WhatsApp is all over the tech news sites today with the announcement of GIF support in their app. This is pretty cool news for users of WhatsApp but as parents keeping an eye on our children’s online activity this news makes it more and more interesting to our kids. So, what is WhatsApp and what should parents know? (more…)
To handle a language skillfully is to practice a kind of evocative sorcery. – Charles Baudelaire (Poet)
Working with digital devices requires the knowledge of a certain language. If you understand what certain words mean you are able to know what is happening in a certain device with just a glance. As parents, it is imperative that we can understand the activities our children are engaging in on their smartphones, tablets, and computers. This is why the thirteen words in this tutorial, of sorts, will be so powerful in your hands as a parent. (more…)
There are many steps to take in order to start protecting your family online. Below is the checklist from our book What’s in Your Pocket? (more…)
You don’t have time to be searching for every new device that your kid is wanting. You may not have the capacity to easily unpack every new software or operating system. You don’t have the energy to shop and compare different internet filters to see which will best meet your need. You need someone to do those things for you. That’s what SAFE is all about. (more…)
Excerpt from our book, What’s in Your Pocket?
Finding your operating system is the first step to protecting your children online. Follow the process outlined for your device below to learn how to lookup the controls tutorials that meet your needs. (more…)
I think Snapchat is a bad idea, and not for the reasons you may think.
The video below gives a pretty good description of my feelings and what I think parents should do when they see Snapchat on their kids’ phone. (more…)
What’s that movie rated?
It’s too important to ignore. While we are protecting our children online, we also have to work to protect them from other content they shouldn’t be accessing. That includes movies designed for those above their maturity level. This short feature we did in 2015 unpacks the supposed mystery behind the movie ratings system in order to help parents make quality decisions for their children’s viewing habits. Watch the video below… (more…)
I was recently able to set up a family internet filtering hotspot system called CIRCLE. It’s a pretty cool system. It has the ability to filter content with different strictness levels, set time limits and bedtimes, track usage, and lockout certain apps and software. It’s all controlled through an app on the device of the administrator. Disney has got involved and have even made some content available on the app through your purchase of CIRCLE. All in all I give this device a great review. You can listen to a full review on our free podcast at BecauseFamily.org but I’ll cover a couple of points here on my blog as well. (more…)