Wellness & Safety — News & Popular Guides
How to Protect Your Online Security
Contrary to what you may have heard, the threats don’t always come from hackers with sophisticated computer skills. There are plenty of criminals that use old-fashioned persuasion and trickery
What is Catfishing and Why It’s Dangerous
Catfishing can result in disappointment and broken hearts, but — as in the case in Riverside — it can also end in tragedy.
Online Risks and Links to Resources on How to Manage Them
Introduction Almost all good things have some risks Using any device that’s connected to the internet comes with some risk. But that’s true with just about everything that’s useful or fun, including bicycles, kitchen knives, cars or just walking down the...
Resolutions for a Safe and Secure 2024
ConnectSafely CEO Larry Magid has advice on what you can do to have a safer and more secure 2024.
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.
More Recommendations
Ask Trish: All About Filters
Trish, do u use filters? I know they’re controversial, what are your thoughts on them?
Ask Trish: Follow Requests
I get follow requests from ppl I don’t know, or ppl at my school that I haven’t really talked to and I never know whether I should accept or not. How do u know who to accept?
Ask Trish: Sextortion Facts
Me last week, reading some recently published articles about sextortion, and thinking to myself: “This issue is too important not to discuss with youth, too. They deserve the facts!”
Ask Trish: Spoken Cyberbullying
Someone on Google Hangouts said a bunch of mean things to me. I was so hurt. What do I do when someone actually says mean things online?
Ask Trish: Navigating Tech Post-Roe
Me – and so many other women – thinking to myself after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision: “Is tech safe anymore?”
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.
Parent’s Guide to Teen Sextortion Scams
Huge increase in sextortion scams targeting teens, especially boys aged 14 to 17.
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.
Parent’s Guide to Teen Sextortion Scams
Huge increase in sextortion scams targeting teens, especially boys aged 14 to 17.
Quick-Guide to Virtual Kidnapping Scams
Virtual kidnappings are on the rise. How to protect yourself and your family from this terrifying scam.
More Recommendations
Ask Trish: Anti-Hate 101 with Ask Trish
“Tell us more about your work as an anti-hate activist and what myths you’d want to bust or lessons you’d want to...
Google Simplifies Controlling Your Information in Search
Have you ever searched for your personal information on Google? You might be shocked by what you find.
Benefits of Apple’s Image Abuse Scanning Outweigh Risks
There has been quite a bit of controversy around Apple’s recent announcement that it will scan images stored in iCloud from iPhone, iPad and Mac users for Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
Ask Trish: Marginalized Groups & Online Hate
Sometimes mean behavior on social media is super casual. Instead of being harassed, my friends just don’t tag me in a picture. How do I deal with the drama? Is it possible I’m overreacting?
Ask Trish: The Pressure to Be Perfect
“I sometimes feel like the pressure to be perfect on social media can be so overwhelming. Do you have tips for...
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.