found that nearly all shared their real name and photos of themselves , and most shared their school name, birthdate, and where they lived.

Some Common Sense Guidelines

In a world full of screens, it may seem futile to fight them for your teen's attention. And yet you are your teenager's anchor to the real world, and you may be the only one in their lives seeking to protect them from life's dangers. That being the case, here are some general internet safety tips you can try as you work to keep your teen safe online.

Insist that your teen employ privacy settings on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms. If the teen uses a shared computer for their online life, make sure that computer stays in a common area in the house. This shouldn't be done so you can look over their shoulders, but rather so you can get a glimpse of how their online life affects them (an essential for cyberbully prevention) and keep tabs on the amount of time they're spending. If you're concerned, this will also allow you to check their browser history.

Enforce general norms against screen use and online activity. "No phones at the table" is a good place to start, as is a set time to turn screens and phones off, enforced on school nights, or on any night when the teen needs to show up somewhere the next morning. If these limits turn out to be bigger battles than you expect, that will at least alert you to potential problems.

Resist allowing the teen to use screens or phones in their rooms, even if those devices are properly theirs. Phones may be too much of a battle (and may be impractical to enforce), but try to keep their gaming screens, tablets, or computers out. This will help them get better sleep, and will once again allow you to get a glimpse of how they're conducting themselves online.

If you want to more closely monitor your teen's online activities, consider taking advantage of some of the apps or software designed for that purpose, including Net Nanny, which allows you to control what websites your kids access, and will even warn you if your teen searches for an objectionable term. Secure Teen keeps call logs and allows you to read text messages. Teen Safe does all of this and more-including locking teens out of messaging when they're driving and allowing you to track them via GPS.

In the end, remember that helping your teen through life's challenges-online and offline-is as much about communication as it is about control. Given enough time and the endless resources of the internet, teens can usually circumvent even the best apps and cheat the tightest household restrictions. But they won't be able to hide their emotions if they have a problem, and whatever happens they're still going to want your approval. So take teens' online lives seriously, but don't forget that their online lives are still their lives, and part of the process by which they become adults.

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Empower teens with an online safety guide, equipped with vital knowledge to navigate the digital world responsibly.

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How To Child Proof Your Tech During Lockdown Wired.com

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How To Child Proof Your Tech During Lockdown Wired.com

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More comprehensive parental controls for Android can be managed with the broader Family Link service that covers everything about a Google account- see here for details on how to set it up. On your child's Android device, from Settings go to Google then Parental controls to link the phone or tablet to the Family Link app on your own device, which lets you configure the apps that can be installed, the times the device can be used, and so on.

Should your kids be lucky enough to have their own Mac, you can manage them using the same Screen Time and Family Sharing features we mentioned above-from System Preferences, choose Screen Time and then Options, and you can either just configure Screen Time settings (limits on app usage, content, and more) that are protected by a PIN code, or link the computer to an Apple ID in your family group.

Sticking to the most basic Screen Time option is an easier and quicker solution-tick the Use Screen Time Passcode box then your child won't be able to override the restrictions that you've put in place. Click Set up Family Sharing for more comprehensive options, which let you manage these settings (and get reports) from your own Apple devices, but which will also require your kids to have their own Apple IDs to log into macOS with.

The best way to manage parental controls on Windows is to go all-in with Microsoft accounts-by which we mean get accounts set up for all the people in your family, and then use them to put limits on certain devices. These accounts can be linked in your Microsoft family group ( Microsoft explains this here), so you can keep tabs on your youngsters while still giving them their own spaces and their own sets of login credentials.

To get started, head to the Microsoft Family portal online, choose Create a family group, then follow the instructions. Inside Windows, you can then open Settings and pick Accounts, Family & other users, and Add a family member to connect an account-this then lets you put restrictions on the sort of content that can be downloaded, on which apps can be used and for how long, on in-app purchases that can be made, and more.

Your kids might have already made best friends with your Amazon Echo, but you can limit what they're able to do with it. This is managed via FreeTime, which you can set up on the web-once that's done, you can turn it on and off for individual devices by opening up the Alexa app on your phone, opening the app menu, and choosing Settings, Device Settings, and picking your speaker or display. The FreeTime option will be one of those listed.

You have a few more features to play around with as well. For example, from the Alexa app menu, tap Settings, Account Settings and Voice Purchasing to make sure a PIN code is always required when buying something through your Echo devices (just in case your kids try and make a huge Amazon order). You can also choose Settings, Music and Profanity Filter to ensure you don't hear anything unwholesome while music is playing.

If you've got Google Nest (also known as Google Home) speakers dotted around the place, then you can use the Family Link service mentioned above to put some limits on what your children are able to do-this gives your kids their own Google accounts, and when that's all set up, you'll be able to use the Google Home app on your phone to set which speakers are able to recognize your kids' voices, put limits on purchasing, and more.

Another option you can use instead of or as well as Family Link is Digital Wellbeing. You'll find this if you open the Google Home app on your phone, tap a Google speaker and then the cog icon (top right), and then choose Digital wellbeing: the options here include controls for managing which video and audio content can be brought up with voice commands, and even what times the device can be used (so your kids will go to bed).

For a long time Netflix has let you set up multiple profiles to keep your kids' viewing separate (open up Manage Profiles from the avatar menu to configure them), but now you can protect those profiles with a PIN code too. On the web, go to the avatar menu (top right corner), then choose Account-click your account name then Change next to Profile Lock to set a PIN. You can also apply this PIN protection for logins on new devices.

Prime Video has an excellent selection of kids content, and some handy parental control tools too. On the web, click your avatar then Manage profiles to make sure everyone in the household has their own space (and their own recommendations) on Prime Video. Back on the settings page, you can also choose Parental Controls to set up a PIN code to protect your account, and to put viewing restrictions on content only suitable for adults.

Like Netflix and Prime Video, Hulu lets you set up multiple profiles on the same account: the option is under Manage Profiles on the avatar menu (top right). When you create profiles specifically for youngsters, you automatically enable protections that stop them stumbling across unsuitable material, but at the moment there's no easy option (like Netflix's PIN code) of stopping kids from switching between profiles if they know how.

Disney Plus is the big newcomer in the field of streaming services, but it's hit the ground running as far as parental controls go: from the web interface, if you click your avatar (top right) then Edit profiles, you can specify that a profile is for a child, which will lock it to child-friendly content. As it stands, your kids can still switch between profiles fairly easily from the Disney Plus interface, if they know what they're doing.

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How to Child-Proof Your Tech During Lockdown

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More comprehensive parental controls for Android can be managed with the broader Family Link service that covers everything about a Google account- see here for details on how to set it up.

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Negligence drives misinformation

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So people can distinguish what's accurate, and they say it's important in deciding what to share. But when it comes down to actually making that choice, accuracy doesn't seem to matter much. Or, as the researchers put it, something about the social media context shifts people's attention away from caring about the truth, and onto the desire to get likes and signal their ideological affiliation.

To get at whether this might be the case, the researchers altered the experiment slightly to remind people about the importance of accuracy. In their modified survey, they started off by asking people to rate the accuracy of a nonpartisan news headline, which should make participants more conscious of the need for and the process of making those sorts of judgements. Those who received this prompt were less likely to report that they were interested in sharing fake news headlines, especially when said headlines agreed with their politics. Similar things occurred when people were simply asked about the importance of accuracy before taking the survey, rather than after.

All of this is consistent with the idea that people do value accuracy but don't necessarily think much about it when they're using social media. Overall, the researchers estimate that it accounts for about half of the decisions to share misinformation. By contrast, inability to identify misinformation accounts for less than a third, and partisan influences explain 16 percent.

Finally, the researchers did a bit of a real-world experiment, contacting over 5,000 Twitter users who had previously shared links to Breitbart or Infowars, two major sources of inaccurate, partisan information. The researchers asked these users to rate the accuracy of a single, nonpartisan headline in the hope that it would act as a nudge to get them to consider accuracy before sharing something.

And the nudge apparently worked. Overall, the quality of the news sources behind the articles shared by these people edged up by 5 percent. But that worked out to mean they were 2.8 times more likely to share material from mainstream news sites.

The overall conclusion here is in keeping with a lot of prior research, so it's not especially surprising. There's extensive experimentation showing that people tend to reach snap judgements that signal their cultural and ideological affinities; the mental energy they should expend in evaluating these snap judgements instead typically gets directed to defending them after they're made. It's easy to square this with the overall conclusion that, when they're not specifically focused on accuracy, partisanship plays a large role.

While this may be the largest single factor here, however, it's clearly not the only one; inability to judge accuracy also plays a major role, and there are clearly some cases where partisan concerns outweigh accuracy. That last case is probably worth looking at in far more detail, and we could potentially get important information from the data the researchers already have. Is this group driven by specific stories that partisans found important to advance? Or is it driven by a small number of people who consistently choose to share partisan stories regardless of their accuracy?

The last thing that's clear is that there's no easy solution here. While a nudge can get people to shift their behavior a bit, it falls far short of eliminating the problem. And it won't have any influence on the large number of accounts that exist solely to take part in organized misinformation campaigns.

This story originally appeared on Ars Technica.

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Negligence, Not Politics, Drives Most Misinformation Sharing

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So people can distinguish what's accurate, and they say it's important in deciding what to share. But when it comes down to actually making that choice, accuracy doesn't seem to matter much. Or, as the researchers put it, something about the social media context shifts people's attention away from caring about the truth, and onto the desire to get likes and signal their ideological affiliation.

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Have you tried the like-free Instagram experience?

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Report from Royal College of Psychiatrists 2020

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Report from Royal College of Psychiatrists 2020

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Do you feel like you need to help your teenager manage their screen time? Try this app

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Moment - Screen Time Tracker - App Review

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Slick app needs full access to track device use, set limits. Read Common Sense Media’s Moment - Screen Time Tracker review, age rating, and parents guide.

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Founded in 2011, Twitch is a live streaming platform where millions of users can watch live streams or pre-recorded video gameplay. Other available channels users can watch include music, sports, esports, and food.

Geared towards the gaming community, it also offers gaming news, product announcements, events, and a community of fans who really love games. Additionally, Twitch broadcasts lucrative esports tournaments, which offer large sums of prize money to professional players.

Twitch is available on many platforms, (computer, gaming console, and tablets, mobile devices via a desktop browser and the app) but the official website is www.twitch.tv.

What's needed to use Twitch?

An internet-enabled device (computer, laptop, TV, phone, or tablet)

A Twitch account

Be at least 13 years old to use the platform (although there is no age verification on sign-up)

How Twitch works

A user can set up a Twitch account to watch their favourite streaming channels or can set up their own channel.

As a viewer, you can - watch live gameplay or archived videos by browsing various categories. A Twitch broadcast or stream often includes a video with an audio commentary from the player and the video of the game itself.

You will also see a live chat option where at times the streamer can respond, but you can still talk to others including sending private messages. Sometimes the streamers respond to the chats out loud in the video.

To gain the full experience (including joining in live chat) you will need to sign up for the free membership where you will get your own user page (called a channel). Viewers can either follow their favourite streamer for free or subscribe to their channel for a fee - from $4.99 a month.

As a streamer you can - create a channel and broadcast live gameplay, esports, music, or IRL (in real life) content. IRL is designed for users to share glimpses into their day-to-day life.
Streamers can also earn money from the platform.

