SafetyWeb Twitter Party Transcript with 5MinutesforMom and Annie Fox #SafetyWeb

Here the full transcript of our @SafetyWeb Twitter Party hosted by Annie Fox and 5MinutesforMom last week! safetyweb: Hello everyone! Glad you’re here with us. safetyweb: We have SafetyWeb Certificates to give away. Each for a 6-month SafetyWeb subscription good for up to 2 children. Annie_Fox: Welcome everyone to our first twitter party. Tonite’s focus: [...]

Before You Hand Over a Smartphone to Your Teen…

The numbers keep growing. More and more teenagers are not just armed with a mobile phone, but a Smartphone. It’s estimated that close to a quarter of children between 14 and 17 years old already have one according to a recent report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. While Smartphones are amazing devices [...]

Survey Findings: Parents, Teens and Online Privacy

A new poll finds that many parents have new concerns about their children and their privacy online. The Pew Internet Project and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University just released a new study called “Parents, Teens and Online Privacy.” Among the key findings, 81% of parents reported being concerned about how [...]

Is Your Teenager Armed with New Technology this Year?

Many parents gave their children iPads, cell phones and computers this past holiday season. Hopefully, along with these gifts of advanced technology, those lucky teenagers were also given good guidelines on being safe online. Keeping children safe is top priority for parents and it’s important that parents stay diligent at keeping a close eye on [...]

The Online Obsession

Is it really possible to become addicted to the Internet?  This question has been getting attention lately due to a recent study published in the scientific journal, PLoS ONE* focusing on this very subject.  With all of us, especially kids, using the Internet more than ever before, it’s worth taking a closer look… The study [...]

Your Teen’s Smartphone and Geotagging

Teenagers either have or want a smartphone. According to the Pew Research Center, 31% of teenagers ages 14-17 have one, and that number is quickly rising.  iPhones and androids have great features that appeal to teens by giving them the capability to remain connected with friends and family by way of phone, text and social [...]

Identity Theft: Children Are Targets Too

Imagine a thief using your own child’s identity to commit fraud. The thought is enough to give any parent the chills. But the fact is, child identity theft is a real threat. ID Analytics found that more than 140,000 children are victims each year. Child identity theft is the act of using a child’s personally [...]

Don’t Be Too Social!

With spring break around the corner, it’s time for parents to pay special attention to the social activity of their kids and teenagers to help them protect their online reputations. Children often spend more time online during vacations and college students may take special trips. Experts agree that a child’s online image is important for [...]

Twittering Teens

Is your child on Twitter? Parents are often quick to assume their teen’s social media activity is primarily focused on Facebook, but there’s a good chance they’re on Twitter too. A recent survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, which explores the impact of the internet on families and civic life, found [...]

It Takes a Village To Raise a Tech-Smart Kid

As technology continues to rapidly change, how parents oversee and monitor their children’s online activities and behavior is also constantly evolving.   How old a child should be before owning a phone is just scraping the surface of challenging questions moms and dads face in the new world order of technology.    Looking at the big picture, [...]

Texting: 911 for Teens

Texting is the king of communication for teens, but it’s now looking like it may serve a more important role than its traditional use of chattering back and forth with friends and family. Crisis hotlines are finding that today’s youth are opting out of using the phone to reach out for help, and are turning [...]

Facebook Kicks Out 20,000 Underage Users Every Day

If you ever wondered whether underage tweens were ‘sneaking’ onto Facebook, despite the 13 and older ‘age restriction’, wonder no more. Facebook’s Chief Privacy advisor yesterday confirmed the social networking site kicks out over 20,000 underage users every day, and it surely does not catch everyone lying about their age. According to a study from [...]

Social Networks: Should Teachers “Friend” Students Online?

It’s all over the news lately. Several school districts around the country are deciding whether to instill social networking policies, as teachers and students connect online on sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. After three teachers in New York City were fired for allegedly flirting with students online, the New York Post nicknamed the recent [...]

Tech Trends to Come in 2013

As we say goodbye to 2012 and usher in 2013, technology experts are recapping the hot trends of the year and looking ahead to what social media changes we can expect next. It’s tough to keep up with the trends! Here’s a recap of some key developments that may affect your family’s technology habits. Fast Company [...]

