Social Media — News & Popular Guides
Weighing In on Tech’s Biggest Questions
A Youth Advisory Council perspective on social media bans, AI’s impact on jobs and the growing push for balance in a digital world
Parent and Guardian Guide to Meta Horizon Worlds
Meta Horizon Worlds is now available to teens ages 13-17 and preteens ages 10-12.
Mixed Feelings About Bill to Limit Smartphones in School
The bipartisan bill would require school districts to develop and adopt a policy to limit or prohibit the use by its pupils of smartphones.
Instagram Adopts “PG-13” Defaults for Teen Accounts: What Parents & Teens Should Know
Instagram will automatically places users under 18 into “13+” mode.
What You Need to Know about Instagram Map
Instagram’s new map lets you share locations with friends—useful, but raises privacy concerns parents and users must manage.
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Meta’s Threads Offers a Kinder, Gentler Experience than the New Twitter
Meta’s new Threads service is the second biggest challenge to Twitter.
Quick-Guide to Roblox for Parents
Roblox includes social features like in-game chat, which can be turned off to enhance safety.
FBI Issues Warning About Sextortion After Arrest in Teen Death
The FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) issued a joint national public safety alert on financial sextortion schemes.
Parent’s Guide to Twitch
Community is key on Twitch; viewers interact through live chat with reactions, emotes, and comments.
Parent’s Guide to Teen Sextortion Scams
Huge increase in sextortion scams targeting teens, especially boys aged 14 to 17.
Ask Trish: Stressing About Social Media
I’m always so stressed about social media, like who’s viewing my stories, how my pictures look, and if I “measure up” to everyone else. How do I let go?
Ask Trish: Social Media and Mental Health
Dear Trish: Maybe it’s just me but I just feel really bad about myself when I’m on social media. Like literally everyone seems to be living their best life and it reminds me how much is wrong with mine. How can I feel better?
Parent’s & Educator’s Guide to Media Literacy & False Information
Two-thirds of students can’t identify sponsored content.
Protecting Mental Health on Instagram
I’m grateful to the Wall Street Journal for shedding light on some of the ways social media can contribute to a sense of inadequacy and other mental health issues. But what the article didn’t include is tips on how parents and teens can deal with these issues for a healthier online experience.
Parent’s & Educator’s Guide to Media Literacy & False Information
Two-thirds of students can’t identify sponsored content.
Protecting Mental Health on Instagram
I’m grateful to the Wall Street Journal for shedding light on some of the ways social media can contribute to a sense of inadequacy and other mental health issues. But what the article didn’t include is tips on how parents and teens can deal with these issues for a healthier online experience.
Seniors Flocking to TikTok
When you think about TikTok, it’s easy to conjure up images of young teens lip-synching and horsing around in short videos they share with their peers.
Family Guide to Parental Controls
How do I know when to use them, and should I tell my kids?
Quick-Guide to Secure Passwords
The FBI along with other security experts are now recommending a “pass phrase” rather than simply a password. Such a phrase should be relatively long – at least 15 characters.
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Combating Domestic Violence While Sheltering at Home
Larry Magid and Kerry Gallagher speak with Rachel Gibson of the National Network to End Domestic Violence about how sheltering at home can affect domestic violence survivors and what survivors and supporters can do.
Resources for Coping, Learning, and Shopping While Stuck Home
There is never a good time for a pandemic, but the silver lining on this very dark cloud is that it’s happening at a...
Tech Tools to Engage your Family in Fun or Educational Activities
There are plenty of tools out there to keep every member of the family engaged during this period when many of us are...
TikTok to Give Parents More Control Over Teen Accounts
TikTok is adding a Family Safety Mode to give parents more control over their teen’s account
Research Finds Teens May Not Be Suffering From Too Much Tech use
One of the most important observations of the study is that “Policies restricting adolescents’ access to new technologies … may be ill advised
Parent’s and Educator’s Guide to Combatting Hate Speech
Protecting children and fostering respectful online communication.
Overall Increase in Cyberbullying — Girls 3 Times More Likely To Be Cyberbullied Than Boys
The National Center for Educational Statistics is out with its 2016 to 2017 report on bullying at school. Overall, the bullying rate hasn’t changed much from 2014 to 2015.
FaceApp Requires Caution, Not Fear
There are four lessons when it comes to FaceApp. Read on for advice about staying safe on the popular app.
5 Tips for Keeping Your Teen Safe Online this Summer
By Kerry Gallagher Your teens will probably be around the house and have more downtime this summer than they do during...