Good to know:
Although an account is not required to use the desktop version (like YouTube and TikTok platforms), by creating a free account, a user can get full access to the features of the platform.

Why is Twitch so popular?

The gaming community - The gaming community on Twitch is the go-to place for gamers and gaming enthusiasts. The streaming of gameplay offers live commentary which creates a sense of belonging among the gamers. Also, a lot of young people use Twitch not only to watch specific gamers but because they like the actual gamer; many popular music artists have turned to Twitch to make money during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lucrative money earner - Most streamers broadcast as a hobby, but some have made successful careers from it. Because Twitch was acquired by Amazon in 2014, it is integrated with Amazon Prime and allows streamers to make money by offering in-stream links through which viewers can purchase the games being played. Other ways streamers can earn money is through ads, subscriptions, and donations.

Reviews of popular games - The biggest games usually streamed on Twitch are popular ones such as League of Legends, Fortnite, and Minecraft. Some streamers may get early access to a new game and therefore viewers may flock to Twitch to get a look in.

What is the age rating?

According to Twitch, the minimum age rating is 13 years and a user between 13 and 18 years old should use the platform with an adult, according to the site's terms of service.

Any under 13s found to have an account will be terminated. The Apple App Store has a rating of 17+ and the Google Play Store has a 'Teen' rating.

What are the privacy/security settings on Twitch?

Check out our Twitch parental controls guide where we show you can block or report a user, disable gifts, and more. In addition, you can also use the settings on your mobile device or computer to further limit interactions and location-based information.

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Twitch - A parent's guide to help children use it safely | Internet Matters

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Founded in 2011, Twitch is a live streaming platform where millions of users can watch live streams or pre-recorded video gameplay. Other available channels users can watch include music, sports, esports, and food. Geared towards the gaming community, it also offers gaming news, product announcements, events, and a community of fans who really love games.

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Mental health is an important issue that can go unnoticed in tweens and teens. If your child is in crisis, it's important to seek professional help. In this digital age, phones also provide a supplemental resource for teens to get help. Besides general health apps, there are several apps that focus on mental health. Here are five apps that help teens with mental health (along with professional help) by helping them cope with anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses.

Calm

Named Apple's 2017 App of the Year, Calm helps users with mindfulness and meditation. The app aims to bring more clarity, joy and peace to your daily life. The app includes guided meditations, Sleep Stories, breathing programs and relaxing music. Calm also has a "Calm Kids" section in the app where younger kids can learn calming techniques.

Pacifica

Pacifica helps teens break the cycle of ongoing negative thoughts. It does this by using tools that target stress, anxiety, and depression. The app consists of psychologist-designed tools based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness meditation, relaxation and mood/health tracking. Pacifica also has a paid option that allows users to work with a mental health professional through the app.

Calm Harm

provides tasks to help users resist or manage the urge to self-harm. The app contains five categories to help you fight the urge to self-harm. Each category includes five to 15 minute activities. These activities turn users' attention to healthier ways to handle emotions and impulses.

My3 - Support Network

My3 is a crisis support app for people who have suicidal thoughts. The app features a contact list to call in case of emergencies. The list includes three of the user's trusted contacts, 911 and the National Suicide Hotline. My3 also includes a safety plan which lists coping strategies and distractions. It's one of the best apps that help teens with mental health struggles that include suicidal ideation.

MoodPath: Depression & Anxiety

helps teens to detect symptoms of depression. Three times a day, users receive a question about their emotional well-being. After two weeks, users will receive a professional assessment. They can then share that assessment with their healthcare professional.

If you believe your child is suffering from a mental illness, please seek out professional help for them immediately. These apps are meant to be used as a supplement with professional help and not as a substitute.

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5 Apps That Help Teens With Mental Health | LearnSafe

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Mental health is an important issue that can go unnoticed in tweens and teens. If your child is in crisis, it's important to seek professional help. In this digital age, phones also provide a supplemental resource for teens to get help. Besides general health apps, there are several apps that focus on mental health.

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There's Worrying New Research About Kids' Screen Time and Their Mental Health

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Kids who spend seven hours or more a day on screens are more likely to have depression or anxiety than those who use them for an hour a day.

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Apple: Family sharing
click here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201088

Android: Family Link
click below

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Stay in the loop as your child explores on their Android device

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Want to know more about an app or game? This Australian website has everything you need!

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Want to know more about an app or game? This Australian website has everything you need!

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Learn about the latest games, apps and social media, including how to protect your information and report harmful content. (This guide is for information purposes only and inclusion does not imply eSafety endorses a service or platform.)

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The eSafety Guide | eSafety Commissioner

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Learn about the latest games, apps and social media, including how to protect your information and report harmful content. (This guide is for information purposes only and inclusion does not imply eSafety endorses a service or platform.)

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Fake News Generator: Who starts viral misinformation?  - BBC News

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Thanks to ongoing brain development and increased sensitivity to dopamine (a neurotransmitter associated with motivation, pleasure and reward), teenagers are more likely to crave reward-based experiences. And, because their prefrontal cortex (the area associated with understanding, evaluation and decision-making) is still developing, social interactions greatly shape impulse control and critical thinking.

In the past, we often thought of these as risk-taking behaviors like driving fast or attempts at fitting in to get approval from peers. But in the age of smartphones, social media, followers, and likes, reward-seeking behaviors in teens is increasingly associated with approval online.

As of 2018, Instagram has more than 1 billion users worldwide, and more than half (over 500 million) are daily users. Of those, about 60% are females under the age of 34. This is not coincidental. In fact, the software has been engineered to keep them engaged longer and coming back for more. Bottomless scrolling, tagging, notifications, and live stories tap into the fear of missing out (FOMO) that give teens so much anxiety. Or as We The Internet posed in a YouTube video, the site has "engineered addiction."

So here are some things you need to know about what social media - and Instagram in particular - are doing to young women's brains.

- Compared to Twitter, Facebook or YouTube, it appears that Instagram leads to more comparisons between ourselves and others. This, in turn, contributes to more anxiety and depression due to feelings of inadequacy. Research suggests this is due to increased exposure to "idealized" images of other women, couples, and lives in general. Increased exposure is linked to decreased happiness with one's own life.

- Functional MRIs have shown that how many likes (which are often fake, purchased or manufactured) an Instagram post has alters the appeal of that photo to viewers. For example, when girls see a highly rated image, their brain (most likely the nucleus accumbens, or reward circuit) instinctively associates it with being better, no matter the content. Their brains literally can't help but prefer images that have more likes than images with less likes. As researchers at UCLA put it, teens react to what they consider "endorsements" of content.

- Thanks to access of smartphones, 92% of teens say that they go online every single day. Of those, 24% admit to being online "almost constantly." And, according to a Pew Research Center study, the usage is fairly equal amongst races and cultures. However, it was concluded that African American girls use smartphones more than their white and Hispanic peers (85% compared to 71%). But all that time online shifts how young women view social approval and what it takes to be "liked."

- Visual sites like Instagram attract girls more than boys, who seem to prefer video games and gaming to social media. But what that introduces is a very different engagement with imagery. For example, filters, makeup, lighting, angles and posing mean that the images consistently fed to young girls are not based in reality. But unlike a video game where the user knows the images are fake, Instagram posts blur reality and fiction.

- Influencers on Instagram have been known to get paid up to $1 million a post. And the average American girl spends 6-10 hours a day on social media being pushed products and images that are not proven to work or are not real. But in many cases, they do not know what is fake or what is promotional advertising. And at a young age, the ability to differentiate is near impossible. In fact, a Stanford study concluded that young people don't know when they're being exposed to fake information on social platforms or how to differentiate credibility.

Whether you're a parent or a young person wanting to spend less time on your smartphone, there are plenty of reasons to decrease the use of social media. But it's also important to understand that many of the negative implications of using social media, like loneliness and anxiety, are a direct result of brain development. We live in a new world, and we're all learning as we go. We just have to work harder to learn which feedback loops are giving us information, and the quality and credibility of that information.

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Neuroscience Explains Why Instagram Is So Bad For Teen Girls

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Thanks to ongoing brain development and increased sensitivity to dopamine (a neurotransmitter associated with motivation, pleasure and reward), teenagers are more likely to crave reward-based experiences. And, because their prefrontal cortex (the area associated with understanding, evaluation and decision-making) is still developing, social interactions greatly shape impulse control and critical thinking.

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You can make sure your child has the safest setting to use this app with this easy PDF guide from Internet matters:

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Interested in an App? Read a review from common sense media:

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Interested in an App? Read a review from common sense media:

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Read age-appropriate app reviews for kids and parents written by our experts.

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Fake News: Fact & Fiction - Episode 1: The meaning of ‘fake news’

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Among Us is an online multiplayer game rated PEGI 7+ that allows a maximum of 10 players to take on the roles of a 'Crewmate' or 'Imposter'. The aim of the game is for the Crewmates to identify the players who are the Imposters in the game. The Imposters in the game have to secretly sabotage the tasks on the ship and kill the Crewmates before they finish their tasks.

What is good about the game?

It promotes communication and teamwork to achieve the end goal of finding the Imposter. It also features a thrill for the Imposters, who are trying to hide their identity. The same goes for Crewmates, who need to clear their name so they are not voted out and have to do their tasks while their life is on the line.

Why is it so popular with young people?

Statistics on Twitch show that over 25 million hours of Among Us streams were watched between August and October 2020. So why is it so popular?

It's simple to play, 'extremely social' and involves a lot of teamwork and interaction with others which is the key ingredient for success of other multiplayer games. There is a level of customisation of the avatars and the game itself. It can also be played across a range of platforms (PC and mobile).

What features does it have?

Hosting feature

Users can use this feature to set up a game where it gives them the ability to customise the game's theme, the number of Imposters in the game, and who can be blocked or removed from the game. This option also generates a code that can be shared with other players to give them access to the game if it set to be private (where you can only access it with a specific code given by the host) rather than public (open to everyone).

Public feature

This allows users to join games that are set as public (available for everyone to join). Only 10 players can join each game before the game has started. This does mean that children may interact with a lot of users they don't know.

Private and public settings in the game

Games can be set to be public or private. The host of each game controls whether a game is public or private. If a game is private users will require a specific code to play the game. If a game is public, any user on the platform will be able to find the game under the "Public" section and join the game (provided it's not full).

To limit potential interaction with strangers, setting games to private and requiring users to have a code to play is a safer option. This will mean that if a child wants to play with their friends, they will have to send the code to friends through other platforms.

In-app purchases

Players can buy 'accessories' to 'personalise' their avatar such as hats. These cost between £1.89 - £2.99.

Ads

At the end of each game, or when a player is killed off in the game, they are served up an ad before they can start another game. However, if you are willing to pay £1.99, you can remove all the advertisements.

Free-Text Chat

The free-text chat service has filters that remove bad language and personal information. It is used to communicate about who the Imposter might be. The random text chat means strangers can't contact your child unless actively playing. It isn't usually a way to meet new people online, so remains relatively safe. For children of a certain age, their interactions are limited even further.

How does it work?

The game can take place in one of three settings - a spaceship (The Skeld), an imaginary planet (Polus), or the headquarters (Mira HQ).