Cyberstalking: Warning Signs Your Child is Being Cyberstalked

Cyberstalking is sometimes misconstrued as a minor problem because the harassment does not occur face-to-face, but don’t be fooled by the disguise.  Cyberstalking (harassment or unwanted communication via technology) can lead to in-person stalking, sexting, and cyberbullying, and should be taken very seriously. To stop cyberstalking, we must first understand the warning signs and recognize [...]

Could Wikileaks Postings Jeopardize Your Child’s Future?

The news about Wikileaks and the potential threat to our national security is making headlines throughout the world. If you haven’t yet had a conversation with your child about Wikileaks, but you believe he or she is talking about it with friends or at school, it may be prudent to have a conversation about social [...]

Looking Backward to See Forward – Child Online Safety in the New Year

When it comes to technology and social media, many parents feel like they are constantly playing catch up in an attempt to stay on top of what their kids are up to online. So in an effort to keep up as we enter 2012, we wanted to share some interesting information from a recent blog [...]

SafetyWeb’s Spring Break Tips

Fun. Sun. Relaxation. Spring break is the time of year when many teens take trips. But these fun little vacations can mean extra worries for parents. Along with safety and travel concerns, parents should pay extra attention to their teen’s social networking profiles before, during and after that spring break vacation. Check out our five [...]

Facebook’s new facial recognition feature: What parents need to know

Tag, you’re it! Facebook’s photo sharing is getting a facelift. If you’ve ever uploaded a photo to your Facebook page, you’re surely familiar with “tagging” someone – notifying a friend that she’s in a pic you posted. And our kids do it all the time – using digital cameras, camcorders and cell phones — to [...]

New Privacy Changes on Facebook

It looks like online privacy has received a shot in the arm from the top dog of social media. Earlier this week, Facebook announced they are making several changes that will make it clearer with whom you are sharing photos, status updates, locations and tags. In fact, it’s one of the biggest privacy overhauls in [...]

Parenting: “Back to School” Mobile and Digital Media Safety Tips

Now that the kids are officially back to school in most parts of the country, this is the perfect time to regroup and review some basic “Back to School” safety tips for both mobile and digital media. Review your cell phone ground rules. Does your child’s school allow cell phones in classrooms?  Do they have [...]

SafetyWeb Parents Poll: How many Facebook friends does your teen have?

For Parents: A Fresh Perspective on SafetyWeb’s Internet Monitoring Software

When it comes to products that specialize in protecting children online, there are a few different choices available on the market today. We know that SafetyWeb is the most convenient, affordable, comprehensive online safety solution on the market, but we’re a little biased. So, let’s delve a bit deeper into what makes SafetyWeb such an [...]

Summer Vacation: Tech Safety Tips

Summer is in full swing, and for many families that means a summer getaway is still on the horizon. For today’s family, the cell phone and laptop or tablet are the first items to be packed. However, going hi-tech on vacation does have issues that should be considered before hitting the road. Here are tips that both [...]

Cyberbullying: A Pocket Guide for Parents of Bullied Kids

Six high school football players from Marble Falls, Texas were arrested last month after allegedly threatening another football player from a rival school district via cell phone. The harassment came in the form of text messages which police say contained homophobic slurs and were “vulgar and obscene” in nature. To their credit, Marble Falls High [...]

Text Messages: U.S. Teens Send Over 3,000 Text Messages Per Month

You’ve given in. Your teenager now has a cell phone. You probably got it for emergency purposes, right? Hey, your child’s a “good kid.” Nothing to worry about… Okay, so maybe you’ve noticed that he or she has been glued to a cell phone lately, but c’mon, what kid isn’t?!  Besides, they only send text [...]

Cyberbullying: Parents and Schools Must Respond to Cyberbullying

An article in today’s The Washington Post defines cyberbullying as a result of “lack of maturity, lack of supervision, and technology.”  Here is where the problem frequently lies: Teens often avoid reporting cyberbullying to their parents for fear of their computer privileges being taken away.  As a result, parents simply don’t hear about these potentially [...]