As a parent there are so many things you need to worry about to keep your kids safe, now there is another. Did you know that identity theft of kids and teens is on the rise? Just in 2016 alone, the FTC received 15,000 complaints of identity theft of a minor and in 2017 more than 1 million kids have their identities stolen.

Roughly 4% of all the cases reported in a year affect kids and teens. Unfortunately it quite easy for someone to steal a kid’s identity. Generally, it begins when a criminal takes your child’s social security number.

Why Do Thieves Use Children’s Identities

The top reason thieves target children with identity theft is that they have perfect credit. Adults can legally apply for credit, and usually do so. In turn, an adult can have either a great credit score, or a less-than-perfect credit score. Rather than take the gamble on whether or not a person has a good credit score, thieves target children. Kids don’t have mortgages or default loans or any credit card debt. It’s like grabbing a clean slate and using it all up before anyone finds out. Children are also easy targets because it may be years before the fraud is detected and they start to use their own identity.

How Thieves Use Children’s Identities

Criminals use kids’ identities for loans, renting property, applying for government benefits, and opening bank and credit card accounts. The most common method is when the thief steals your child’s social security number and then uses it with a different birth date. This process is known as creating a “synthetic identity.” Most the victim knows the identity thief. 22% of the time the identity theft is perpetrated by a parent, stepparent, sibling or other relatives.

The worst part is that criminals can get away with it for years as it usually goes unnoticed until the child is an adult and applies for credit. Identity theft hurts college kids chances of getting into school, applying for internships and obtaining their own real credit. Once their identity has been used and sullied, it is harder to clean up.

Protection and Prevention Tips

Like with many things, it is easier to prevent the problem than to fix it after it has happened. This begins with properly educating kids on the possible dangers online.

Thankfully the government is taking notice of this issue and has started penning laws protecting underage people from identity theft. In the meantime, as a parent, there is a lot you can do to protect your child and prevent identity theft.

Tip 1 – Protect Your Child’s Social Security Number

Never give out your child’s social security number to anyone who doesn’t need it. Although places like schools, extracurricular activities, and even medical offices may ask for it, they don’t need it. They are not offering your child credit and limiting access to your child’s SSN is the best defense against this type of crime.

Tip 2 – Review the Safety of Your Child’s School Information

Pay attention to privacy policies and find out how your child’s school safeguards the personal information they store on students. Consult with their security team and even the IT department to ensure your kid’s data is safe.

Tip 3 – Secure Your Kid’s and Teen’s Mobile Devices

Personal information can be stolen easily from mobile devices that are not adequately secured. Teach your kids how to create complex, safe passwords and always use them. Don’t forget to teach your kids about these types of scams, along with phishing emails and never to click on links they receive.

Tip 4 – Be Careful and Monitor Social Media

Teach your child how to use the Internet and be safe online. Be careful what you and your kids post on social media. Monitor their posts and tweets to make sure they are not oversharing or communicating with a stranger who could be an identity thief trying to steal their information.

Tip 5 – Get a Copy of Your Child’s Credit Report

You can quickly get a copy of your child’s credit report at any time to see if there is any activity. Bank loans, credit cards and other things that show up will indicate someone is using their social security number. You will need to take swift action to repair the damage.

How to Fix It, if it Happens To You

If you find out your child’s identity has been stolen take the steps below as quickly as possible to resolve it before they need to use their credit.

1. Contact all the major credit reporting agencies and ask them to remove all the credit information, inquiries, accounts and everything associated with that social security number.
2. Next, contact every business that is associated with those accounts like banks, credit cards and other places the credit was used.
3. Ask each creditor to place a “fraud alert” on the account.
4. Contact the FTC and file a fraud report. You can also call them at 877-438-4338.
5. If any of the accounts were used for medical expenses or involve taxes, you would also need to contact the police.

As fast as the years come and go, Internet technologies change, bringing new challenges for parents and educators when striving to keep kids safe online. Here are a few of the latest tips for online safety including on sites like YouTube*, as well as privacy settings for other websites and apps.

*These tips are not an endorsement of YouTube as being highly safe for kids or teens. For strict filtering of videos, use our Safe Video Search Tool at the top of this website. Read about possible developmental dangers of YouTube.