While Crewmates are asked to complete a list of tasks, the Imposter blends in and takes out Crewmates one after another. When a player reports a dead body, killed by an Imposter, a discussion is called for them to vote on who they think is the Imposter.

When people have voted, the result is shown and if the wrong person has been chosen no Crewmate is removed or 'ejected' from the ship. Sometimes, the players can call emergency meetings, which there are a limited number of.

Some players have to lie to keep their Imposter identity secret. The aspect of teamwork comes in where each player can use the in-game chat function to communicate their reasons for choosing a particular player or defending why they are not the imposter.

For the Imposters to win the game they have to sabotage the countdown run out or take out a number of the Crewmates so there is an equal number of Imposters to Crewmates. Those who are taken out of the game are before the end, can still help their teammates as 'ghosts'.

Use of other chat functions

In addition to the chat function in the game including the Free-Text Chat mentioned above, players can also use Discord servers to talk to each other in the game. However, if you are playing on a mobile and joining a public game you will not know that the other players are chatting on Discord until the game has started. This can present an unfair advantage as some players will not be included in the team discussions being had on the Discord server.

What should parents be concerned about?
Talking to strangers in the game
If your child is playing a game that is set to public, they may meet and chat with people they don't know which could put them at risk.
Seeing inappropriate content
Although you can use the censor filter to block out bad language, it does not block everything and there are words that are not picked up by the filter. So, despite this feature, there is the potential that children can be exposed to inappropriate content.

Are there any safety features?

Parental portal
Innersloth has added a Parent Portal - although it's not mandatory to create an account, some features will be locked if you decide not to. The safety measures aim to make Among Us safer for everyone and, especially, kids 13 and under.

Review your child's activity
Inside the Parental Portal, you can review your child's profile, its features, apps, and what they can or cannot access.

Permissions
Children are under the age of digital consent (13 in most countries) will need permission from a parent or guardian to access free chat, create an account, or change their display name.

Censor option to remove the bad language

To limit interactions with strangers, you can encourage children to set games to private and only allow people they know into the game.

If a player does become an issue the only person who can remove them is the Host. This does mean that all the players have no option but to rely on the Host to take action if something goes wrong in the game.
A safer quick chat text feature
According to Among Us, the new chat text: 'Quick chat' feature is meant to be a 'faster and safer alternative to open text chat'. The free chat option is still available, but if a child is under the age limit to play Among Us (under 13) the Quick chat option is for them.

Ratings - what you need to know

Among Us was originally rated PEGI 16 when it was released in June 2018. However, following an increase in interest in the game, it was reclassified as PEGI 7+ following another review of the game by the VSC Rating board. In the Apple App Store, it has also been listed as suitable for ages 9+.

Based on the PEGI rating, the game may "contain some possibly frightening scenes or sounds. Games can show violence as long as it's unrealistic and directed towards fantasy characters. There may be some non-realistic violence towards people or violent actions (e.g: bombing of cities or non-human targets)."

Among Us does contain some cartoon violence as the Imposter character is instructed to take out the Crewmates on the ship. However, it's not graphic or pointed towards real people.

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Is Among Us multiplayer game safe for children? | Internet Matters

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Among Us is an online multiplayer game rated PEGI 7+ that allows a maximum of 10 players to take on the roles of a 'Crewmate' or 'Imposter'. The aim of the game is for the Crewmates to identify the players who are the Imposters in the game.

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If you have tweens or teens, you know about Snapchat. And if you can't figure out how it works, you're like many parents. One of the most popular social media apps out there, Snapchat gives kids and teens what they really want: a simple way to share everyday moments while simultaneously making them look awesome. And unlike Facebook and Twitter, which record and broadcast everything you do, Snapchat uses messages that are meant to disappear (learn more about how they actually don't). Like so many social media apps, Snapchat is a mixed bag, so it's a good idea to understand how it works, how your kids use it, and how much time they spend on it so you can make sure their experiences are positive.

Something about snapping, sharing, and then quickly moving on from life's little moments has massive appeal for kids. And for the most part, that's what they use Snapchat for. But the app offers a lot more stuff, including games, news and entertainment, quizzes, and even serialized shows from top pop-culture brands.

With a constantly updated supply of photo filters, effects, and fun features, Snapchat feels like a party. But the app poses some risks: Snap Map lets friends see each other's location on a map, which isn't always safe; Snapstreaks requires kids to exchange messages for as long as possible, which is a major time-suck; Discover offers some age-inappropriate content; and Quick Add allows kids to connect with a wide circle of strangers. With your guidance on privacy, safety, social media pressure, and marketing, though, Snapchat can be a fun way for teens to connect. Check out our full review to get the whole scoop.

What is Snapchat?

Snapchat is a popular messaging app that lets users exchange pictures and videos (called snaps) that are meant to disappear after they're viewed. It's advertised as a "new type of camera" because the essential function is to take a picture or video, add filters, lenses, or other effects and share them with friends.

How does Snapchat work?

All you need to sign up is your name, an email address, and your birth date. On Snapchat, users go by a handle, and Snapchatters gravitate toward silly names. To add friends, you can upload your contacts or search for people you know. You can also automatically add someone by taking a picture of their " Snapcode," a special QR code unique to each user.

After that, things get a little confusing. On Snapchat, photos -- not text -- usually start the communication. To begin a conversation, you tap the big camera circle and take a snap. There are all sorts of photo-editing tools (you have to experiment to figure out what they do) as well as filters to adorn your images. Once you customize your snap, you can send it to anyone on your friends list, add it to your story (which is a record of the day that your friends can view for 24 hours), and add it to Snap Map (which displays your photo on a map of your location that can be viewed by anyone on Snapchat).

Snapchat provides several options for texting and managing photos. In addition to individual texting, Snapchat also offers group texting and group stories that everyone in a group can contribute to. You can delete the text messages you send, though in a group chat the other people will see that you've deleted something. In terms of Snaps, you can delete unopened ones that use a saved picture (not taken on the spot). You can't delete snaps that include pictures you just took (and didn't save).

How old do you have to be to use Snapchat?

According to the terms of service, users must be 13. You have to enter your birth date to set up an account, but there's no age verification, so it's easy for kids under 13 to sign up. Common Sense Media rates Snapchat OK for teens 16 and up, mainly because of the exposure to age-inappropriate content and the marketing ploys, such as quizzes, that collect data.

Do messages really disappear on Snapchat?

It depends. If you set a time limit on a snap, it will disappear after it's viewed. However, recipients can take a screenshot of an image using their phones or a third-party screen-capture app. A phone screen-capture will notify the sender that the image was captured. But third-party apps don't trigger a notification. For these reasons, it's best that teens understand that nothing done online is really temporary. Before sending a sexy or embarrassing snap of themselves or someone else, it's important to remember that the picture could circulate the school by tomorrow morning.

What are Snapstreaks?

With a Snapstreaks, two users have snapped back and forth within a 24-hour period for three days in a row. Once you've established a streak, special emojis and statistics display next to the streakers' names to show you how long you've maintained a streak. Why do they matter? For one thing, they add to your overall Snapchat score (basically a number that reflects how much you use the app). For another, they can occasionally become the most important thing in a kid's life. Because of the intense bonds kids can form over social media, they can feel that a Snapstreak is a measure of their friendship, and if they don't keep it up they'll let the other person down. Teens have even been known to give friends access to their Snapchat accounts to keep a streak going if they can't do it themselves (for example, if their phone gets taken away for being online too much). This can lead to feelings of pressure, anxiety, and compulsion, so it's good to know if your kid has streaks going to get a window into why that selfie might feel really important.

What's Snap Map?

Snap Map displays your location on a map in real time. Only your Snapchat friends can see where you are. If your friends have opted into Snap Map, you can see their locations, too. (You can turn this off or use it in Ghost Mode, which allows you to see the map but not be seen by others.) Snap Map also features news and events from around the world -- for example, a political rally in Nicaragua, which displays as an icon on a map of the world. Kids can submit snaps to the Snap Map, and their name and location could appear on a public map. But the bigger risk with Snap Map is a teen having their location seen by all their friends -- since some of their Snapchat contacts may not be real friends. Unless there's a specific event and it makes it easier for friends to know each other's location, it's best to leave Snap Maps off or use it in Ghost Mode.

What's a Snapchat story?

A story is a collection of moments in the form of pictures and videos that, taken together, create a narrative. (After Snapchat popularized the format, other social media services, including Facebook and Instagram, offered story-creation tools, too.) On Snapchat, stories appear as circles, and when you tap them, they autoplay the pictures or videos the user collected. You can create personal stories that your friends can view for a 24-hour period. Or, if you think your Snap is particularly interesting or newsworthy, you can send it to Our Story. Our Stories are kind of like mini-documentaries of events, holidays, game championships, or other things happening in the world on a particular day. Snaps are curated and compiled by the company. While it's cool to have your story added to Our Story, it's also very public, so kids should think carefully before submitting one.

What's a Snapcode?

When you sign up, Snapchat gives you your own unique QR code. When you meet a fellow Snapchat user and want to friend each other, you can just take a snap of the other person's code, and they're automatically added to your friends list. Because it's so easy to find friends on Snapchat (depending on your settings) or exchange codes, teens may end up with virtual strangers on their friends list. For a variety of reasons, that can be risky, so it's best to talk to your teen about when it's safe to add people.

What's Discover?

Discover offers content created by celebrities, news and entertainment outlets, and other users. You can subscribe to specific Discover sources to receive their feeds. While Discover offers some legitimate news from publishers including the New York Times and Vice Media, the offerings can be promotional and are frequently mature or outlandish (such as people with extreme plastic surgery or rare medical conditions). But if your kid has signed up with their correct birth date, they'll miss the alcohol ads and other adult content that Snapchat filters out for underage users. Discover stories often feature promos prompting kids to "swipe up" to learn more (which usually leads to ads) or take a quiz (which is usually a marketing tool). This section runs the gamut from harmless to shocking, so it's good to look around and get a sense of what your kids are seeing.

What are Snapchat's other features?

Snapchat is waaaay more than cute photos. The more you use the app, the more points you get and the higher your Snapchat score goes. Snapchat awards high scorers with trophies and other perks. Here are a few other Snapchat features:

Cameos: These are animated GIFs featuring your selfie that you can send in a chat. Snapchat offers more than 150 video options to add your image to, including "duets" where you and a friend appear together.

Face lenses and world lenses: If you've seen photos of people with cartoon cat ears and whiskers on their faces, those are face lenses. World lenses are augmented reality elements, such as rainbows, that you can add to a snap of, say, the Eiffel Tower so it looks like it's part of the photo. Technically, lenses are "overlays" -- and they cost money on Snapchat.

Geo-filters: These are location-specific elements that can only be unlocked by visiting a specific place. Businesses use geo-filters as a way for customers to check in and advertise them. A kid could create a special geo-filter for their sweet-16 party for attendees to add to their photos.

Snapcash: Like PayPal or Venmo, Snapcash lets users transfer money to each other.

Memories: If you don't want your snaps to disappear, you can store them to send later. My Eyes Only is a way to save Memories behind a passcode so that no one else can see them.

Snapstore: This is exactly what it sounds like: a place to buy Snapchat-related items.

Shazam: A feature that helps you identify a song.

