Category: Online Safety for Kids

Selecting an easy to remember password seems like a simple enough thing to do. But when it comes to protecting your online accounts, there are a few important things to consider before you lock in that special password that is all your own and unique to you.

Is your password secure enough? Are you using the same password across multiple accounts? What if someone hacks into a database and learns your password and email address?

Whether it be on social media, cloud backup or a password to your bank account, keeping track of passwords is a hassle. Still, passwords remain to be out first defense against an invasion of privacy that can affect our safety both on and offline. Until fingerprint technology or facial recognition becomes the norm, we all need to learn and develop good password management habits.

Learning Password Management at School

Password management can be an excellent point of discussion that is catered to students of any age that are already choosing their own passwords for their various social media accounts. Here are a few guidelines and tips that can also be used for parents at home, who in many cases are already helping their kids choose passwords for transparency at home and for online protection.

1. The importance of forming a strong password comes before anything else

Make sure your password contains capital letters, numbers, as well as special symbols. Also, do your best to make sure passwords are at least a certain length. These types of passwords may be difficult to remember immediately, so write them down and keep it on a piece of paper at home. Many online accounts save the password on your computer or smart phone app and it may be a while before you have to enter it in again.

If you fail to memorize your password and you didn’t write it down, you can create a new by clicking “forget password”, which will send a password resent link to your email.

2. The dangers of entering one’s password on a public computer

The problem with public computers is that you never know what might be lurking in the shadows. Unless you happen to be the administrator, which you probably aren’t. There might be all sorts of malware hidden in there, including the one that can spy on keystrokes.

Even assuming the computer is clean, there’s always a danger. After all, humans are on the forgetful side of the scale. In other words, your can easily forget to log out of your account and grant full control to the next random person who comes by. Not an ideal situation. Plus, you never know who’s standing behind your back when you enter your password in public.

When using your own phone or computer in a public place, be wary of logging into an account when connected to a public Wi-Fi that does not require users to identity themselves.

3. The problem of trading security for convenience and the reasons why it’s discouraged

Too many people fall into the convenience trap. They start reusing the same password across different websites for the sake of keeping things easy to remember. An additional way to increase security is to learn more about the importance of using a password manager. Thanks to its functionality, users keep the convenience of not having to remember too much. They enable creating different passwords for each account while only having to memorize the master password to access the rest.

Longer is Stronger!

According to CISA, America’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, passwords should be longer than 16 characters. 

Enhance your password security by doing the following:

• Make your passwords long, unique, and complex.
• Don’t use the same password on multiple platforms.
• Use a Password Manager to store all your passwords. This will mean you to only remember one password to access all of your other passwords.

Read about a world with no passwords:  The Future of Biometric Security

Learning Password Management at Home

Often, kids can be more tech-savvy than their parents. But even as a parent you can take the initiative to protect your family with security basics, and beyond, that are often overlooked by those who feel they are already up-to-date on the latest in online safety.

Let’s also not forget that technology is always evolving. Hackers are continually coming up with new ways to gain unlawful access to private databases and accounts. What was good practice for protecting privacy two years ago may not be the best way to go about it today.

1. Remote data wiping technology

Even if you do everything right cybersecurity-wise, what’s stopping you from misplacing or losing your device? Many people tend to be forgetful. So, if you’re not sure where your phone is (especially if you suspect someone has snatched it right out of your pocket), deleting your data before it gets into the wrong hands is a wise course of action. Remote data wiping technology is an insurance policy in this regard.

If you have important information you want to save, you’ll want to set up some sort of online back-up to a cloud account. This way you can easily restore your device if you wipe it clean. Of course, make sure your online back-up account also has a strong password.

2. Two-factor authentication

Malware programs can steal your passwords right from under your nose. With two-factor authentication you can greatly increase protection of your accounts. Two-factor authentication asks anyone logging in to perform an extra step (like entering a PIN from a confirmation SMS) before granting access an account. It can restrict access in case of a data breach or stolen password.

3. Password variations that use the same core are a terrible idea

Never underestimate the creative mind of a hacker. If they can get close to guessing your second password based on another, it won’t take long before they succeed. Randomly generated passwords are a much better idea than different variations of the same password.

4. Personally identifiable information is a no-no

Let’s put it this way. The street where you live, as well as your birthday, are all facts that can be available to anyone. Anyone willing to go to great lengths to get them, that is. Therefore, you should avoid constructing passwords around publicly identifiable information.

5. The importance of changing your passwords often

Changing your passwords regularly is a good cybersecurity practice. But it also tends to be forgotten, especially when many accounts do not require changing your password regularly. Again, with a password manager, having to remember a whole new batch of passwords becomes a non-issue.