5 Tips to Make YouTube Safer

1. Set up a Family Account. By creating a shared Google account, parents can see what videos are viewed and shared with friends. To do this, go to Google on your browser and sign in with a new Google email address and password. You can also use your existing Google account on the computer and browser that kids use.
2. Turn on Restricted Mode. This feature will help filter out the worst videos, making YouTube a little safer than normal. To activate, scroll down to the bottom of your YouTube account settings page and turn Restricted Mode ON. This has to be done on any browser that is being used and you always have to be logged in for it to work.
3. Subscribe to Safe Channels. The more you subscribe to favorite ‘kid-friendly’ YouTube channels, the more positive videos will come up for viewing. Kids can also click through to their favorite safe channels and watch more safe videos related to their interests.
4. Monitor and Disable Comments. When uploading videos, you can keep bad comments from showing up on your video. In the video upload screen (or the video editing screen after uploading is complete) you can disable comments altogether or keep them unpublished until you are able to review them. 
5. Upload Privately. If you want to upload videos of your kids, or they want to upload videos of themselves, mark the video as Private or Unlisted. Private videos are only shared with friends your kids choose to share them with. Unlisted means that only those who are sent the specific link can view it.

Read more about Parental Controls for YouTube

5 Tips to Protect Your Online Privacy

1. Make sure all sites visited are secure. Simply look for the “S” in https://. Unsecured sites will not contain the “s”, which stands for secure. Unsecured websites will start with http://.
2. Make your passwords more complicated by using a combination of letters (upper and lower case), numbers and symbols.
3. Always use privacy settings and ‘opt out’ buttons within your online accounts, including but not limited to, your social media accounts. This key component of internet safety limits how much information is being shared.
4. Turn off GSP settings on apps to limit the tracking of your location. With the exception of maps and Google search for the purposes of finding local events and businesses, there is really no reason for apps or websites to know where you are located.
5. Click Carefully. Watch out for links or downloads sent to you in emails, as well as online questionnaires and giveaways. These links may infect your computer or expose kids to unwanted content.

Explore Social Media Safety and Privacy Settings.

How to Ensure Internet Safety for Kids

Almost everyone owns an electronic gadget, and the internet has become part of our daily life. While the internet furnishes us with a wealth of information and convenience, it can be a liability, especially to children. Some reports say that approximately 36% of kids age 12 – 17 have experienced cyberbullying online!

Because of these startling stats, it’s never been more important for every parent to ensure internet safety for kids. Fortunately, there are different ways of safeguard your child’s internet safety.

Below are tips on how to protect your child on the internet, including a helpful info graphic.

1. Train Them About Online Threats

Teach your children on the many online perils. For instance, let them know why it’s risky to converse with strangers online. Educate them on the sites which contain inappropriate information and let them know why they shouldn’t share personal information online. If your child doesn’t require a phone, speak to them about getting rid of their gadgets. Besides, there are many places you can sell your iPhone.

2. Know How to Use a Computer

While this might seem odd, it works for most parents. It’s surprising how much children know about the family computer than even their parents. The first step to ensuring internet safety for kids is by becoming computer literate.

This way, you can monitor what your kid does online and block specific sites containing inappropriate information with ease. More so, you can access our child’s internet history to ensure that they aren’t surfing in the wrong places. You can do all this when you know how to use a computer.

3. Acquire Monitoring Software

Parents should use a parental control app to keep an eye on their child’s access to the internet, and you can achieve this with the use of apps for parental controls. You can even install it discreetly without their knowledge. With such software, you can track all their movements online, including messages, chats as well as websites visited.

This article has been updated for 2023.  It’s been seven years since Pokémon GO became all the rage. And even though the peak of it’s popularity is long gone, it is estimated that there are still an average of 79 million monthly users.  Later in this post we’ll look at specific online safety regarding this popular augmented reality game.  But first, let’s explore the obvious…

As new technologies and trends continue to emerge, we should know by now not to rule anything out. Who would have thought a few years ago that a game on your phone would bring game lovers outside to play, and exercise. This is a good thing.  At the very least those playing the game are putting in a lot of extra steps walking while breathing in fresh air. Others are running as their virtual reality leads them into the great outdoors.

Pokémon GO – Physical Gamer Safety

Now, here’s where the discussion of gaming safety comes in regarding the unique platform and that delivers Pokémon GO. There have been reports of minor injuries due to users not paying attention to their surroundings while playing the game. It can be as simple spraining an ankle while loosing your footing off a curb, or falling and landing on your elbow.

There is a verified news story about two young men who fell off a small cliff and had to be rescued. To be clear, they climbed a fence to access an area not open to the public which led them into harms way.

Now, we will say it again! The fact that people are venturing outside and getting some exercise is a very good thing. Sitting on your couch and doing nothing over a lifetime will quite frankly – shorten your life.  Bumps and scrapes are a normal part of a healthy active lifestyle. But we would also say that when caution and care is put into the equation, there are fewer broken bones.

We’ve mentioned walking and running, and we can take that to the next level for hikers, but what about biking? One of our writers saw a young boy was playing Pokémon GO in their neighborhood while riding his bike. Parents are diligent in telling their teens not to text and drive, now you’ll also need to warn them about the dangers of riding their bike one handed while searching for Pokémon on their phone..