Snap Games: Co-play games with voice/text chat and ads, launched from the chat section to play with friends.

Snap Originals: These are short, serialized shows created exclusively for Snapchat in a wide range of formats from docuseries to talk shows, from the likes of BuzzFeed, the E! Network, and MTV.

Sounds: TikTok-like feature that allows users to include music with snaps.

Spotlight: This is another TikTok-like feature that aggregates snaps submitted by users into one giant feed. Once you send in a Spotlight, it's public and can be viewed by anyone on or off the platform.

Is Snapchat safe for tweens and teens?

Most kids use Snapchat to goof around and stay in contact with their friends -- end of story. Yes, there's some mature content, but it's appropriate for most teens 16 and up. That said, there are three key risky areas:

The myth of disappearing messages. When Snapchat first started, it was labeled " the sexting app" because people sent intimate photos, assuming they'd self-destruct. Any app can be misused, but a lot of kids mistakenly believe that Snapchat has a built-in Get Out of Jail Free card. Teens really need to understand that the content they share can be saved and shared and may never go away. It's best to have this conversation before they download Snapchat, but it's never too late. Talk about whether any of their friends have ever pressured them to send a sexy image and discuss why someone who would do that does not have your best interests at heart. Kids should also ask permission before sharing a picture of someone else.

The time suck. Snapchat is a ton of fun to use, and there's lots to discover on it. Snapstreaks and stories add a time-pressure element that makes kids feel like they have to check in. If it ever seems like your kid is stressing and not using the app for fun, it's time to step in.

Privacy and safety. Since it's so easy to add friends in Snapchat, you can end up with lots of people you don't know well on your friends list. And depending on your settings, the app can collect a ton of data about your habits in -- and outside of -- the app. Snapchat also works with a lot of third parties that they share your data with.

How do I monitor Snapchat and use the settings?

The biggest challenge for parents is that there's no way to see your kid's activity in the app in the same way as on other social media platforms. Since there's no feed to scroll through like on Instagram, for example, there's not much to monitor.

IIf you decide to say yes to Snapchat, focus on the privacy settings. Sit down with your kid and together go into the app's settings (the little gear icon next to your profile image). Scroll down to "Who Can..." This is where you can control important safety features such as who can see your location and who can view your story. This is a perfect time to talk to your kid about using their Snapchat account safely and responsibly. Discuss when and how often you'll check in on how they're using it and how they're feeling about it. Explain that you understand that social media is important to them, and, at the same time, your role is to protect them. Don't forget to ask your teen to show you some of their snaps and some of the cool features they like in the app. That'll make it a little less scary for you -- and send the message that you're on the same team.

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If you have tweens or teens, you know about Snapchat. And if you can't figure out how it works, you're like many parents. One of the most popular social media apps out there, Snapchat gives kids and teens what they really want: a simple way to share everyday moments while simultaneously making them look awesome.

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Did you know you can hide your likes on Instagram?

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Did you know you can hide your likes on Instagram?

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By Cristina Criddle
Technology reporter

Instagram is offering its users the option to hide the number of likes they receive on posts on the app.

The aim is to "depressurize people's experience" on the platform, the social media giant said.

Users with the feature enabled will now see the username of a follower who has liked the post, "and others", instead of a number.

The tool has been tested in several countries since 2019, but it is now being rolled out globally.

"This has taken longer than I had hoped, but I am pretty excited about... giving people more control over the experience," Instagram's boss Adam Mosseri told the BBC.

Mental health

In its testing and research, Instagram said that removing likes had little impact on behaviour or wellbeing - after concerns that using the platform could be linked to insecurity and poor mental health.

A recent Oxford Internet Institute study also found there was "little association" between social media use and mental health in teenagers.

Despite this, Mr Mosseri said Instagram - which is owned by Facebook - introduced the feature to make "people feel good about the time they spend" on the platform.

"I do think there's more to do in this space," he added. "The more we can give people the ability to shape Instagram and Facebook into what's good for them, the better."

How to activate it

The feature can be switched on or off at any time. To change it:

Go to Settings

Enter the new Posts section

Select Hide Like and View Counts

Even if a user has Like Counts enabled, they will not be able to see the number of likes on accounts or posts that have hidden them.

Users will also have the option hide counts on a specific post, before and after it goes live on the platform.

'Less worried'

"The spirit of this is to give people a choice," Mr Mosseri added, using the example of going through a break-up in a relationship or switching schools.

"Maybe you want to be a little bit less worried about how many likes everyone's getting for a couple weeks or a couple of months, and then maybe you want to switch back.

"If it's a one-way door, people tend to get hesitant about using the control."

Instagram's algorithm will still take the number of likes into account when promoting posts on the platform, but it also takes into consideration other factors, such as what the user follows or engages with.

Mr Mosseri said there had been a "polarised" reaction from creators - accounts which make money through brand partnerships and advertising on the platform - but that the new feature didn't affect revenues.

Instagram for children

Earlier this year, concerns were raised over leaked plans to design a version of Instagram for children.

Plans to create an Instagram for under-13s were not "fully fledged", Mr Mosseri said, explaining that it was difficult to verify ages, as children often didn't have IDs.

"It has to be more responsible to give parents oversight and transparency than to have kids continue to lie about their age."

He said the app would "take some time" to create.

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Instagram lets users hide likes to reduce social media pressure

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By Cristina Criddle Technology reporter Instagram is offering its users the option to hide the number of likes they receive on posts on the app. The aim is to "depressurize people's experience" on the platform, the social media giant said.

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Do you spend money in online games? Here's what you need to know:

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Do you spend money in online games? Here's what you need to know:

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No parental controls on this popular social site, so what do you need to know?

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Next up on the list of wacky social apps that teens totally get but leave parents scratching their heads: Discord - Chat for Gamers. Compared with the bright and friendly feeling of kid faves like Snapchat and Instagram, Discord mixes low-key design with high-tech features. Initially created for gamers to talk while they're playing, Discord has morphed into a place for anyone to explore their interests in subject-specific groups. Like other social networks, Discord can be iffy or safe. But, because it allows any user to create both public and private groups, the risks for kids can be tiny or huge, depending on how they use it.

Partly due to the popularity of games such as Fortnite, Discord grew quickly (it now has over 100 million users -- a bit less than Snapchat but a lot less than Instagram's 400 million). It's also had safety problems, including being at the center of at least one serious crime against a teen and a human-trafficking ring. If they know where to look, teens can easily find mature content on its public channels. And its invite-only private servers also have become places where bad actors and even cybercriminals can come together to communicate. At the same time, teens can use the app without contacting anyone but their friends and avoid the unrestricted chat from other games and platforms for a more secure experience.

So is Discord the best thing that ever happened to gamers, or is it a Wild West of inappropriate content? Read Common Sense Media's full review of Discord - Chat for Gamers, and learn more about how it works. Then check out some of parents' most frequently asked questions about the app and how to use it safely, below.

What is Discord?
How old should you be to use Discord?
What are servers on Discord?
Is Discord safe?
How is Discord related to Fortnite and Pokémon Go?
Are there privacy settings for Discord?
Are there parental controls for Discord?
How does Discord chat work?
Can you share images or video on Discord?
Is Discord just for gaming content?

What is Discord?

Discord is a free app for mobile and PC that lets people chat via text, voice, or video in real time. Combining the internet-calling features of Skype with Reddit-like discussion boards, it's broadened from gamers-only to a social networking site for communities of all types, including those with non-gaming interests like anime, TV series, music, and more. It can also be an easy-to-use group-chatting tool for friends.

How old should you be to use Discord?

Discord requires that users be at least 13 years old, although they do not verify users' age upon sign-up. Common Sense Media also recommends Discord users be at least 13 due to its open chat. Because it's all user-generated, there's plenty of inappropriate content, like swearing and graphic language and images (though it's entirely possible to belong to a group that forbids these). Discord also has "NSFW" channels and servers that require users to be 18 or older to join (but it's easy to click through the verification).

What are servers on Discord?

Servers are the main communities on Discord, often focused on a single game or topic. Anyone on the app can create a server upon sign-up. There are private servers that require an invitation to join as well as public servers that anyone can take part in. Servers are broken up into text channels and voice channels, and some have bots (computer programs that mimic human interaction) that do automatic moderation, welcoming, and community management. Discord doesn't have an in-app way to search for servers unless you've already joined them, so users have to be invited directly or else find out about them from other sources, like friends or social media.

Is Discord safe?

With the right privacy settings and monitoring, it's easy to use Discord safely. However, there's always a risk when it comes to sites and apps with open chat. The safest way to use Discord is to only accept friend requests and participate in private servers with people you already know. Although it's rare, there have been a handful of cases where predators have targeted kids by using Discord's public servers to send direct messages (DMs). Even though most server moderators (and other users) are often quick to police this kind of behavior, kids and parents should know how to recognize and deal with creeps and online predators.

How is Discord related to Fortnite and Pokémon Go?

and are two games with particularly big followings on Discord, especially for tweens and teens. There are plenty of public servers dedicated to those games but also tons of private servers that friends use to chat while they play together. For example, a squad on Fortnite could create a private server on Discord to chat and strategize together in order to avoid the public chat on Fortnite itself. Discord also allows an in-game "overlay" for Fortnite and other PC games, so gamers can use Discord to chat directly within those games (instead of having the app open in the background or using the in-game chat).

Are there privacy settings for Discord?

Discord has a wide array of privacy and safety settings that allow users to control who has the ability to send them direct messages or add them as a friend. Its "Safe Direct Messaging" feature can automatically scan and delete direct messages containing explicit content (although this isn't foolproof, and it doesn't apply outside of DMs). Discord also lets its users decide whether the app can collect and use their data for customization or analytics purposes, which is a nice change of pace from other social apps that provide no insight or control over your data. To view and change your privacy settings, select the "User Settings" gear icon by your username, then choose the "Privacy & Safety" menu item.

Are there parental controls for Discord?

At this time, Discord doesn't offer parental controls, so there's no way for parents to restrict content or password-protect the privacy settings within the app.

How does Discord chat work?

Each server on Discord has both text and voice channels. Text channels allow people to type messages to each other, while voice channels let people use the microphone and speakers on their device to talk to each other. Users can directly invite friends to a specific chat channel, or you can join a channel after being invited to a server. Some channels have limits on how many people can join, which are set by the server owners. Server owners can also set their own rules for what is or isn't allowed (for example, swearing or hate speech) and block from chat users who break the rules.

Can you share images or video on Discord?

You can share images, video, and GIFs on Discord either in text channels or direct messages (voice channels are audio only). Discord also allows for video chat and screen sharing in direct messages.

Is Discord just for gaming content?

You don't have to play video games or even discuss them to use the app. Just about any topic is represented on Discord, although gaming, music, anime, and memes tend to be the most popular categories. The app can also be used for friends and groups to chat with each other directly, as with WhatsApp, Skype, or any other messaging service.

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Next up on the list of wacky social apps that teens totally get but leave parents scratching their heads: Discord - Chat for Gamers. Compared with the bright and friendly feeling of kid faves like Snapchat and Instagram, Discord mixes low-key design with high-tech features.

