Family Tech Blog

Tag: parenting

  • The Three Worst Tech Parents

    The Three Worst Tech Parents

    I had the opportunity to speak at a conference last week that was full of educators and school administration. They were extremely excited about the things I had to share, they loved learning about ways to protect their students online, and they were generally interested in the statistics and facts about online dangers. They all, however, had one major complaint. “Parents just don’t seem to care.“

    That’s right! Teachers, administration, afterschool program leaders, and even librarians want to help kids learn the best way to use their tech devices. Everyone is concerned about overuse and too much screen time. Nobody wants kids to end up on the wrong websites or being communicated to by the wrong people. They all want kids to be protected while they’re on school property but they know that that is only a very small amount of time compared to the time they spend online at home.

    This all falls on parents. There is no one who has as much influence over their children as the parents who raise them. Teachers, coaches, pastors, and mentors all do what they can and have a real heart to protect your kids but if mom and dad aren’t taking part then it is an uphill battle.

    Here are three kinds of technology parents and where they mess up.

    1. The ”Do as I say, not as I do.” parent.

    I’ll never forget my neighbor’s grandfather when I was a child. He smoked like a chimney, several packs of cigarettes every day. When we would be outside playing with our friends, it never failed, he would come out light up a cigarette and immediately tell us all, “Never start smoking, it’s really bad for you.”

    I get addiction. I understand that there are things people can’t just give up. But this “do as I say not as I do” attitude can be very harmful to our kids. When it comes to technology most of us lift our phones about every 10 seconds on average. We spend 4 to 6 hours per day creeping Facebook, watching YouTube, and posting to Instagram.

    Even as a 10-year-old kid I realized how weird it was that this man was standing there, chain-smoking cigarettes, and telling us not to do the same thing. Our kids get confused when we tell them they can’t have any more screen time while we are looking at our phone just like we have all day long. Put it down, look up, and set a good example for your children.

    1. The “I’m super busy.” parent.

    I remember being told to play outside because my mom needed a few minutes to her self. We would go play at friends’ houses and every now and then a friend would say that his mom wouldn’t let us play there today because she needed the house to her self. Parents have always needed time without kids running around asking for things and getting on their nerves. The difference is that when I was a child I was going to the homes of people my parents knew. Now we set our kids down in front of devices on which they can communicate with the entire world.

    Using Netflix or YouTube as a babysitter is just simply a bad idea. It can be useful if you know how to set it up properly but most of the time parents know less about these sites and apps than their kids do. I get that you’re busy. I understand you have things you have to get done. It’s just very easy to allow your kid to be on the screen for 4 to 6 hours before you realize how long it has been. Use some sort of app that sets a time limit for your kids’ Screen time. That way it doesn’t fall to you to remember when they their time is up. It automatically kicks them off and you can tell them to get outside and have some fun in the sun.

    1. The “I have great kids.” parent

    Of course you have great kids. I know they don’t want to do anything wrong online. They will not bully people, they won’t send inappropriate photos, and they are definitely not visiting adult websites. The problem with this logic is that they don’t have to seek out these things, they come to them. Two out of every three kids who see adult content for the first time saw it by accident and the average age a young man sees pornography for the first time is age 8! These are, most likely, children whose parents would consider “Good Kids.”

    I sat and watched a young lady of seven years old create videos of herself and post them publicly on an app called Likee. I went to look at this app in the App Store and saw that it is rated 17+ because of the ability to post your videos publicly online. I guarantee mom didn’t know that app was posting videos that strangers can see online. Moms and dads trust their kids because they believe they’re going to do the right thing. The issue isn’t usually what your kid does online. Most of the time the problem is the strangers on the other side of that screen.

    Your kids need you to care!

    The worst thing we do, as parents, is decide that we can’t learn any more about the tech our kids are using. We cannot be fooled into thinking that the digital world is moving too fast for us to keep up. It does move fast, I understand, but there are resources that we can and should use to help us better wrap our minds around our children’s time on tech. Use FamilyTechBlog.com, our YouTube Channel, and Podcast to help you stay informed. Knowledge is definitely power. You need that power to keep your kids safe and help them develop healthy habits.

    Secondly, we often get too focused on ourselves and what we need. While our homes shouldn’t be fully centered around our children, we have to set some boundaries and standards to protect our kids from the nonsense that the online world can provide. We should pay attention to what they do on social media and not let them use those apps until they are old enough to use them responsibly. We need to be knowledgable about the video games they play, the sites they visit, and who they communicate with online. We should learn all we can, every chance we get, to continue to keep our kids safe.

