Internet Safety Blog
This Gift-Giving Season, Be Smart About Smart Toys
by Lynette Owens This article originally appeared in the Huffington Post on December 12, 2017. As you shop for the kids and teens on your list, you may be considering some of the cool options out there, either because they are asking for it or...
It’s Time to Hit the Pause Button: Why We Should Never Stop Caring about Media Literacy
By Lynette Owens This article originally appeared in the Huffington Post on November 10, 2017. Last month, the U.S. experienced one of the most horrific acts of violence when a lone gunman took aim at thousands of country music fans at an outdoor...
5 Ways to Practice Healthy Social Media Skills This Summer
By Lynette Owens Throughout the summer vacation months, most (if not all) kids are spending that time with their phones in hand. While you're all taking a well-deserved break from the school year, don't take a vacation from using social media in...
Impulsivity, Civility, Authenticity and Privacy: Announcing the Winners of the 2017 “What’s Your Story?” Video Contest
By Lynette Owens Since 2010, we have been running our annual “What’s Your Story?” video contest as a way to engage young people in a conversation on a wide range of topics about life online. We see it is a way to give them a platform that allows...
What If You Could Change the Internet?
By Lynette Owens This originally appeared in the Huffington Post on February 7, 2017. Today, we celebrate Safer Internet Day, a time when the world recognizes the importance of helping young people, and frankly all people, become safe, responsible,...
Seven Simple Steps to Protect Your Family’s Online Privacy
by Lynette Owens This article also appeared in the Huffington Post on January 27, 2017. As our first month of 2017 comes to an end, its time to remind ourselves of our resolutions for the New Year. I’m sure many of you resolved to embrace a...
Don’t Let Your New Fridge Take Down the Internet
by Lynette Owens This post originally appeared in the Huffington Post on November 2, 2016. In October, the U.S. fell victim to a massive cyberattack that caused some of your favorite websites like Amazon and Netflix to be inaccessible. This attack,...
4 Ways to Protect Your Kids from Cybercriminals
by Lynette Owens The original article appeared in the Huffington Post on October 5, 2016. Kids know the internet as a wonder-filled place where their cyberspace adventures are only limited by imagination. As parents, however, we know better. The...
Age Verification in the Digital Age
How Old Must One Be to Swipe Left or Right? By Lynette Owens The original article appeared in the Huffington Post on August 10. When Tinder announced it was shutting down all accounts of users younger than 18, many parents were surprised to find...