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9 Inspiring Instagram Accounts for Teens to Follow - Powerful Youth

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We are excited to share nine inspiring Instagram accounts for teens to follow. These are the kind of accounts that inspire us, and we hope they will do the same for you! Wait... isn't Instagram just a place for liking your best friend's latest selfie?

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Are teen drama shows influencing children?

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Are teen drama shows influencing children?

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Whether or not the kids are alright continues to be among the more pressing questions posed by anxious parents. Most teenagers today will probably find they've been tossed into a zoo-like amphitheatre, inside which their habits - sexual, behavioural, nutritional - are surveilled, analyzed, documented and, perhaps most notably, dramatized.

" Euphoria," HBO's recently concluded drama - created by a 34-year-old man, about wayward, self-discovering teens who have risky sex, take risky drugs, and riskily violate each other - does very little to alleviate this anxiety. (It's also executive produced by Canada's very own Drake.) This fear has been only further stoked by a flowering genre of television that almost seems to spit in the face of the concerned parent.

It's called the " teen drama," and it paints a vivid (if exaggerated) picture.

Watch: Zendaya responds to the controversy around HBO's "Euphoria." Story continues below.

"13 Reasons Why," which will be returning later in August, is about a teen girl's suicide. "End of the F***ing world" is about a kid psychopath. "Elite," teen murder. Ditto for "Riverdale." "The Society" is "Lord of the Flies," but with sex and alcohol and more murder, and everything else is far too exhausting to get into, but it's safe to say this brand of entertainment is not, in the near future, going anywhere.

The parental aversion to this genre is, in many ways, justified - studies, in the past, have indicated that teenagers, when encountering media, are incredibly impressionable .

"What we've seen is that there is a consistent relationship between being exposed to, or seeing sexual content in the media, and teenage attitudes towards sex or sexual behaviour," says Dr. Amy Bleakley, a professor in the department of communications at the University of Delaware.

"When adolescents don't really have experiences of their own to draw on," she says, "what they see in the media becomes what they think is supposed to happen, what things are actually like."

Teens these days are actually pretty cautious

But research that examines the link between popular culture and adolescent brains has often been inconclusive and, at worst, easy to sensationalize , used by groups like the conservative watchdog Parents Television Council that seeks to obliterate any content that might inflict "proven long-term harmful effects" on kids, i.e. any and all depictions of violence sex, sexualization, profanity.

Some of this can seem a bit redundant, given what our latest group of adolescents - "Generation Z" - are like. "If 'entitled' is the most common adjective, fairly or not, applied to millennials," a writer at Newsweek contemplated in June , "the catchwords for Generation Z are practical and cautious." The teenagers who are the subjects of all these melancholic dramas are actually, in real life, enough so that they're being called the "cautious generation."

Every two years, 10,000 high school students in the U.S. (Canada has no comparable study) complete the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey , and the most results found that, across 2.6 million high school students, kids are very unlikely to engage in any of those behaviours we find in teen dramas.

The majority don't drink, or smoke, or fight, or do drugs or have sex, or get pregnant, or do anything, really, that could be accurately construed as "risky behaviour." These kids are even wearing helmets and seatbelts, both decidedly uncool habits in the eyes of the James Dean-era films their parents loved to watch.

"In the short term, we're undergoing a period of dramatic improvements that have not been widely acknowledged or underlined," David Finkelhor, director of the University of New Hampshire's Crimes Against Children Research Centre, told the New York Times . "And it's too bad."

It's still hard to say how susceptible teens are to media influence

"I don't have any reason to believe the relationship between adolescent brains and media is shifting," Bleakley says. She explains that with the advent of social media, teens are absorbing even more images now, which is to say that while the cultural situation may be changing, the impressionability of the adolescent brain is not. Nor is it easy to make grand, sweeping assumptions.

"Of course you want answers about your average kid, about how susceptible they are," Bleakley says, "but it's really hard to generalize across the board."

But no matter their age or social situation, it's unlikely any teenager will find themselves in an environment, however insular, where they won't witness or experience these things.

"It's important to understand that this issue is nuanced," Bleakley notes, explaining that the degree to which a teen is influenced by a show can usually be determined by their social environment. If a kid has never had sex before, for example, and hasn't had conversations with their parents about sex, then seeing lots of teenagers have sex on television "might encourage them to actually engage in sexual activity earlier than they might have otherwise," she adds.

Albert Bandura, who is Canadian and thought to be the greatest living psychologist, theorized that people learn not only by doing, but also by seeing, and that new behaviours can be acquired solely by observing others engaging in them.

"People are more likely to learn and adopt what they see when the find the models to be similar to themselves," Bleakley explains. "So teen shows, depending on how [viewers] relate to those characters, might be more influential than other shows."

Media literacy is important in teens

But, depending on the consequences of the actions on screen - whether the character is rewarded or punished - will the viewer decide to replicate the behaviour? This remains a scholarly question: whether this resistance is possible, whether teenagers - especially of a generation that's being hailed "pragmatic" and "tame" and "responsible"- are capable of rejecting what they see on screen. Whether they're capable of deciding that the characters in "Euphoria," for example, aren't ideal role models.

"That really depends on the teenager," Bleakely says. Some teenagers have " media literacy " - the ability to critically analyze something and decide it might not be realistic. But this is an ideal scenario, and requires the teenager to have grown up in an environment where this sort of critical thought was made available.

It's hard to think about all of this without your brain carefully drifting toward "13 Reasons Why," Netflix's troubling ( to say the least) show about a teenage girl's suicide that alarmed health experts. Researchers analyzed the association between the show and U.S. teen suicide rates, which they found spiked, the month after the show's release, among boys aged 10 to 17.

Their research isn't a counterargument to the CDC study. While teenagers might be making better decisions than their parents did, they happen to face some heightened risks: higher suicide rates ( mostly by firearm), higher rates of anxiety, and higher rates of depression. Aside from these problems - which are urgent, and deserve to be considered sensitively - the numbers still argue that today's oft-maligned generation is doing alright.

Use these shows as an opportunity for discussion

Still, the issue is complicated, Bleakely says. The question of whether or not parents need to be worried about their kids is a bit too simplistic, she argues. "Parents have a lot to be concerned about already," she says. "We can't always put the blame squarely on media. Media in adolescent life is not always a bad thing. It often gets perceived that way, but it actually could be used for good, too."

These television shows are part of a larger "ecological system," Bleakley says, one with interlocking influences and opposing forces. There are friends who might be having sex, peers who might be doing drugs, siblings who might be ... not wearing seatbelts. So many factors in a kid's life contribute to how they'll be later on, Bleakley says, and to think TV shows are the prime suspect isn't completely sound.

"What's important is that parents be aware of the things their kids are being exposed to," Bleakley says.

She doesn't argue for censorship. Instead, she argues these shows, if teens are going to be watching them, should be used as an opportunity for discussion.

"It's always good to use them as conversation starters - for parents to engage in conversations about sex, safe sex, drug use, all those things."

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Are Graphic TV Shows Influencing Teens As Much As We Think?

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Whether or not the kids are alright continues to be among the more pressing questions posed by anxious parents. Most teenagers today will probably find they've been tossed into a zoo-like amphitheatre, inside which their habits - sexual, behavioural, nutritional - are surveilled, analyzed, documented and, perhaps most notably, dramatized.

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Ever wondered how to set controls for your home devices?

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Parental Control for Devices and Networks - ConnectSafely

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Software, apps, devices and other resources for parental control and content filtering.

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...most people who think they can easily spot fake news probably can't?

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Are you a purveyor of fake news? People who are most confident about their ability to discern between fact and fiction are also the most likely to fall victim to misinformation, a US study suggests.

Although Americans believe the confusion caused by false news is all-pervasive, relatively few indicate having seen or shared it, something the researchers suggested shows that many may not only have a hard time identifying false news but are not aware of their own deficiencies at doing so.

Nine out of 10 participants surveyed indicated they were above average in their ability to discern false and legitimate news headlines. About a fifth of respondents rated themselves 50 or more percentiles higher than their score warranted, the analysis of a nationally representative study of data collected during and after the 2018 US midterm elections found.

In the survey, 8,285 Americans were asked to evaluate the accuracy of a series of Facebook headlines, and then rate their own abilities in discerning false news content relative to others.

When researchers looked at data measuring respondents' online behaviour, those with inflated perceptions of their abilities more frequently visited websites linked to the spread of false or misleading news. The overconfident participants were also less able to distinguish between true and false claims about current events and reported higher willingness to share false content, especially when it aligned with their political predispositions, the authors found.

"No matter what domain, people on average are overconfident ... but over 70% of people displaying overconfidence is just such a huge number," said the lead author, Ben Lyons, an assistant professor of communication at the University of Utah.

Although the study does not prove that overconfidence directly causes engagement with false news, the mismatch between a person's perceived ability to spot misinformation and their actual competence could play a crucial role in the spread of false information, the authors wrote in the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

It also suggests that those who are humble - people who tend to engage in self-monitoring, reflective behaviours and put more thought into the sites they visit and content they share - are likely to be less susceptible to misinformation, said Lyons.

Factors such as gender also played a key role in the likelihood of overconfidence and, in turn, vulnerability to false news, suggested Lyons.

"Male respondents [in the study] displayed more overconfidence - and this is a consistent finding in overconfidence literature - men are always more confident than women, which is always not so surprising."

He added: "Overconfidence is truly universal. I would be shocked if we didn't find this in every country we looked at ... although we might not see this extreme level of overconfidence, just based on cultural differences."

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Overconfident of spotting fake news? If so, you may be more likely to fall victim

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Are you a purveyor of fake news? People who are most confident about their ability to discern between fact and fiction are also the most likely to fall victim to misinformation, a US study suggests.

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Watch this talk by an ex-gaming addict (6min)

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Watch this talk by an ex-gaming addict (6min)

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How did his life revolve around gaming? What did he find when 'googled' it? How did he really find help? What are his tips for overcoming the addiction?

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Instagram Safety and Privacy | About Instagram

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To keep Instagram safe and supportive for users to express themselves, we create safety tools, privacy settings and security features. Our community guidelines support a safe and open environment for everyone.

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DIINFORMATION VS MISINFORMATION -What's the difference?

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DIINFORMATION VS MISINFORMATION -What's the difference?

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FakeBelieve - The Disinformation and Fake News Blog

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The purpose of this page is to post original resources for educators, journalists and others to use to help educate people about disinformation, manipulation and deception online.

All the resources will be provided in multiple formats and can be re-used or re-produced without attribution. The purpose of this is to maintain FakeBelieve's belief that disinformation resources should be accessible and free-to-access for all. Where it is possible, versions in multiple languages will also be added.

If you would like to request a particular resource, ask for a resource aimed at a certain age group or other demographic, or in a particular language, please get in contact with me through my Contact Form.

Resource 1 - Disinformation Versus Misinformation

This resource explains the difference between two key terms: disinformation and misinformation.

Focusing on key elements such as intention, this graphic explores the differences between the terms disinformation and misinformation. It ends by providing definitions for the verbs disinform and misinform to highlight their differences.
Files (presented as full graphics or section-by-section tiles)
Audio Explainer:

https://williamdanceblog.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/fakebelieve-infographic-disinformation-versus-misinformation.m4a

Resource 2: Why Don't We Use The Term "Fake News"?