    It is easy to get discouraged. We hear of the worst case scenario on the news almost daily. kids going missing, kids hurting themselves because of something they’ve seen online, and studies showing how damaging excessive screen time can be for our childrens’ brains. I advise that you don’t get discouraged but get inspired. Let this information drive you to learn more to protect your kids. Learn all you can and share what you learn with all of the parents you know. That’s the best way to protect our kids and help them build healthy habits.

     

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  • Family Tech News From Apple’s Developer Conference

    Family Tech News From Apple’s Developer Conference

    WWDC was held last week at Apple’s Headquarters in Cupertino, California. Every year, the tech giant hosts a conference for developers and media from all over the world. The company’s Project Managers and Chief Officers all take their turns on stage to discuss what they’ve been working on over the past year in order to increase the hype around Apple’s products and software. Much of what is announced at WWDC targets developers and “tech-heads” who can’t wait to find out how to make apps for Apple products or what the next big thing is going to be. Some of Apple’s new feature’s however could bring some peace of mind to parents. Here is a break down:

    Apple TV+

    Apple’s streaming video device has been great for viewing other services but Apple’s streaming service itself has been lackluster. One thing that has been missing for a while is the ability to make separate accounts or profiles for viewers, including children. Apple announced at WWDC that this is changing. They are making it possible to create profiles for every member of your family. Your viewing history and suggestions will be sorted according to your accounts and best of all, your recommendations won’t be overloaded with shows that your children love to watch.

    Apple Music/iTunes

    iTunes is officially no more as Apple will be separating iTunes offerings into multiple apps. Books, Podcasts, and Music will all be separate now on the MacOS. When you plug in your iPhone to sync with your Mac, nothing will happen. Your phone will sync in the background. It has become pretty apparent that most folks don’t need software to manage their music collection. Streaming music has taken over and iTunes wasn’t very good at that job. Apple Music is taking over the music service and Podcasts is mainly accessed through the mobile app, not on desktop.

    iTunes has been around since 2001 and while there are those who have become used to the software, most have been aggravated by frequent updates and overuse of computer resources. Apple is likely accurate in thinking the software won’t be missed by very many people.

    Apple Arcade

    Apple is also working their way into the video game streaming world with Apple Arcade, due to release this fall. Apple Arcade will consist of a series of exclusive games made just for their system and will be playable through your phone, tablet, Mac Computer, or Apple T+. They have a controller that you can use with AppleTV but are adding support for Playstation 4 and Xbox One controllers as well. The 100 or so available games are a bit weak looking but they are sure to find some developers who are willing to put out some quality content for Apple before too long. They’re going to have to in order to compete with Google’s Sadia and the new service coming soon from Sony and Microsoft.

    iOS 13

    Probably the most relevant of updates from WWDC has to do the Apple’s latest smartphone operating system, iOS13. The software boasts a new dark mode, faster app launches and downloads, faster Face ID unlock, and a new (to Apple at least) “swipe” style typing system.

    Dark Mode is cool and faster downloads and unlocking features are great but the iOS update doesn’t really have anything going on that is relevant to parents besides their focus on data security. More on that below.

    Photos and Video

    Photos in iOS13 is getting an overhaul as well. With the ability to pinch to zoom in your galleries and a new sorting method that groups photos together based on the date they were taken. Photos will also include a new smart gallery that will remove images like screen shots from your view, only showing the photos you’ve taken with your camera.

    Privacy is a Key Theme

    Every update at this year’s WWDC had privacy as a key theme. Directors and Developers mentioned over and over again what Apple does and doesn’t do with your data. Apple Maps uses encrypted data to help you find your way, the photos app does its date and location tracking locally, and they even mentioned a new “Sign in with Apple” that allows you to sign in with your Face ID and create accounts with individual dummy email addresses.

    Data security and privacy has been in the news a lot lately and Apple has been very vocal about their desire to keep their user’s information secure. Whether it is a direct attack against other tech companies who have made most of their money by collecting and selling data or just an honest desire to maintain their user’s trust, the result should be a bit more confidence that your information is safe if you are using their products. I always advise, however, that you continue to make efforts to protect your own privacy. Be careful what you share online. Turn off location access to apps that don’t require that information to work properly and most importantly, teach this approach to privacy to your children.

    You can listen to this article as a podcast on Family Tech Update.
    You can subscribe on Stitcher, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts using the links below the player.