No matter your age or expertise, the creation of a good strong password is often taken for granted. Whether it’s a social media account, a website for online shopping, your online banking access – or an app on your phone, each one of your accounts is an online profile of you that’s worth protecting in as many ways that are available.

If you think a password you have used online has been compromised, it may be due to clicking a link in a phishing email.  Learn what you can do to protect yourself as well as how to report phishing when it happens to you.

The time we used to spend outdoors, in cars, shopping malls, or just hanging out with friends, we now spend indoors watching TV or using smartphones much of the time. Adults have a hard enough time as it is to limit their screen time, so what about the children?

Such a routine is not ideal for young eyes. Their screen use has increased drastically. Online sessions have replaced classrooms, and the time they used playing in the grounds is now spent watching online videos, playing games, or Face-timing with friends.

Although it is understandable that parents currently have their hands full with remote working, homeschooling, and running the household, they are sometimes guilty of using digital devices as a babysitter. And although parents need a break too, they must establish limits regarding acceptable limits regarding screen time.

Reducing your child’s screen time can significantly lessen digital eye strain symptoms that include blurry vision, tired eyes, and headaches. Here are some ways you can take control and reduce screen time during times at home.

1. Reduce your Screen time first

Yes, it has to start with you. Kids look up to parents, and if you don’t reduce your screen time, you cannot make your children do so. There are some software and apps that you can install on your phone, and monitor how much time you spend on your phone and other digital activities. Some phones come with inbuilt features and monitor the overall usage and time you spend on individual apps.

If you spend two hours on an app every day, reduce it to one hour and then gradually, into half an hour. Once you do that, you would be surprised to see how much time you have for other activities. But it’s not about your screen time in the first place; you are doing this for your children.

Enjoy screen-free meals

The idea should be to enjoy meals. It has become a norm to eat meals in front of a TV or using cellphones that results in distracted eating. You are more focused on what is happening on the screen than what we are putting in our mouth.

Mealtimes are great for social interaction. And these days have provided both parents and children to spend more quality time with each other. So, tell your children that no phones will be allowed on the table during meals. Make them leave their phones in another room away from the table.

Call your friends and family

Traditional phone calls have become a thing of the past now. If you notice, you would prefer to send a text message or a voice mail than answering a call. But phone calls are important. And psychologically beneficial too. Direct voice communication can even save relationships, which has become crucial when families and friends are living in isolation.

Call up a friend or family member. Make your children call their friends or grandparents. And then assess how you feel after hanging up the phone. Phone calls are a great way to connect when you cannot be together physically. Video calls are great as well. At least your child won’t be tapping away on the screen, texting or scrolling down Facebook.

Read at least one chapter every day

Why one chapter? Well, if you haven’t read books in a while, you cannot finish an entire book in a day. If not one, go for at least two. Reading is one of the best hobbies, and you should urge your children to read more. Also, if the book is unable to capture their interest or attention, they can always pick up another one.

Ebooks and audiobook rentals are available at local libraries easily. Indulge in reading with your children. You can do various activities. Choose books to read for the week, and then ask your children what they learned from it. Also, you can take turns reading as a family.

Take a break from digital devices

The key is to gradually reduce screen time and cut it down as much as you can. But as said earlier, doing it in quarantine gets a bit difficult. You can start with short breaks and encourage your children to give their eyes and their devices some rest. Make a timetable for your children that they have to take a short break every hour. You can go outside in the backyard or garden. Explore ideas for fun physical indoors games.  Do some chore, solve a puzzle or anything that does not involve screens.

With short breaks, the focus gets better. And eventually, you would find these habits becoming addictive. When you step away from the screens for 10 minutes, it will slowly increase to 20 minutes. You would find yourself doing other things and getting accustomed to it. Now, this might be easier with young children but not with teens. Excessive screen use not only harms the eyes but spending too much time on social media has negative impacts on psychological health. Social media is addictive, and if you think that your teen is not going to break free anytime soon, you need to take some strict measures. Get a monitoring app designed for parents to keep a check on your teen’s digital activities.

The app monitors text messages, call logs, emails, locations, web browsing history, and a lot more. There are numerous remote functionalities too. If you think your teens are not following rules and using screens when they are supposed to be taking a break or doing something else, you can learn how to remotely shut or lock the device.