Often when talking about disinformation, the term that occurs again and again is "fake news". The phrase has a complex history and is often shunned by journalists, researchers and fact-checkers.

This graphic details six main discussion points surrounding the term "fake news":

1. Where it originated from

2. Why some people avoid it

3. Phrasing we should use instead

4. A description of disinformation and misinformation

5. Some context on the rise of "fake news"

6. Words for disinformation and "fake news" in different languages

Often many people acknowledge that "fake news" as a term should be avoided, but may not know why. This graphic aims to clarify the main reasoning behind this, and offer alternatives for people to use.
Files
Audio Explainer:

https://williamdanceblog.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/fakebelieve-infographic-why-dont-we-use-the-term-fake-news.m4a

Resource 3: Why Does Disinformation Exist?

While many people know what disinformation is, it is also important to understand why it exists and it can exist for many different reasons.

This graphic explains three motivations for the production of disinformation: for-profit disinformation; political disinformation; and ideological disinformation.

These types are not mutually exclusive and often there is overlap between them. The purpose of this graphic is to explain why this intentionally false content exists to begin with.
Files
Audio Explainer:

https://williamdanceblog.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/fakebelieve-infographic-why-does-disinformation-exist.m4a

Resource 4: Why Do People Share Misinformation?

This graphic looks at some of the reasons why people share false content online. Understanding people's motivations for spreading false information (sometimes unknowingly) can provide insights into how to educate people to stop the spread of misinformation in the future.

Looking at different reasons such as emotional reactions, malicious sharing, and crisis situations, this infographic explores why people share misinformation.

It is also important to remember that these reasons are not mutually exclusive and that there is overlap between them, and they often interact with each other. Misinformation is a complex issue and a very rarely can a single reason account for its spread.
Files

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The purpose of this page is to post original resources for educators, journalists and others to use to help educate people about disinformation, manipulation and deception online. All the resources will be provided in multiple formats and can be re-used or re-produced without attribution. The purpose of this is to maintain FakeBelieve's belief that disinformation...

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& Male mental health focussed account: https://www.instagram.com/humenorg/?hl=en

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5 Instagram Accounts for Mental Well-being

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In the age of the internet, it can be difficult to avoid comparisons as we scroll through social media posts. This can sometimes lead to the feeling of inadequacy, expecially when we're comparing worsts to other's highlights. For this reason, it can be helpful to add in a few Instagram accounts that boost the feeling of positivity.

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Electronic devices have become an integral part of most children's lives. Kids use screen-based electronics throughout the day for schoolwork, entertainment, communication, and more. While technology offers countless educational and social benefits, there are also downsides to our widespread, easy access to these devices. One concern is the impact technology may be having on sleep.

As technology became commonplace in day-to-day life, sleep quality in children suffered. Approximately one third of children and more than half of adolescents do not get enough sleep. There are a few ways that evening and nighttime access to electronic devices could affect how much kids sleep. Spending more hours of the night on screens leaves fewer hours for sleep, and stimulating content could decrease sleepiness. Another mechanism through which electronics may affect sleep through the blue light emitted by these devices.

What Is Blue Light?

The full spectrum of visible light consists of varied light wavelengths. Violet light has the shortest wavelength, while red light wavelengths are the longest. Blue light is a short wavelength type of light that promotes alertness and performance. Blue light is also the most important regulator of our sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm.

What Are Common Sources of Blue Light?

The screens of televisions, smartphones, tablets, computers, gaming systems, and certain e-readers all produce artificial blue light. However, we aren't exposed to blue light solely through electronics. We get most of our blue light exposure from the sun. Additionally, light-emitting diode (LED) and fluorescent light bulbs - which have become increasingly common in homes due to their energy-efficiency - produce blue light.

Blue Light and Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that promotes feelings of sleepiness, and blue light suppresses the production of melatonin. Humans evolved to maintain a sleep-wake cycle based around the rising and setting of the sun. When we are exposed only to natural light from the sun, melatonin levels are low during the day, begin to increase in the evening following sunset, reach their peak in the middle of the night, and then gradually decrease until morning.

Exposure to blue light during the day from sunlight or other sources is a healthy promoter of energy and concentration. Daytime blue light exposure has also been shown to improve sleep quality and duration. However, using devices that produce artificial blue light in the evening and nighttime disrupts our natural sleep-wake cycle by tricking the brain into not producing melatonin before bed. This causes us to feel less sleepy than we should at bedtime.

How Does Blue Light Affect Children?

The general principles of light affecting melatonin production and sleep apply to both children and adults. However, children may be even more sensitive to light. As we age, structures in our eyes gradually become less sensitive to light. Children also have larger pupils than adults. A research study found that evening light exposure suppressed melatonin twice as much in children compared to adults. A child's age and developmental stage may also determine the impact. Researchers found that children who had not yet gone through puberty experienced significantly more melatonin suppression in response to evening light compared with post-puberty adolescents.

Does Blue Light Cause Sleep Issues in Children?

Observational studies from around the world have shown that screen use by children is associated with later bedtimes and less time spent asleep. While these observational studies cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship, numerous studies in adults have demonstrated that light exposure in the evening and the use of blue light-emitting devices before bed affect sleep. This evidence, combined with the data showing that children have an increased sensitivity to light-related melatonin suppression, suggests that the sleep-disrupting effects of blue light may apply to children as well.

However, more research is needed to illuminate whether blue light causes disrupted sleep or if children who already struggle with sleep are more likely to use screens (and be exposed to blue light) before bed and at night. It is possible that these two factors may share a bidirectional relationship, meaning that sleep affects screen time use, and screen time use affects sleep.

Effects of Sleep Loss in Kids

While the relationship between evening blue light exposure and sleep in children requires further investigation, the important role sleep plays in childhood functioning and development is well-supported by scientific evidence. Research has shown that sleep loss is linked with inattentiveness, impulsivity, and difficulty self-regulating. Children who don't get sufficient sleep are also at risk for poorer school performance. The symptoms of sleep loss in children often mirror the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which may lead to a misdiagnosis of ADHD in some sleep-deprived children.

Certain hormones that help with muscle mass, a healthy immune system, and cell repair are released during sleep, so these functions may also be impacted in children who are not sleeping enough.

How Can You Reduce Exposure to Blue Light?

Given the importance of sleep for a child's mental and physical health, ensuring that children are consistently getting enough sleep at night is critical. If you are concerned about the impact blue light exposure may be having on your child's sleep, there are a number of steps you and your child can take. Start by trying the following interventions:

Set a technology curfew: Establish a nightly schedule that involves ceasing the use of electronics one hour before bedtime. You can use an alarm to help a child remember to turn off screens at a certain time. It might help to plan other calming activities before bed, such as reading, puzzles, coloring, painting, or stretching. Parents should also lead by an example and limit the use of screens prior to bedtime.

Create technology-free zones: Storing phones and other devices outside of the bedroom, and especially away from the mattress, may be a difficult transition for some kids, but it can have a big impact on nighttime blue light exposure. It reduces the temptation to use devices before going to sleep and eliminates the possibility of being woken up by texts, calls, and other alerts.

Use blue light filters: Special glasses that filter out blue light may help combat the adverse effects of blue light exposure before bed. Blue light-filtering apps are also an option. They shift the color tone of a tablet or smartphone screen toward warmer wavelengths of the light spectrum.

Alter settings: Many electronic devices include options for "night mode" or "dark mode" that change the screen background to black, reducing blue light exposure.

Switch to red lights: Red light exposure does not suppress melatonin production, so it could help to use red light bulbs for evening reading lamps and nightlights. Yellow light and orange light are also on the long wavelength end of the light spectrum and could be good options.

Ensure daytime light exposure: Getting exposed to bright light during the day helps to synchronize circadian rhythms and promotes sleepiness at bedtime. Make sure your child gets plenty of bright, natural, daytime light.

It can be a struggle to navigate setting rules and boundaries around screen use, especially in teens. Talk with your child or teen frequently about the role of sleep in their physical and emotional health and the harmful effects blue light may have on sleep. It might help to work together on establishing rules for technology use. Parents and guardians can also model healthy sleep habits, including following a technology curfew and storing electronics outside the bedroom.

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How Does Blue Light Affect Children's Sleep? | Sleep Foundation

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Electronic devices have become an integral part of most children's lives. Kids use screen-based electronics throughout the day for schoolwork, entertainment, communication, and more. While technology offers countless educational and social benefits, there are also downsides to our widespread, easy access to these devices. One concern is the impact technology may be having on sleep.

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Dear parents, Here is the PDF of the recent presentation on e-safety!

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Did you know that videos can be removed from social media if spreading misinformation?

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Did you know that videos can be removed from social media if spreading misinformation?

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Social media platforms, such as TikTok, are trying to combat misinformation and are taking down videos. Here's what's happening in Australia....

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False claims about Covid vaccines - including that the Australian prime minister faked getting his jab - were among some of the hundreds of Australian videos TikTok removed from its platform as part of a misinformation crackdown.

In February, Facebook, Twitter, Google, Microsoft, Redbubble, Apple, Adobe and TikTok signed on to a new voluntary industry code aimed at combating misinformation and disinformation online.

On Saturday, the organisation representing the companies, Digi, released the first annual reports on how the tech giants are implementing the code's obligations.

In social video platform TikTok's report, the company revealed it had removed 651 videos mentioning Covid-19 or coronavirus between October 2020 and March 2021 for violating the company's misinformation policy. A further 222 videos were removed for posting medical misinformation.

Some of the false claims being made included that the prime minister, Scott Morrison, "faked" the Pfizer vaccination despite clear vision of him receiving the shot; a false claim the health minister Greg Hunt's cellulitis diagnosis was due to receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine; and a false claim the AstraZeneca vaccine had caused "80%" of the members of the Australian navy "severe side effects".

TikTok works with Agence France-Presse (AFP) to fact-check claims made about Covid-19, and passes on those fact-checked claims to the company's moderators.

Close to 20,000 Australian videos in that time also had a Covid-19 information label added to them, directing users to health sources. In instances where a video's claims have been reviewed but not yet substantiated, users will get a pop-up warning suggesting not to share the video.

Twitter reported that between July and December last year 3.5m accounts globally had actions taken against them for violation of the rules, including 1m suspended. A total of 4.5m tweets, banners or avatars were removed for violating the rules. On Covid misinformation specifically, 3,400 accounts had action taken against them, including 600 suspensions, and 3,900 tweets, banners or avatars were removed.

For accounts violating the company's election integrity policy, 6,500 had actions taken against them, with 50 suspended. A total of 8,100 tweets, banners or avatars were removed.

In Australia specifically, 37,000 Twitter accounts had actions taken for violating the rules, including 7,200 suspensions. A total of 47,000 tweets, banners or avatars from Australian accounts were removed.

Just over 50 had actions taken for violating Covid-19 misinformation policy, and less than 10 were suspended. Just 50 tweets were removed. Over 40 Australian accounts had actions taken for violating election integrity policy, and 70 tweets, banners or avatars were removed under this policy.

Redbubble, the Australian marketplace where users can make their own merchandise, reported a spike in sales for merchandise with anti-vax tags, peaking at over $15,000 in mid-2020.

The company said it removed 81 Australian-created products contravening its harmful misinformation policy, including items tagged with "plandemic", "David Icke", and various anti-vaccination tags.