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  • Dauntless: A Parent’s Guide

    Dauntless: A Parent’s Guide

    Dauntless Parent’s Guide

    The rating below is based on the game content. Online interactions will always increase the risk of unwanted content.

    Violence – 3
    Language – 4
    Sexual Content – 5
    Positive Message – 2

    Total Score – 14  out of 20
    (The higher the rating, the safer the game is for kids.)

    ESRB Rating – T for Teen [for blood and violence]

    The Game

    Dauntless is made by Epic Games, the same developers who made Fortnite. The world is called “The Shattered Isles,” floating islands make up the landscape and the Behemoth are too close to civilization. You are a Slayer, one of the defenders of the cities, you must hunt and kill these beasts, using their parts and armor to create new weapons and armor of your own, thus making you more effective at slaying the monsters of the Shattered Isles.

    Violence

    The violence in Dauntless is player vs monster or monster vs player. You go out on missions to destroy these monsters and swing your sword, hammer, axe, or pike or shoot your blaster at it. There are some sprays of blood sometimes but mostly it is just to add flavor, there is no gore to speak of in this game. Even when you slice off a part of the behemoth, the appendage looks more like a T-bone steak than any kind of disgusting severed body part. The intensity of the violence can be high but it always (at least early on) feels like you’re going to succeed at defeating the monster. You just want to score as highly as possible while you do it.

    Language

    There is some minor (Rated PG) language during the intro cinematic of the game. Beyond that, you aren’t going to hear any language at all, except for other players while playing online. Most of the communication with non-player characters in the game is through text and it is usually just lore and mission details. Not a lot of flavor text, therefore, not much by way of adult language. Language doesn’t make the list of reasons Dauntless received a T for Teen rating.

    Sexual Content

    There is no sexual content to speak of in Dauntless. Unless you come across another player being inappropriate in the chat or on voice chat, you won’t see or hear anything sexual. I was even impressed at the design of the costumes and armor. All of the female characters are tastefully dressed. There is some “mid-drift” here and there but nothing over the top, sexually.

    Positive Message

    Besides fun, the message of this game could be teamwork. Hunts are measurably easier with friends. It is also easier if you learn how to strategize your weapons and armor so that your team can work together in the best way to defeat the monsters. The “freemium” model for this game is par for the course for Epic Games since they’ve made so much money off of their “free” title, Fortnite. You will be asked by your kids if they can buy something within the game.

    What Parents Should Know

    Remember that this game is online. It is easier and more fun to fight monsters and level up when playing with other people. You can hunt alone or create a hunting party full of your friends but random matchmaking is the default mode for going out on a hunt. Kids should be a bit older or at least know how to handle themselves properly on the internet before playing games with strangers online. Talk to them about their behavior and that of others online before allowing them to play a game like Dauntless.

    You should also be careful if your credit card number is accessible on your child’s game system or computer. The items that you can purchase for Dauntless give you a really fun edge in the game and look super cool so kids will want to buy them. Like in Fortnite, they sell a pass that gives you a bunch of content and bonus loot for defeating monsters. These are all appealing and will cause your kids to ask you over and over again if they can spend some money in the game.

    Finally, keep an eye on screen time. I found myself wanting to play “just one more hunt” over and over again late into the night. It is easy to pour hours and hours into a game like Dauntless and not realize how long you’ve been playing. You can use built-in parental controls to set time limits or limit internet access to the game system or computer. Since the game is fully online, disconnection from the internet will make it impossible to play Dauntless.

    I think Dauntless is a pretty good alternative to the battle royale shooter games that are so popular today. I even think some of us parents can get involved, play with our children, and flex those video game muscles we built playing so much Zelda when we were young. 

    Listen to this story on the Family Tech Update Podcast below:

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  • PARENTS GUIDE: Rage 2

    PARENTS GUIDE: Rage 2

    Rage 2 Parent Guide

    Violence – 1
    Language – 1
    Sexual Content – 4
    Positive Message – 1

    Total Score – 7  out of 20
    (The higher the rating, the safer the game is for kids.)

    ESRB Rating – M for Mature

     

    The Game

    You’re a soldier in a war against “The Authority.” You fight against human enemies and mutants both small and large. Your weapons are futuristic and powerful and cause violent gory death for all who cross your path. You choose between a male or female character and play as a “Ranger” with a suite that gives you special abilities. You are able to fire rapidly and kill the seemingly never-ending onslaught of enemy hoards that are thrown at you. 