Indulge in a new hobby

Everyone person wants to learn something or know something they have been interested in for a long time. Now maybe the best time to experience or learn new things. Help your child finding a new hobby. It can be growing a veggie garden, a DIY project at home, beginner cooking skills, organizing, or anything else. Children are using tablets and phones excessively due to the monotonous routine during the quarantine. When there is something new to do, they are going to distance themselves from the screens on their own.

And even if you use screens to learn a new craft like YouTube. See that you watch the tutorial and then get to work.

The occasional laziness is okay

While all of the above tips work and bring results, you cannot spend the entire quarantine self-improving. Leave some room for relaxation. And it is alright if your child spends an hour more on-screen once a week. Do not feel guilty about it.

We all have a lot of time on our hands that we can use to reflect upon ourselves or relax. Enjoy nature and your surroundings. Plan a lunch or breakfast in the backyard/garden. Ask your children to come up with ideas for décor. And also the menu. You have to make use of what you have and feel blessed.

Mindfulness and meditation do not require physical activity but can boost your mental health and give you a new perspective. There are many ways you can practice these things with children and make them feel more attuned to their surroundings away from the digital world.

It’s one thing to turn on Google safe search, as it’s fairly easy to do with a couple clicks of a mouse, but if you have kids searching the internet you will also want to turn on safesearch settings and lock it so it can’t be turned off again.  The Google SafeSearch locking feature through a Google account is no longer available so we’ll explore all the options available to help keep your kids safe.

Safe Search Settings

Everything you need to know about protecting your family while they search the web is contained within the resources laid out by Google for families.  One of these tools related to our subject of this article is how to turn on safe search using Google Family Link.  Before we explore it, here are some instant solutions you can choose from to implement safe search settings to ensure strict internet filtering of Google.

1. Make Safe Search Kids your Home Page

Safe Search Kids is our website. It is the one you are now on as you read this article.  Our safe search settings are not dependant on any browser your kids may be using.  Simply make our site you home page or bookmark it on any device.  You can also click the bookmark tab at the of https://www.safesearchkids.com.  We are a kid-safe search engine that ensures strict internet filtering for every search entered, as long as that search is done from the top right section of our website.  You’ll also notice additional  search tools, such as safe images, wiki for kids, and video search.

2. Download the Safe Search Kids App

With this solution you you may wish to delete all browsers from your child’s device and have them only search from the app.  The safe search app is available for use on multiple devices after downloading it from a designated app store. It works with iPhone, Andriod and Kindle Fire.   With this app safe search settings are is always turned on when searching Google. Kids simply open the app to freely explore the web with safety.

3.  Install Parental Control Software

Parental controls as software installation or app download provides complete control of internet content.  You don’t have to worry about how to turn on a devices safe search settings or Google safe search, much less what browsers are being used.  Our recommended parental control app, Qustodio, includes website blocking, screen time management set to specific times of day, social media monitoring, monitoring of texts and control of what apps are downloaded or uninstalled.

The Qustodio Parental Control App:

1. Download and install the Qustodio app.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to create an account and set up profiles for your children.
3. Within the app, you can manage various settings, including enabling Safe Search for your child’s device.

When installed on all of your home’s devices, all porn is blocked.  All questionable websites are blocked.  You can block the use of certain social media networks, as well as app installations.  You will be able to set different levels of filter depending on the age of each user.  Parental control apps will also allow you to limit screen time to a certain amount of hours per day or during specific hours.  All of this control and more will be available to you from within your parental dashboard.

Google Family Link

The latest Google option for online protection is Family Link, which allows you to set digital guidelines and encourage healthy online habits as they learn, play and explore.    The goal is to guide them to good content while you manage their screen time.  You can also locate your child as long as they are carrying their mobile device.  Explore these options by downloading the app for Apple or Android on Google Family Link.  Scroll down to the bottom of this page to watch and latest information about Google Family link for 2020

Kids need extra filtering and guidance, that’s why it’s important to set up restrictions beyond the basic level of safe search on Google’s main search engine page.  As you experiment with various searches on Google, you’ll see the filtering of words, topics and images only goes so deep.  Even Google states it is not 100% accurate.  It helps to filter the most blatant material but there is still plenty of search results that will not be appropriate for kids.  This is where our website comes in.  Safe Search Kids has additional filtering that is very strict in what it allows through.  Compare search results on our safe search engine, as well as Safe Images, Wiki for Kids and Safe Videos.

Getting Started with Google Family Link:

1. Download and install the Google Family Link app from the Google Play Store.
2. Follow the instructions to set up a Google account for your child and link it to your account.
3. Manage various settings within the app, including enabling SafeSearch for your child’s device.