On Friday, Facebook stated it had removed more than 110,000 pieces of Covid-related misinformation generated by Australian accounts in the first year of the pandemic.

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TikTok takes down hundreds of Australian videos in misinformation crackdown

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False claims about Covid vaccines - including that the Australian prime minister faked getting his jab - were among some of the hundreds of Australian videos TikTok removed from its platform as part of a misinformation crackdown. In February, Facebook, Twitter, Google, Microsoft, Redbubble, Apple, Adobe and TikTok signed on to a new voluntary industry code aimed at combating misinformation and disinformation online.

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What is it about Gaming that gets so much attention? 

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What is it about Gaming that gets so much attention? 

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What do you think 'gaming disorder' is? What can people do about it?

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10 TikTok Statistics You Need to Know in 2022 [New data]

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TikTok is the fastest-growing social media app on the market. Learn more about TikTok with the top 10 TikTok statistics you need to know in 2022.

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By Cristina Criddle
Technology reporter

Smartphone addiction is unlikely to be caused by notifications, a study by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) suggests.

It found that 89% of interactions with phones were unprompted, with only 11% responding to an alert.

Group chats were also considered a "source of distress" for participants in the study.

Scrolling features on Instagram and Facebook led to the longest interactions, the research found.

Checking your smartphone is largely caused by "an urge of the user to interact with their phone that seems to occur in an almost automatic manner, just as a smoker would light a cigarette", the study says.

The experiment analysed the smartphone use of 37 people with an average age of 25 in the UK, Germany, and France.

Participants were equipped with cameras that allowed the users to film their daily lives from a first-person perspective.

In total, 1,130 interactions were recorded for research by Maxi Heitmayer and Prof Saadi Lahlou, published on Science Direct.

Why people used their phones:

Although group chats were considered a "source of distress", users said the messages contained within them were largely unimportant.

Emails were ranked as the most important notification for participants in the study.

Users also spent less time on their phone when with other people, and the longest interactions took place on public transport or at home.

Avoid the temptation

Some participants seemed surprised at the automatic nature of their interactions.

"I wouldn't consider myself someone who isn't attached to their phone much," one participant said. "But seeing this has made me realise that I don't even remember picking it up. I think I use it a lot more than I let myself believe."

"I don't remember getting my phone out. When I see that moment, I don't remember doing that ... and I'm surprised that I keep checking it," another participant said.

The act of checking a phone has become a need for many users, rather than using the device for communication, said Prof Saadi Lahlou, co-author of the study and chair of social psychology at LSE.

"This is a serious issue, especially for children, and we are running into the dark without having fully understood how these devices are changing our way of living.

"We must learn tricks to avoid the temptation when we want to concentrate or have good social relations. To do like the cowboys did with their gun when they entered saloons: leave it outside! Or at least shut it down.

"Very important and urgent things are rare. Most things can wait a few hours - you are not going to miss out much anyway."

Dr Linda Kaye, from the Department of Psychology at Edge Hill University, said more research should be done to understand how interactions with smartphones related to executing a specific function or just fulfilling a habit.

"This may help uncover a bit more about whether these behaviours are driven by specific human needs, and how these behaviours help fulfil these, or whether they are simply behaviours for their own sake," she added.

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Phone addiction not driven by notifications, study finds

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By Cristina Criddle Technology reporter Smartphone addiction is unlikely to be caused by notifications, a study by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) suggests. It found that 89% of interactions with phones were unprompted, with only 11% responding to an alert.

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Internet matters gives top advice for parents of older teens:

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Teens 14+ online safety advice and expert tips | Internet Matters

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Teens 14+ online safety advice and expert tips | Internet Matters. Help children aged 14+ (teens) get the best out of the internet and stay safe online.

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Did you know there are apps to help you look after your mental health, help deal with stress and generally just be mindful about the here and now?

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Did you know there are apps to help you look after your mental health, help deal with stress and generally just be mindful about the here and now?

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Try these:
1. WhatsUp? (thewhatsupapp.co.uk)
2. COVID Coach App Review (commonsensemedia.org)
3. Plum village - link below

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Skip to Content

Did this review miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive, diverse representations in books, TV shows, and movies. Want to help us help them? Suggest a diversity update

A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this app.

App details

Skills: Self-Direction: goal-setting, identifying strengths and weaknesses, initiative, personal growth, self-assessment, self-reflection
Emotional Development: handling stress, identifying emotions, labeling feelings, moving beyond obstacles, persevering, perspective taking, self-awareness
Health & Fitness: meditation, mental health

Price: Free

Pricing structure: Free

Category: Health & Fitness

Size: 67.40 MB

Publisher: Centre for Applied Ethics Ltd

Version: 2.5.4

Minimum software requirements: iOS 10.0 or later; Android 4.1 and up.

Last updated: August 10, 2021

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate

About these links

Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. Thank you for your support.

Our ratings are based on child development best practices. We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate. The star rating reflects overall quality and learning potential.
Learn how we rate

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Plum Village: Zen Meditation - App Review

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Skip to Content Did this review miss something on diversity? Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive, diverse representations in books, TV shows, and movies. Want to help us help them? Suggest a diversity update The parents' guide to what's in this app.

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Shared a picture showing too much? Here's a guide to sexting and how to deal with it.

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Shared a picture showing too much? Here's a guide to sexting and how to deal with it.

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Cyber security and gaming - what's the link?

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Cyber security and gaming - what's the link?

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Explained - What is TikTok?

What is TikTok?

TikTok is a social media platform for creating, sharing and discovering short videos. The app is used by young people as an outlet to express themselves through singing, dancing, comedy, and lip-syncing, and allows users to create videos and share them across a community.

Are There Any Age Restrictions?

TikTok has a minimum user age of 13 years-old.

In Ireland the Digital Age of Consent has been set at 16 years-old. For children under that age consent must be given by the parent or guardian of the child.

How to Create an Account?

Users can either sign up using their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or email account.

Why Do Teens Like it?

TikTok is a fun app that allows teens to create and share videos with their friends.

Since the early days of social media (in particular on YouTube,) lip-syncing videos have proved a popular form of user-generated content among teens. The popularity of TV shows such as Lip Sync Battle has also helped drive interest in this type of platform.

Teens also enjoy competing in the different challenges which can be entered via the trending hashtags on the app. The app has a very dedicated, young community of users. For many of these users, gaining likes, followers and getting their videos featured on the app are important priorities. Creating and sharing their own content is now a big part of how teens spend their time online. Teens are moving away from being spectators online to becoming content creators. This app can be a really creative way, fun way for teens to express themselves and create their own social content.

How Does it Work?
Like most other apps and social networks, users can follow other users, like and comment on other user's videos. Teens can send emjois to their favourite singer on TikTok.
Users can select the song they wish to use in their video first, then record themselves miming along to the music. Alternatively, users can record their video first and then select a song. The app has lots of ways to add more fun to user's videos, for example, there are options to shoot in slow-mo, time lapse, fast forward, filters, effects or even play the song backward etc. Once users are happy with their video, they can post it to their followers and share it on other social networks for example; Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram etc. There is also a duet feature which allows you to connect with another user and lipsync together.

The search tool allows users to view other videos. Users can also view content under the trending hashtags and submit videos using these hashtags (similar to how Instagram works). The hashtags are also used to submit videos for challenges - for example; #Lipsncychallenge, #Comedychallenge, etc.

Can I Have a Private Account on TikTok?

TikTok accounts are public by default for users over the age of 15. Consider setting your account to private/friends only. Go to your profile using the head icon in the lower left corner and tap the three dots icon in the upper right corner. Select "Privacy and Settings" and click on "Privacy". Here you can secure your account by making your account private. See image above. With a private account only approved users can see your videos, however, your profile remains public.
TikTok Privacy Settings Update 2021
In 2021, TikTok updated the app's default privacy settings which includes setting the accounts of users aged 13-15 to private by default, restricting the comments on posts of users in this age range to 'friends' or 'no one', disabling the download video feature for users under the age of 16, restricting direct messaging and hosting live streams to accounts 16 and over, and restricting the buying, sending, and receiving of virtual gifts to users below 18. Read more about the updates here.

Can I Block a User?

To block a user, go to their profile, press on the "..." in the upper right corner, and select "block this user." You can unblock a user on the same menu.

Users can report comments, videos, chats, or other accounts.

Users can also flag inappropriate content. To report a TikTok press on the button with three dots and then click "report abuse."

What Are the Potential Risks?

Users may be exposed to bad language and content of a sexual nature. Users can comment on other videos, this leaves the potential for online bullying or negative comments. The app does appear to promote positive comments and encourages users to 'say something nice', however, if you come across an inappropriate comment there is an option to report abuse. With anything shared online, we recommend getting to know how the app works, check your privacy settings and always use the Granny Rule!
Useful Links:
TikTok does have a Digital Wellbeing centre where you can monitor your screentime here.
Three TikTok features every parent should know.
Like all apps and social networks, TikTok does have community guidelines. If your child is using the app, we recommend familiarising yourself with their guidelines here.

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TikTok is a social media platform for creating, sharing and discovering short videos. The app is used by young people as an outlet to express themselves through singing, dancing, comedy, and lip-syncing, and allows users to create videos and share them across a community. TikTok has a minimum user age of 13 years-old.

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Media Literacy

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Five Key Questions Form Foundation for Media Inquiry

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In the MediaLit Kit ™, the Center for Media Literacy identifies Five Key Questions as the core of our inquiry-based media literacy pedagogy. Where do they come from? Like so many good ideas that evolve slowly over time, they are simply an innovative recasting of the Five Core Concepts which the early media literacy field adapted, in turn, from traditional categories of rhetorical and literary analysis.

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"TikTok recently raised the age for using its live broadcast function from 13 to 18 after it was reported that predators were using the feature to groom children"

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ndy Warhol predicted a time everyone would have 15 minutes of fame. He was nearly right - it is actually 15 seconds. That is the maximum duration of a video clip with music (non-music clips can last up to a minute) on TikTok, the video-sharing platform that has taken the world by storm. Favoured by under-25s, who make up its core audience, TikTok this year surpassed Facebook and WhatsApp as the world's most downloaded non-gaming app.

TikTok's content doesn't take itself too seriously, and ranges from food to fashion, pranks to pets - as well as the ubiquitous dance challenges. It is a perfect fit, in other words, for the lockdown, when many of us are stuck inside and in desperate need of some silly fun. This may be why, even if you haven't downloaded it, you suddenly find, clogging up your social media, clips of Justin Bieber dancing to I'm a Savage by Megan Thee Stallion, or Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez swapping outfits to Drake's Flip the Switch. It seems everyone from doctors and nurses in PPE to bemused parents quarantined with teenagers are flocking to the app - and sometimes going viral in the process.

What makes it stand apart from Snapchat or the now defunct Vine is one crucial difference: the closely guarded algorithm that produces the app's opening dashboard. Unlike other apps, this home screen is not full of people you are following. That is because the algorithm searches for new clips rather than pushing already popular ones. Translation: you don't need lots of followers to go viral. It is this tantalising prize that gives the app its USP, and what keeps TikTokers ticking over.

But how easy is it to become a TikTok influencer? I decided to try my hand at becoming TikTok's next big thing, with the help of some of the app's current British stars.