    Rage2 is a chaotic semi-open world first person shooter. Fighting is nearly nonstop and the violence and gore is at epic levels. Gamers will like this game for the intense gameplay, simple story, and open world exploration. Missions often end with fighting some kind of boss, many times the boss is a gargantuan mutant creature who explodes into showers of blood and gore when killed.

    This game gets an overall 7 out of 20 on the BecauseFamily parents guide. Here’s the break down.

    Violence – 1 out of 5

    The violence in Rage2 is extreme and gruesome. It may be considered over the top to the point of silly but I would consider it far too intense for younger audiences. The violence alone in Rage2 definitely earns the game the Mature rating from the ESRB. The story mode opens with intense combat. You see the explosion of heads and bodies as mutants kill your allies and you blast them in return. At one point you see a character that you identify as Ranger Jersey get killed by a giant mutant who bites of his head. The body is thrown, headless, to the ground and you then look through the first person view as your character picks up the headless body, examines its armor and then loots the armor for yourself. That pretty much sums up the brutality and intensity of Rage2’s violence.

    Language – 1 out of 5

    Every word on the list is in Rage2. The intense combat situations and battle hardened characters result in realistic adult language throughout game play. Mature language is also used during the brief moments of down time in which you communicate with non-player characters and receive new missions.

    Sexual Content – 4 out of 5

    There is no direct sexual content or nudity in Rage2. There are suggestive comments and innuendo as indicated by the description in the ESRB Rating. There are some strange scenes with men and women wearing only underwear and acting in some sort of sexual trance. It doesn’t result in sexual content, however, but in, not surprisingly, more killing.

    Positive Message – 1 out of 5

    It is hard to imagine a positive message coming from a game like Rage2. Set in a post-apocalyptic, war torn world, this game is basically just brutality and violence. You do lose some folks that you cared about but your response is vengeance. Some of the side quests and other missions seem gratuitous and meaningless.  I can usually pull out some sort of redeeming quality from the stories in these games but Rage2 has such a short story mode and the side quests are near pointless. This makes it hard to find any more intention in the game than just driving around, killing mutants, and blowing stuff up.

    What Parents Should Know

    Rage2 is a game that is intended for older audiences. The profanity, violence, and innuendo are at R or NC17 rating levels. Parents should be aware of these ratings if their children are asking to play Rage2. Should you decide it is ok for your child to play this game, you should discuss the impact the gore and violence may have on them or kids younger than them. It is important, also, that parents remember that games with an open world component can be hard to step away from. There is often a sense that it is never complete. Gamers who have that desire to finish every game they start could end up pouring hours and hours into games like Rage2. You should also keep in mind that some of your kids’ favorite YouTubers and Twitch streamers are going to be playing this game.

    Remember, also, that first person shooter games have been found to increase problems for kids with ADD or ADHD. The adrenaline that is released from the intensity of games that feature such combat can become a problem for kids if they don’t have a chance to release that adrenaline through physical activity. My goal with these reviews is to give you an idea of what a game is all about. Some games seem obviously adult oriented to many people and I think Rage2 is one of those games. If your child has you on the fence about whether or not to buy this game for them. Hopefully this article helps you with your decision.

    Listen to this review as a podcast below:

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  • Pro Sports Teams are Banning Fortnite!

    Pro Sports Teams are Banning Fortnite!

    Professional sports teams are banning Fortnite in their locker rooms citing that it is distracting players. Apparently, players performance is being affected by video gaming. How do video games affect our kids?  Obviously Fortnite is the biggest thing to happen in video games in a very long time. It’s such a big deal for our kids,  teenagers, college students, and junior high and middle schoolers. They’re all playing Fortnite online and with each eachother forcing parents to scratch their heads to about what is so alluring about this game? Why does everyone love it so stinking much?

    It’s not only kids who are getting hooked into this game. News recently came out that the Boston Red Sox are banning Fortnite in their locker room for the 2019 season. The Texas Rangers had to do it. So to the Toronto Blue Jays and even the National Hockey League’s Kanuks have said, “You know what? You guys can’t play Fortnite anymore.” They’ve been saying that it’s causing their players to be distracted and that it’s affecting their performance. One team even says that a player’s gaming has caused him to get carpal tunnel, which has made him sit out some games.

