For Kids, Summertime Doesn’t Have to Mean More Screentime

Summertime is almost here, which means that kids will soon be out of school, perhaps with plenty of time on their hands. That’s great, but it also means that they’ll have more time to interact with their devices. For some kids, this can be problematic.

Parent Guides

Parent and Guardian Guide to Meta Horizon Worlds

Parent and Guardian Guide to Meta Horizon Worlds

Download Full Guide (PDF) Download Quick Guide (PDF) Watch Larry's Interview (Video) Meta Horizon Worlds is now available for teens ages 13 to 17. The app, created by Meta (formerly Facebook) for their virtual reality headsets, enables people to explore and socialize...

Family Guide to Messenger by Facebook

Download Free Guide (PDF) Messenger, which is both a mobile and desktop messaging app from Facebook and a feature built-into Facebook’s desktop (web) platform, allows you to exchange messages, watch videos with friends, and engage in group video or text chats complete...

Parent’s Guide to Tech for Tots

By Kerry Gallagher, JD and Larry Magid Ed.D Download Free Guide (PDF) Sixty-one percent of parents say that parenting is more difficult than it was 20 years ago, with many citing technology as the reason why, according to a 2020 Pew Research Center survey. Teaching...

Parent’s Guide to Amazon Alexa

Download Free Guide (PDF) Amazon’s Alexa is the cloud service behind voice-enabled devices from Amazon and other companies. Some, like the Amazon Echo smart speakers, are voice only. You talk to them and they respond in-kind. Others, like the Amazon Echo Show and Fire...

Parent, Educator & Youth Guide to LGBTQ Cyberbullying

By Warren J. Blumenfeld, Ed.D. Download Free Guide (PDF) All young people deserve to grow up in a world where they are accepted, loved and treated with compassion, but sadly, that’s not the case for everyone. Some young people are vulnerable to bullying,...

Wellness and Safety

Ask Trish: Mental Health Awareness Month

Ask Trish: Mental Health Awareness Month

By Trisha PrabhuMe, thinking to myself late last week, “It’s May…which means it’s Mental Health Awareness Month!” This is definitely something I have to cover on Ask Trish. Hi there, and welcome back to another week of Ask Trish! I hope you’re all well and having a...

How to Protect Your Online Security

by Larry Magid When it comes to online security, you don’t have to be paranoid to worry about people who want to harm you.  Sadly, there are such people, and although they have nothing against you personally, they do want your money, and because the internet is...

Resolutions for a Safe and Secure 2024

by Larry Magid  This post is adapted from one that first appeared in the Mercury News I’m well aware that New Year's resolutions are often abandoned by the end of January, but that’s no reason to avoid thinking about how we can improve our lives in the year to come. ...

Podcasts

Podcast: The Human Side of Media Literacy: The Stakes Are High

Podcast: The Human Side of Media Literacy: The Stakes Are High

This week we speak with Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, executive director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE). Larry and Michelle explore the importance of media literacy in education, parenting and our personal lives. You can listen here or...

Podcast: How to Dodge Techno and Moral Panics

In this second episode with Jeff Jarvis, Larry and Jeff discuss regulation, encryption, the dangers of techno-moral panics, and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which has been quite controversial in the United States. Find out more in this follow-up with...

Videos

1. Generative AI for Families

2. Smart Digital Parenting: Navigating Screens with Children & Teens

3. New Gaming Research

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