I am not a total TikTok novice, having tuned in almost daily for a year. I like the food and travel videos, as well as young female comedians (in particular Brittany Broski and ChiwithaC). Mostly though, I'm in it for the cat videos. (I'm not the only one: the #catsoftiktok hashtag has 5.9bn views.) In fact, my first foray into creating TikTok content was a (now deleted) video of a kitten grooming. I filmed it on Instagram, added a filter to give it a heavy-metal soundtrack and flames to make it look as though the cat was headbanging. Hilarious, right? It received a handful of views and no likes. Later, while complaining to a friend's little sister that headbanging cats is objectively great content, I was instructed that the issue was using the wrong hashtags and not using a TikTok filter.

Her explanation tells you a lot about TikTok culture. The app, which launched in 2016 in China under the name Douyin with a focus on lip-syncing, was specifically designed with teenagers in mind. The hashtags invite you to take part and set challenges. Any user not sure what to create has not only topics but tools at their disposal, from image filters to options to use other users' music or visuals.

I start by figuring out what is popular in the hope that I can ride the wave. As usual there is a dance challenge, currently #blindinglights, which sees people do a set sequence to a song by the same name from the Weeknd. But as dancing is not my strong point, I pass. Luckily, nearly all the other current trends are related to lockdown. As I too am in lockdown, I smell an opportunity.

I try out the tools by using two clips I already have. First, using my clip of a fox yawning in my back garden, I'll shoot myself looking bored around the house. Then I'll add music so it looks as if the yawning fox is singing. For my second video, I'll try a traditional "hands in pans" food instruction clip. I have a video of a big box of Cornish fish I received from relatives, as well as pictures of the process of prepping, portioning up and freezing it. I know haddock storage doesn't sound the most appealing subject for the under-25s, but I need something.

That is when I encounter my first hurdle. The great illusion of TikTok is that the best content is off the cuff. Some is, but for those who do TikTok seriously, it is a craft. I was shocked by how long my first few videos took. I needed to convert all my pictures into short videos, then find a song that delivered the right high note, at just the right moment, so it would look as though my yawning fox was singing - genuinely one of my most tricky journalistic assignments.

This article includes content provided by TikTok. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'.

The hours I spent honing my little clip was no surprise to Arshdeep Soni, AKA @arshsoni10, a 24-year old TikTok user with 6 million followers. "Sometimes I stay up until two or three in the morning," he tells me. Based in Shepherd's Bush, London, Soni performs magic tricks on his TikTok. "There's a lot of work that goes into it. Planning ideas, rehearsing the right tricks for the right moment, then editing the video. Then I have to figure out the best time for me to post. There's lots of tactics."

Soni posts on other platforms, including Instagram and YouTube, but his biggest audience is on TikTok. When he is recognised on the street, "it's usually TikTok". His TikTok reputation helps him get corporate bookings, but he is beginning to generate income working with brands such as Burger King to promote their products, as well as record labels who pay him to use certain songs in his clips in the hope others will borrow that music - and so on - until it goes viral. Indeed, TikTok's influence on the music industry is huge. It is seen as an incubator for smash hits and a way to turn lesser-known artists into stars: Lizzo's Good As Hell and Doja Cat's Say So became hits after being repeatedly used in clips on the site while Lil Nas X's Old Town Road was popularised through a viral dance challenge.

Soni's passion for magic shines through on his clips. I realise that if I want to be a big TikToker, I need a focus. I choose "London lockdown nature moments" as my subject. I figure that seeing flowers, bees and beautiful trees thrive in the green spots near where I live is exactly what people want to see.

I check on my first two videos. Weirdly, fish storage is outperforming the fox. I pull together another video from clips and pictures of a walk I had taken in a secluded wood as part of my government-approved walk. A friend gives me a tip about some nearby fields and I plan to head there the next day for my daily exercise.. But when I wake up, I feel camera shy. I had not worn makeup in the previous posts and am suddenly self-conscious.

Abi Else.

"I try to go makeup-free, or not look so great some days," says Abi Else, AKA @aaaaaaaaaabi, a 22-year old TikToker from Brighton who focuses on style. "I think it's important that younger people know that it's fine to not look perfect all the time." Pressure to conform to certain beauty standards is one of a range of pressures women face online; their appearance is often targeted in the abuse they receive. And TikTok has come under fire after reports that moderators were told to suppress videos from ugly, obese, poor and disabled users. TikTok claims the policy was to prevent bullying and has since changed its guidelines.

Else, however, says her 80,000 followers are "really nice ... When I've had videos go viral, that's when all the hateful comments come in. I think a lot of the time it's because it's a young audience. They don't understand that it is actually someone on the other side."

She tells me that it is important to engage with your audience and let them get to know you. Else likes to ask her audience questions so they feel part of the clips. I shoot a video of me in a tree with a fact about London's green spaces so that my new followers (all two of them) can get a sense of who I am. The next day I find it is my best performing video so far. Well, after the one about fish.

If anyone can tell me about how to build an audience based around personality, it is Perrin Hooper, AKA @persworld, an 18-year-old TikToker with 380,000 followers. Hooper's style is to talk straight to camera and muse on life - a video diary with the odd dance thrown in. Hailing from Cornwall, Hooper says: "Where I live, social media is your main way of reaching out."

Perrin Hooper.

Hooper spends roughly three days a week working on TikTok, and the rest of the week is spent running an Etsy store selling pendants and other crafts. Recently, Hooper - who uses the pronoun they - has started producing and selling their own merchandise, a project they are working on with their mother. Mum does the "nitty gritty, stuff like costs, margins, packaging" while Hooper takes care of the creative side of things.

Despite its focus on young people, TikTok as a family business is not uncommon. One of the most famous TikTok families is the Harfins (@refelicity) - AKA Felicity and her sons, Finlay and Harrison - from Edinburgh, Scotland. Their 1.8 million followers watch the family play pranks, dance, cook and generally muck about. Felicity, a former marketer, runs the account and has helped to turn it into a business giving clients - from Mattel to the Brits - the chance to be mentioned or promoted in their videos. Indeed, it is now Felicity's main job. But it was the boys who initiated the project. "They grew up watching videos online and always wanted to create themselves." It took them years to persuade her. "I didn't realise how much fun it was going to be."

Felicity says that TikTok has given them "something creative to do as a family". But the Harfins are often recognised in their daily life - and her sons are growing up internet-famous.

"They've had to learn younger than most about behaviour in public. People film them, so they've learned not to do something they'd be worried about being put online."

I am curious about Felicity's opinion on TikTok's safety protocols, which have been the subject of sustained criticism from children's charities. The concerns centre around how quickly inappropriate content spreads, owing to the very algorithm that defines the app. One such example is the #kidnap hashtag, which saw boys pretend to kidnap girls or girls pretend to be kidnapped. It's acting, but such graphic themes are usually the preserve of 18-rated movies, not a fleeting challenge of schoolchildren.

The Harfin family.

"I don't think that criticism is limited to TikTok," she says, noting that YouTube is "far worse" and that TikTok has "sorted out" a lot of its problems. TikTok recently raised the age for using its live broadcast function from 13 to 18 after it was reported that predators were using the feature to groom children. It has also added functions such as restricted mode and family safety mode, which allow parents and children's accounts to be linked.

After we speak, Hooper sends me some suggestions to improve my ratings - they advise I try a voiceover so people can hear me and to shoot vertically rather than in landscape. I have a brainwave. What better way to show TikTok more of myself, focus on nature and join in with the stay-home trends than with a guided tour around my garden - from the cherry tree to the chewed-up slippers the foxes leave each night. Given the time, skill and expertise of the people I have interviewed, I'm not sure I'll be able to cut it as a TikTok superstar any time soon. But I don't mind, as long as I can some day beat the 375 views of my frozen fish.

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TikTok is the social media sensation of lockdown. Could I become its new star?

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With families and couples filming themselves dancing or performing skits, the app has become even more popular in recent weeks. I asked its British stars to help me get started

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Internet matters gives top advice for parents of 11-13 year olds:

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supporting pre-teens online 11-13

at this age it's likely that your child

will become more independent

spending more time online gaming

chatting and browsing

so it's vital to continue to talk to

them about online safety

this will help equip them with coping

strategies to deal with any online risks

they face

and help them be happy and healthy

online here's what you can do to help

set up parental controls on your home

broadband as well as all

internet-enabled devices that your child

has access to

many will have inbuilt controls to help

you manage which apps and sites your

child can access

and for how long helping you ensure

their time online

is positive and has a purpose our setup

safe parental control guides will walk

you through the steps

so you can get set up in just a few

minutes get them involved when setting

controls

so they feel part of the process make

sure to review them as they grow and

become more active online

as the internet rapidly becomes a more

regular part of your child's daily life

make sure you enable safe search

settings on popular sites that they're

using

like google and youtube set boundaries

or have a family contract

to set their expectations for the sites

and apps they can use

remembering that you are a role model

and they will copy what they see you do

encourage them to leave devices outside

the bedroom at night

and have regular screen free family

times

there may be an increasing number of

ways your child will be online

gaming consoles personal assistants

laptops for school

as well as smartphones so stay

interested in what they are doing

respecting their growing independence

encourage them to use their devices in

shared areas

and set up a user account just for your

child

most children get their first smartphone

before they are 12. but if you feel they

aren't old enough

explain why and help them deal with any

pressure from their peers to get a

device to fit in

keep them safe on the move by making use

of inbuilt safety settings on mobile

networks and devices to filter out

inappropriate content

check age ratings on games apps films

and social networks to see if they are

age appropriate

for game ratings check out the pan

european game information

classifications

or peggy ratings and look for age

ratings in app stores

have conversations with your child about

how they use the internet

and what they may find there most social

media platforms have a minimum age of 13

or above

but many children use them so consider

whether your child is mature enough to

post responsibly and manage any risks

they may encounter

encourage them to develop their critical

thinking making it a habit to question

what they see online

and not to take everything at face value

teach your child ways that they can

protect themselves online

like enabling strict privacy settings

using block and ignore functions

and the importance of keeping personal

information private

remind them that not everyone they meet

online may be genuine

and they should never meet anyone they

have only met online in real life

without you or an adult they already

know and trust

help your teen feel confident about

saying no if they're asked to do

anything that makes them feel worried or

uncomfortable

and to tell you about it

connected technology is hugely positive

for most children

you can help them develop a healthy

relationship with screens and tech

teaching them how to have a good balance

on online and offline activity

and a balanced digital diet

because safety on the internet matters

you

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Pre-teens (11-13) online safety advice | Internet Matters

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supporting pre-teens online 11-13 at this age it's likely that your child will become more independent spending more time online gaming chatting and browsing so it's vital to continue to talk to them about online safety this will help equip them with coping strategies to deal with any online risks

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Did you know...1 in 5 change the security settings enforced by parents...

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Did you know...1 in 5 change the security settings enforced by parents...

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What could be the consequences of this?

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https://www.scoaf.org.uk/2018/03/19/march-2018-banter-or-bullying-how-can-you-tell-the-difference/

https://spunout.ie/life/bullying/banter-bullying-toxic-online

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Do you make good decisions when you are online?

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Do you make good decisions when you are online?

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When Is Your Brain Ready for Social Media?