    What Parents Should Know

    Fortnite is the type of game that consumes time very quickly. It is the type of game that you want to talk about even when you’re not playing it. It is very appealing to young people and the ability to play with your friends has kids coming back to it again and again. Unfortunately, this is also something that can make it very addictive. As I’ve covered before, the World Health Organization has said that video game addiction is a diagnosable condition and there are treatment centers opening up all over the country that allow you to come and be treated for video game and screen addiction.

    Video games are not the only issue. Obviously, many of us struggle to stop scrolling social media on our devices or to stop binging Netflix shows. Video games really take the spotlight because of their interactivity.

    I’m covering this story for two reasons. First of all, I want parents to understand that it’s not just your kids that can get hooked into fortnight so easily. These athletes spend a lot of time in high pressure situations and it seems like they’re using these video games to release some of that tension. It also seems like that release of tension should be coming out on the field in order to help them perform better and it that is not what’s happening. Secondly, I wanted to cover this because I wanted you to understand the real true need for parents to be good examples on how much time you should spend on your screens. If our kids see us watching YouTube videos all day long or scrolling Instagram or Facebook non stop then they think that’s a healthy approach to tech use. They don’t see the difference between that and them playing video games? Time limits are critical. We must help our kids understand that gaming is a luxury and screen time is something that we can use to benefit us and help us have that release or escape when necessary, but it can’t become something that distracts us from what we do in normal everyday life.

    Listen to this article as a podcast below:

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  • Is Apple Blocking Parental Control Apps Because they are Competitors to Screen Time?

    Is Apple Blocking Parental Control Apps Because they are Competitors to Screen Time?

    The Story So Far

    It is a long and arduous story, the tale of Apple shutting down parental control apps. Some say it was done to protect Apple’s investment in their own Screen Time app while others believe Apple truly has the wellbeing of their customers at heart. It is hard to look at this story from any one angle alone without making a blanket statement about the opposing side. This is why I have taken a look at all sides and wish to help you, parents, understand what is happening in this strange new war.

    Last fall, after announcing the release of iOS 12 which feature their new controls app “Screen Time,” Apple began to deny certain parental control apps access to the app store. Apparently, citing the fact that Apple doesn’t allow apps to use any method to block other apps (a pretty important feature in a parental control software.) Eleven of the top seventeen parental control app developers such as Mobicip, OurPact (the top Parental Control app in the app store,) and Quistudo were all in communications with Apple for months about their apps being removed and what it would take to get reinstated. Apple’s comments seem to have been centered mostly around the removal of apps and the use of something called MDM or Mobile Device Management. They stand on the fact that MDM allows access to information that should remain private. Developers of the Parental Control apps are saying that Apple said nothing about privacy in any of their communication about getting their apps reinstated. This is causing a bit of concern for developers, media, and parents alike.

    Even more information about MDM in the video and podcast.

    Recently, the New York Times released an article about Apple’s removal of the parental control apps from the app store alluding to the possibility that the move was to eliminate competition for Apple’s Screen Time or even to keep people from using apps that cause them to use the iPhones less often. We are obviously getting a lot of they said/they said back and forth with this story and there is more to come (law suits and such) but here is what I think it all means for parents. 

    What Parents Should Know

    Above all it is important for parents to understand that there is no such thing as the perfect parental control app. The free ones are likely selling your data and the paid apps are usually using some sort of loophole to even work properly. Apple uses a pretty closed approach to their app store, only allowing a very small “sandbox” for developers to work in. This causes many of the parental apps in question to fall short of complete and total control. The MDM allowed for a bit more of that control but without that access, many of these apps are simply useless. I do believe that parental control apps should be held responsible for what they do with the data that they collect. Apple takes data security and privacy very seriously. This is what they have said is at the core of their stance against some of these apps. Apple must protect the privacy of their users, it is a major part of their platform and what sets them apart from their competitors.

    Time Management Dashboard Coming to Instagram and Facebook

    What does this mean for us as parents who want to protect our kids? First of all we have to remain vigilant to keep our kids safe online. Use some sort of network level parental controls. Whether you use Circle or something else that is built in to your router, it is a lot easier to set up filters that block your entire network than to set it up on each device. Also, you can just learn and use the built in parental controls that Apple and Android have created. Screen Time isn’t perfect (as I said, none are) but it is pretty good. Use the resources you have as well as a good, healthy environment of conversation and security to keep your kids using tech properly and discussing it with you regularly.

