Wellness & Safety — News & Popular Guides
Behind the Avatars
Roblox sparks creativity and connection—but behind the avatars, there can be more than meets the eye.
Overcoming FOMO
How to overcome FOMO — or “fear of missing out.”
Quick-Guide to Virtual Kidnapping Scams
Virtual kidnappings are on the rise. How to protect yourself and your family from this terrifying scam.
Parent’s Guide to Roblox
Roblox is a social gaming platform with a robust set of parental controls.
Ask Trish: Reclaiming Our Humanity on Social Media
Hey Trish, sometimes social media can feel so removed from our genuine, lived experiences humans. How can we be more human online?
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Is There a Relationship Between Tech Use and Gun Violence?
It was bullets, not bytes — that took the lives of 10 people in Buffalo and 21 people, including 19 elementary school students, in Uvalde, Texas. Still, some are blaming video games and social media, along with mental illness.
Ask Trish: My Debut Book, ReThink the Internet
My debut book, ReThink the Internet, the world’s first-ever by-youth, for-youth guide to safely navigating the digital world, is coming out at the end of this month, on May 31st.
Digital Wellness is Emotional Wellness
Emotional wellness is an area our society is, thankfully, working to build awareness and progress. In schools it is often called “SEL” or social emotional learning and it is sometimes the focus of “self care” content in popular media.
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?
Quick Guide to Online Safety for Seniors
A 2018 Pew Research Center survey found that 66% of Americans over 65 were internet users. That number is getting bigger all the time, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Digital Wellness is Cognitive Wellness
We actually have the power to improve our brain’s ability to acquire, understand, and apply information. But sometimes our screen use can get in the way.
Social Media Can Contribute to Despair about War but also Provide Relief
Like many people, I’ve spent a lot of time in front of my phone, computer and TV, focused on the war in Ukraine. On some TV news programs, it’s literally the only subject covered, sometimes in minute detail.
Video: TikTok’s Director of Creator Community
ConnectSafely CEO Larry Magid and Youth Advisor Trisha Prabhu spoke with Kudzi Chikumbu, TikTok’s Director of Creator Community, about the “secret sauce” for TikTok success.
Safer Internet Day: Programs for Home & School
We’re particularly proud of the experts and influencers we’ve lined up for this year’s program. Videos and other resources for families and schools are free and available now.
Parent’s Guide to Snapchat
Snapchat is for fun and spontaneity, with text, photos, and videos deleting after viewing.
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.
Tips for Dealing with Teen Sexting
Also see: Teen Sexting: Quick-Guide for Parents and Teens “Sexting” usually refers to the sharing of sexually explicit...
New Research & Resources for Online Wellness
It’s been a big week when it comes to resources for promoting wellness and helping protect children online. with new resources from Google and Instagram and a study from Common Sense Media.
Every Day Can Be ‘Safer Internet Day’
Officially, Safer Internet Day was Tuesday, February 9th, recognized in more than 100 countries around the...
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AI, Machine Learning Battle Child Sexual Exploitation
I’ve seen a steady increase in the number of reports to the organization’s CyberTipline about online child sexual abuse images (child porn) and other crimes against children.
Facebook's New Tech to Counter Child Sex Abuse Images
Podcast | ConnectSafely CEO Larry Magid speaks with Michelle DeLaune, senior VP and COO of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) about the center’s work and new technology being used at Facebook to very quickly identify and remove child pornography.
Amazon's FreeTime and Other Products for Children
Podcast | Amazon has made a big push when it comes to products for kids. To find out more about the products and services and how Amazon handles safety and privacy, ConnectSafely.org CEO and CBS News Tech Analyst Larry Magid spoke with Amazon’s Kurt Beidler.
Symantec's Paige Hanson on How to Stay Safe Online
Podcast | ConnectSafely CEO and CBS News Tech Analyst Larry Magid spoke with Paige Hanson, Symantec’s Chief of Identity Education about all things security. They not only spoke about the threats, but what people can do to stay safe online.
Teens Stress Authenticity at First US ‘Kids Have Your Say’ Meeting
As part of the Kids Have Your Say project, coordinated globally by ConnectSafely, Insight , our U.S. partner, My...
Dire Warnings About Children Dying Because of Apps and Games are a Form of ‘Juvenoia’
We can educate children and families about the dangers that surely exist in the Internet world, without having to exaggerate the nature of the danger and the degree to which the Internet itself is a risk amplifying environment.
How to Avoid Succumbing to Fake Websites — Political or Otherwise
Microsoft’s revelation that websites controlled by a group with ties to the Russian government is not only a warning to political operatives from both parties, but to everyone.
Top 5 Questions about Creativity & Copyright
1. What’s protected by copyright and what isn’t? The U.S. Copyright Office says that copyright “protects original...
App Motivates Kids to Move
A new smartphone app, Goya-Move is “designed to get children off their mobile devices and moving again.”