Google Family Link Explained (Video Tutorial)

• Check your device compatibility
• Or go directly to download on iPhones or Android.
• Explore complete parental controls for iPhone, Android and Kindle Fire using this parental app.

Google Kids Space

Using a Google account and Family Link, parents can set up Google Kids Space for each each of their children. You need a Google account.  Kids Space is managed within Family link to provide younger children safe access to pre-screened apps, games, books, and videos. Kids Space is only available for children under the age of consent as determined by the country they are living in. This isn’t a place where they will be free to surf the internet.

After children reach the age of consent, they can manage their own account if their parents permit them to. This means kids will be able to control their own settings. For example, parent supervision will turned off, including settings that have to do with downtime, allowing or blocking apps, location sharing, content that were previously blocked may be available to watch. Some Google Play settings will also change.  Go give older children more autonomy, but still maintain overall access of online activity parents will need to use a third party parental control app.

More about our Safe Search Settings

In additional to our Google filtering on Safe Search Kids, we also provide the additional search tools.

Safe Image Search:  What’s unique about our image filtering is that the websites hosting the images in our results are also screened. This increases the level of security because all of the website hosting the images are already deemed safe for kids. In fact, many of them are educational sites ending in .edu or government websites ending in .gov

Safe Wiki for Kids:  On the Safe Wiki Tab, all search results appear on our partner ‘Wiki for Kids’ website. So, it’s not Wikipedia, nor is it the Simple Wikipedia version, Wiki for Kids is a Wikipedia site created just for kids. Safe Video Search:

Safe Video Search: And finally, we have the Safe Videos tab. Just like Wiki for Kids, video search results are from our own partner run safe video website for kids. All the videos are filtered to ensure no questionable videos show up in search results.

The content filtering on any our safe search tabs is very strict, so if a bad term is entered users will see a blocking logo. At this point they can enter a new search term above. We encourage you to bookmark our website for easy access to all of our search features. We also have many online safety resource articles for parents and educators, as well as articles written just for kids.

How to Set Up Safe Search Settings on Android Phones

Using Google Search App:

Open the Google App: Launch the Google app on your Android phone.

Access Settings: Tap on your profile picture or initial in the top right corner to open the menu. Select “Settings.”

Go to Safe Search: Under the “Settings” menu, tap on “Hide explicit results.”

Enable Safe Search: Toggle the “SafeSearch” switch to the “On” position. This will filter explicit content from your search results.

Using Google Chrome Browser:

Open Chrome: Launch the Google Chrome browser on your Android phone.

Access Settings: Tap on the three vertical dots (menu) in the top right corner and select “Settings.”

Privacy and Security: Scroll down and tap on “Privacy and Security.”

Safe Browsing: Tap on “Safe Browsing” and select “Standard protection” or “Enhanced protection.” This setting helps protect you from dangerous websites and downloads, indirectly contributing to safer browsing.

Using Google Search Website:

Open Browser: Open any browser on your Android phone and go to www.google.com.

Access Settings: Tap on the three horizontal lines (menu) in the top left corner and select “Settings.”

Search Settings: Under “Search Settings,” find the “SafeSearch filters” section.

Enable SafeSearch: Check the box next to “Turn on SafeSearch” and scroll down to the bottom of the page. Tap on “Save” to apply the changes.

How to Set Up Safe Search Settings on iPhone

Using Safari with Screen Time:

Open Settings: On your iPhone, go to the “Settings” app.

Screen Time: Scroll down and tap on “Screen Time.” If you haven’t set it up yet, follow the on-screen instructions to enable Screen Time and create a passcode.

Content & Privacy Restrictions: Tap on “Content & Privacy Restrictions” and ensure the switch is turned on.

Content Restrictions: Tap on “Content Restrictions,” then select “Web Content.”

Limit Adult Websites: Choose “Limit Adult Websites” to restrict access to adult content. You can also add specific websites to the “Always Allow” or “Never Allow” lists.

Using Google Search App:

Open the Google App: Launch the Google app on your iPhone.

Access Settings: Tap on your profile picture or initial in the top right corner, then select “Settings.”

General: Under the “Settings” menu, tap on “General.”

SafeSearch: Toggle the “SafeSearch” switch to the “On” position. This setting will filter explicit content from your search results.

Using Google Chrome Browser:

Open Chrome: Launch the Google Chrome browser on your iPhone.

Access Settings: Tap on the three horizontal dots (menu) in the bottom right corner and select “Settings.”

Sync and Google Services: Tap on “Sync and Google Services.”

Safe Browsing: Toggle the “Safe Browsing” switch to “Enhanced protection” or “Standard protection.” This helps protect you from dangerous websites and downloads, contributing to safer browsing.