    Until Apple makes it easier for software developers to access user behavior, any built in parental control options will be bettor for iPhone and iPad users. Screen Time is currently a bit limited but is is a lot better than nothing and will work for most families. The best part is that the stance Apple has taken for privacy will also apply to users who have set up Screen Time. Any account that you have set up for your child will be treated as a child’s account and Apple’s terms state that their data will be treated as such also. Maybe your favorite Parental Control app is a part of this whole drama. If so, hang in there and set up something you can use because this whole story isn’t over. I’ll keep you updated as more happens.

    For even more, listen to the podcast episode below:

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  • Ten Screen Free Things to Do This Week!

    Ten Screen Free Things to Do This Week!

    Today marks the first day of Screen Free Week 2019. We have become so used to doing everything on our phones, TVs, tablets, and computers that it can be difficult to think of things to do when we unplug. It can especially be difficult for our kids who spend so much time on screens every day. Here are some ideas to help you start thinking of how you’ll spend your time this Screen Free Week. I’m sure that whichever activity you chose to do you’ll be blown away at how good it was for you to be screen free, even if only for a little while.

    1. Read Books

    No, I mean a physical book. With paper and glue and pages and everything. Many of us are spoiled to our audio books and ebooks. We carry around a library of hundreds of volumes and read whichever we want, whenever we want. This Screen Free Week, why not forget about the books in your digital library and take a look at some of the adventures you have on your actual bookshelf. You’ll be amazed at how cathartic it can be to just turn a real page instead of swiping to the next set of pixels that make up the story.

    2. Share a Screen Free Meal

    Having a meal with friends and family can be a great way to reconnect and charge up that need for social interaction. Food brings people together. Unfortunately, our phones can often get in the way of this beneficial time. Celebrate Screen Free Week by choosing to keep your phones away from the table during meals together. Look each other in the eye, have conversations, and share the time with your friends and family.

    3. Play Board Games

    You can pull out the old classics like Monopoly and Life or maybe sit down to a newer hit like Settlers of Cataan, Forbidden Island, or Dice Forge. Whatever board games you choose, you and your family and friends can enjoy screen free entertainment. Personally, I look forward to Dungeons and Dragons every week when I sit down with some guy friends, eat snacks, roll dice, and tell a story together. A story filled with imagination, humor, and adventure. Don’t underestimate the power of time around a table playing a game.

    4. Play Outside

    Trade in Screen Time for some Green Time! Get outside and get moving. Play a sport, run a race, skip, hop, jump, run, anything you can think of outside will be so good for you. Your body will thank you for the exercise and your brain will thank you for the release.

    5. Go for a Hike

    Screen Free Week is a wonderful time to get out and experience the beauty nature has to offer. You’re bound to have a hiking trail just a short drive from your home. Maybe it is just through a park in the city but it will be great to slow down, walk through nature, and stop and look at what the beauty all around you. Bend down and look at those leaves or that insect working away. Feed some ducks or squirrels. You’ll be amazed at how wonderful life is beyond the six inch space in front of your eyes that your phone often tends to occupy.

    6. Act Out Your Own Play

    We love to be entertained. Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, and Amazon Prime make their money off of our desire to escape reality by enjoying a movie or series. Take this week without screens to create your own entertainment. Play an improve game or charades to get your imagination moving. Get some friends together and act out some of your favorite scenes from the movies and shows that you love. How fun will it be to play the characters you love and laugh with your friends as you channel that inner child.

    7. Play a Musical Instrument

    How long has it been since you’ve picked up that guitar in the corner of your room? How long has that violin been sitting in its case, untouched? Without the distractions of y0ur screens this week you can take some time to play that instrument you’ve been neglecting. Maybe you aren’t a musician. Why not try something new? Borrow an instrument from a friend or just bang out a beat on your knees with some pencils. Make some music this Screen Free Week!

    8. Write in a Journal

    Social Media is often the place where we share our deepest feelings. Many of us look for validation by posting what we think about this thing or that. Since you’re avoiding screens more this week, start practicing a new train of thought. When you have an opinion you think would make a good Tweet or status update, write it down in a journal instead. Write down your deepest thoughts on all of the topics you usually post about publicly. You may find that journaling gives you the same cathartic feeling without the drama of other people’s comments and debate.

    9. Do an Art Project

    Our screens train us to consume consume consume. Why not take this break from consuming so much media as a chance to do some creating. I have a weekly goal to create more than I consume. I ask myself every day what I’ve created that I can be proud of. Often my creations are videos, blog posts, and podcasts but I can look back and say I created something instead of just consuming all day long. Give yourself a chance this week to be more creative. Make something awesome. Do some art. Maybe sidewalk chalk, or a craft project, perhaps you can knit or crochet. Do something creative that you can look back on at the end of the week and actually see the product of your time. It is so very rewarding.

    10. Plant a Garden

    Again, Screen Free Week is a great time to get outside. The spring weather is just waiting to be enjoyed. This early in the spring, it is also a great time to plant a garden. Go get some flowers and plants and set yourself up a nice patch of nature. Your kids will love helping and digging around in the dirt and your whole family will love seeing the plants come to life as the spring and summer progress.

    Beyond Screen Free Week

    There are lots of things you can do without your screen. If you are like me, Screen Free Week is a great reminder to adjust my priorities. Hopefully this Screen Free Week, you can remember the importance of time in which you intentionally unplug and spend time with those you love. Use tools like Screen Time to monitor that amount of time you spend using your devices. It is amazing what good just being aware of your screen time can do for you. Have a happy happy Screen Free Week.

    For 101 more Screen Free Week ideas visit ScreenFree.org!

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  • Memes: A Parent’s Guide

    Memes: A Parent’s Guide

    The term Meme was coined by Richard Dawkins in his book “The Selfish Gene.” It was simply defined as any form of media that was passed from person to person until it reached a massive level of popularity. Nowadays we would call that going viral. It is difficult to put your finger on a single meme as the first one or even to identify how some of today’s most popular memes got their start. In this article we’ll look at the history of memes, how we got to where we are, and what it parents need to know about Memes. Keep in mind that you can see some Meme examples in the video above.

    History of the Meme

    It didn’t take long once the internet was available to most people for Memes to become a major part of how people spent their time online. In 1991 we saw such memes as the dancing baby, motivational posters, and the hamster dance being passed along in emails and forums. These images, videos and gifs were passed from person to person and inbox to inbox, shooting this silly content to Meme stardom.

    Then came the 2000s, some would say this was the golden age for memes due to the rise of YouTube, Social Media, and Viral Videos. This took us from sharing content within a limited access forum or the contact list in our email to sharing them on our public social media page to be re-shared over and over again to thousands or millions of people. This period is where we were blessed with the rick roll, Chuck Norris jokes, turn down for what, cat videos, and Vine videos.

    We are currently living in the age of the modern Meme. Most originating on Reddit before they become popular on other social media sites, Memes are going mainstream in television, radio, politics, and marketing. Memes are used to promote idealogical ideals. Memes like the Harambee meme are an outlet for those who are bothered by certain things in society to express their belief or concern. Politicians even capitalize on the popularity of their own Memes, sharing them on their social media accounts to gain recognition and strengthen support.

    The Dank Meme

    Dank usually means dark, damp, and gross. When it comes to Memes, dank is a positive term. A dank Meme is usually one that can be used and reused with different other Memes added. Sometimes popular sound clips or songs from a Meme will make its way through a whole bunch of different videos. Something like the “oof” of a dying Roblox character being dubbed over videos of people falling or otherwise hurting themselves. This is what a dank meme usually is.

    The Memes you see gain popularity on your social media account. That Condescending Willy Wonka image with someone’s sarcastic comment typed onto it is a dank meme, having been reimagined several times, thus gaining more popularity.

    What Parents Should Know

    Memes are an easy way to express yourself. It can be a fun way for kids to have a laugh or share what they think about certain issues. My problem with some Memes is that they tend to simplify complex concepts. Something as complicated as political beliefs are packaged as Memes and expressed in a shallow, unhelpful way. The Meme is a limited genre, only allowing so much space for sharing what you think. This can cause confusion and can ultimately be polarizing.

    Memes also have a tendency to take us in a circle of reasoning. We share more Memes that we think are funny because of the statement they are making and this tells the algorithm of the social media account we use that we want to see more Memes like this. We then are simply only fed a steady diet of the same thoughts, repackaged as dank Memes and our view is never questioned or challenged in a way that can be healthy and help shape who we are.

    Finally, we have to be careful because Memes can often be very adult oriented. Memes are an expression that has been limited to those who understand them. When we start into the Meme rabbit hole, whether it’s on Reddit or Youtube, we can tend to find ourselves getting to some strange and even dark places. I am not squeamish and there are a lot of Memes that I’m a fan of and I share regularly when I see them repackaged in a way I find humorous. I did, however, get into some content while researching this article that just made me feel stupider for seeing it. See what I go through to help you out?

    Thanks for reading. Share this article with a friend who needs to know what a Dank Meme is.