Conclusion

Enabling safe search settings on Android derives or iPhones is a straightforward way to protect users, especially children, from encountering explicit content online. However, any basis settings are usually insufficient.  By following the steps outlined above, you can create a safer browsing environment, but not completely safe.  Any protective measure will reduce the risk of exposure to harmful content, but only strict filtering using a kids safe search engine, resources like Google Family Link, or parental controls will ensure robust protection of children online.

As we move to distance learning due to the recent health crisis, it’s more important than ever to carefully consider the implications of transferring student data between parents, teachers, and administrators. Educational technology is now a standard across classrooms—so what exactly does that mean for our students?

Risk of Student Data Breaches

From 2018 to 2019, student data breaches tripled. In the worst case, the student’s personally identifiable information, or PII, was sold on the dark web. Even on a small scale, these breaches mean the potential for hackers to decode passwords. In these cases, student’s accounts are compromised, and there have even been reported cases of cyberbullying.

Lengthier Education Records

Years ago, the extent of student data was education records stuffed into file cabinets. Oftentimes, those records were lost or tampered with. Ultimately, they didn’t follow students as far as education records will today. Solidified on the web, students have little room for mistakes in the current climate.

It’s important to consider these factors when employing new chatrooms or technology mediums in classrooms. Ensuring all edtech helps, instead of hinders, student’s futures should be an educator’s number one priority.

Responsible Student Data Privacy in the Classroom

Student data privacy laws on a federal and state level monitor some of these potential risks on a micro-level. As an educator, though, you must take proactive measures to protect student data privacy. Consider the following when implementing education technology in digital and physical classrooms:

• Follow FERPA Sherpa: Use resources available from the government to understand the concerns with edtech in the classroom.

• Read the privacy policy: Before having students visit a website, make sure you read the privacy policy thoroughly. It may indicate it sells data to third parties, or worse, does not have a privacy policy in place at all.

• Follow the school’s approved list: Districts and schools will have an approved list of companies and websites to use in the classroom. Seek out this approval before asking students to use a program or website.

• Explain best practices: Explain best practices for safe web use to your students, and lead by example. Inform them of the dangers of sharing personal information online and not to believe everything they read online.

• Avoid clickwrap agreements: If a website in question has a clickwrap agreement, avoid using it in the classroom. These agreements are data-controlling and have free use of information used on their site.

• Look for secure sites: the “s” in ‘https’ signifies that a webpage is encrypted. Any site where students need to log in to an account should be encrypted.

The advancement of tech in education can be a benefit for efficient, personalized learning, but it’s important to take extra measures to protect the new influx of data. With proper vetting of websites, technologies, and platforms; technology can be an advantage for students, parents, and teachers.  Learn what types of personal data parents should protect.

A Note to Kids About Personal Data Privacy

Do you really want someone to use your phone to record what you say without you knowing? Do you really want strangers looking at all your pictures and texts? Then you better learn about SMALL PRINT. How about strangers selling your pictures and texts to other people? Or following everything you do online?

Of course, secretly peeking into your life is wrong. Still, you probably clicked on a box that gave someone you don’t know permission to do just that.

Small Print for Small Humans

Whenever you activate a phone or play a computer game or download an app, you see itsy bitsy print at the bottom of the pages. Those tiny words are filled with things that you need to check off before you can use your new computer or play that new game.  Those words can be so small that you probably can’t even read them.

If you could read them, they’d sound like gibberish. Many adults with years of education have trouble understanding what those weird words mean. Your parents should look at any small print that you check off, but they might have problems figuring out what they say. What people do know is that when you check the “AGREED” box, you give strangers permission to do scary things.

Do you:

1. Use a web browser?
2. Play games online?
3. Download apps to your phone or computer?
4. Upload pictures for your friends to see?
5. Store pictures or text in a cloud?

If you do, then here is a list of just some of the things that you have probably agreed to let strangers do:

• turn your video and audio recorders on
• take and use your pictures and videos
• turn your gaming machine off forever
• track everything you do online and share or sell your activity
• prevent you or your parents from legally stopping people from sharing details from your lives.

Small print is tricky. Teams of well-trained lawyers spend thousands of hours working on every little word. All that time and all those brains are there to protect the big companies that you use online. It’s up to you and your parents to protect YOU.

Make a point of looking for small print. Grab a bunch of your friends and see if all of you can figure out exactly what you agree to when you click that little box. You will be surprised.

Make a point of looking for small print. Grab a bunch of your friends and see if all of you can figure out exactly what you agree to when you click that little box. You will be surprised.