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  • Indian Agencies Ask for Removal of TikTok from App Stores Citing “Pornographic and Illicit Content.”

    Indian Agencies Ask for Removal of TikTok from App Stores Citing “Pornographic and Illicit Content.”

    The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in the country of India has asked Apple and Android to remove Tik Tok from their app stores due to pornographic and other inappropriate content. The statement says that the app encourages illicit content. This comes just months after being fined by America’s Federal Trade Commission for improperly managing data collected from users in their young target audience.

    TikTok, managed by Chinese company Bytedance, has hundreds of millions of users and features user generated lip-sync, livestream, and other short form videos. The app has come under fire from many child protection agencies because of their lack of age verification and limited parental controls. The app is most popular with kids under 20 and mostly with girls. The app is wildly popular with kids under the age of 13 but it isn’t likely that stats will show that demographic since most who sign up say they are over 13 years old to line up with the company’s terms and agreements.

    Tik-Tok Under Fire as Study Finds 25% of Kids Talk to Strangers Online

    What Parents Should Know

    TikTok is another example of user generated content getting away from the company who is supposed to manage that content. They say they are doing all they can and boast how many videos and posts they’ve removed due to violations, all the while more illicit content is being uploaded by new accounts. While these companies play catch up our kids are the ones seeing the inappropriate videos that haven’t been flagged enough yet and being contacted by the creepy predators who’s accounts have yet to be removed. As I often say, the responsibility falls to parents to protect our kids from this content.

    You have to ask what it is, besides the sheer scale of numbers, that makes it so difficult for companies to get a handle on this. These issues continue to flare up yet the companies continue to grow and growth is ultimately the goal. Growth means money. Companies need more users to grow. More content will earn you more users. So perhaps they try to remove as little content as possible because it is easier to ignore the illicit and pay the bills than take a stand to protect your users and possibly slow the growth of your company. 

    Parents have to be aware of what apps their kids use. We should know when they are live-streaming or posting videos of themselves. We should follow their accounts and see what everyone who follows them see. If they won’t allow you to follow them you shouldn’t allow them to use the app. It’s really simple. Tic Tok, Snapchat, Instagram; none of them exist to keep your kids safe, they exist to make money and only take steps toward security and privacy when not doing so may hurt their bottom line. Parents have to stand up, not to these companies, but to our kids, and tell them that our goal is safety and health. Then set the right example and work with them to have the right attitude about our time on social media and other tech. You can do it! We’re here to help you.

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  • Snapchat’s Social Gaming = More Time on Social Media

    Snapchat’s Social Gaming = More Time on Social Media

    It has barely been a year since Snapchat joined Facebook in a movement to help people better manage the amount of time they spend in the social networking apps they develop. Snapchat added the ability to silence notifications from certain conversation and redesigned their app to be more about time with your friends and less about time in the app. Yesterday, however, CED Evan Spiegel announced their new focus on Social Gaming and several new original video series citing a new way to keep young people in their app even longer. 

    The games featured you and your friends’ Bitmojis. In them you play silly games that include pool toy fights, field goal kicking, and keeping your Bitmoji atop a spinning record as your friend DJs for you. In the announcement Spiegel says “On Snapchat, you’re free to be you, with your real friends. As we use the internet more and more in our daily lives, we need a way to make it a bit more human.” Apparently the idea is that as social beings, we need to hang out and since we are all spending so much time on our smartphones, Snapchat wants to be the place your kids hang out in.

    Facebook and Snapchat Join the “Time Well Spent” Movement

     

    What Parents Should Know

    I have said it several times before, we can’t blame tech companies for wanting people to spend time on their software, that’s how they make their money. Quotes from this announcement boast of a place that people can be themselves, obviously what they truly are creating is a place where we can spend more time, see more ads, and make Snapchat and its shareholders more money. No matter what social media companies say about time well spent, privacy, or security they are protecting their bottom line. They have shareholders that they must impress with the numbers so that’s what shapes their decisions. Knowing this helps us remember that the responsibility for healthy tech use falls to users, and our kids’ tech health is the responsibility of parents.

    Talk to your kids about the amount of time they spend on social media. Don’t allow them on social media that is rated higher than their age. Teach them not to expose sensitive information like their phone number or the name of their school on these apps. Finally, use some sort of filter or time management software to help you enforce your standards. Parents are the first line of defense against the dangers of unlimited and unmonitored internet use. We have to take on that responsibility because nobody else truly will.

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