… and yes, NO driving while playing Pokémon GO either.

Initial reviews of the video game include comments that it’s very easy to get lost in the game to the point where kids, teens and adults alike, pay less and less attention to the ‘real’ world around them.

The moral of the story? Get outdoors, YES! Have fun, YES!  Anything that encourages any member of society to ‘get active’ is indeed a positive thing, much like Wii Fit was first launched. But when you go outside, don’t leave common sense at the door.

Online Safety Concerns about Pokémon GO

Pokémon GO is indeed an online game and offline game.  There are physical hazards, where players can be so engrossed in the game that they become very unaware of their surroundings.

Now let’s shift to the main common concerns about the online portion of the game, which goes beyond becoming glued to your smartphone screen as you explore a revolutionary game that is played in the real world.

Pokémon Go is a location-based game

To play Pokémon GO, kids need to explore their natural surroundings.  And because other players are doing the same thing, it can often lead to encounters with other players. Parents should educate their children about the importance of personal safety and the potential risks associated with interacting with strangers.  Some of these players may be kids that are much older or even adults.

Privacy Concerns

Pokémon Go collects location data and requires access to a player’s device and camera. Parents should review and understand the game’s privacy policy and discuss the implications with their children. Teach children how to safeguard their personal information and being cautious about sharing details or images with others.

Excessive Screen Time

One of the most covered topics online related to any computer game or app is the amount of time people spend looking at a screen.  Pokémon GO can be addictive, leading to excessive screen time and potential negative impacts on physical activity, sleep patterns, and overall well-being.

The old adage used to be “get off your devices and go outside and play”.  With games emersed in augmented reality, kids are getting outside and running around while looking at their screens.  A balanced lifestyle means settings limits to smartphones in general, or video games for the avid gamer, and encouraging outdoor play, exploring hobbies, and conversing with friends.

The Dangers of Smartphone Use and Walking

Zombies are invading the world!  Yes! There is a worldwide outbreak—of zombies. Germans calls these shuffling, bent creatures “Smombies,” a word made by joining two words: zombie and smartphones. Smombies are the people you see walking around with their eyes on their smartphones and not on the road ahead.

Each year, hordes of people are hurt by bumping into objects, falling into pools and getting hit by bikes and vehicles.

Innocent drivers who can’t avoid these zombies suffer from the trauma of hurting others. Older and disabled people walking down the street don’t move fast enough to avoid zombies and are commonly bumped and injured.

And this isn’t just taking place in your neighborhood. Zombies are a problem around the world.

In Seoul, South Korea, the city’s transportation department put up signs that show people using smartphones walking into cars. The signs are meant to remind people how dangerous walking can be when they don’t pay attention. The problem is that people must look up from their smartphones to see the signs.

Germany officials put bright strips of LED lights right in the sidewalk. This was done to keep people from walking into city trains. These lights have also been used in sidewalks in the Netherlands. Many people don’t like this idea, because it makes zombies feel that they don’t have to pay attention to the world around them.

In Austria, officials put airbags around lampposts to keep zombie tourists from smashing into them as they walk through the streets looking at their phones.

The city of Chongqing in southwest China has tried to solve this problem by making two walking lanes. One is for people who are not using smartphones as they walk. The other is for people walking with their heads down.

Honolulu, Hawaii, has passed a law making it illegal to enter a crosswalk while you are looking at your smartphone. People who step out into traffic with their eyes on their phone face huge fines.

Because of all the traffic accidents caused by zombies with their phones, Brazil has older ladies helping young smartphone addicts cross the street safely.

All around the world, zombies—or smombies, if you prefer–put themselves and other people in danger. You can help stop the invasion. The same goes for kids playing Pokémon GO outdoors and not watching where they are walking.  Remember this: a smartphone weighs about 4 ounces. A car can weigh about 80,000 ounces. When they hit each other, who do you think will win?

Now, look up.

Here you can search for safe videos from a variety of kid friendly websites. Our safe video search engine delivers filtered and screened videos from a variety of sources including YouTube. You can search for these videos using the safe search tool above.

KidzTube Video Search is designed for kids in grades K-8, however, teens and even adults still enjoy using it. Each safe video included is carefully reviewed by educators for both learning quality, safety, engagement factors, production quality, and other items.

Safe YouTube

Only the “best of the best” videos make it – the most safe videos from YouTube and other video platforms.  This means that anything a child watches will have value to it.

We even take our “fun” videos section seriously in terms of delivering quality wholesome entertainment. This is very different from a typical experience on YouTube or other video sites where just about anything, including very inappropriate “r-rated” or worse videos often surface.

Furthermore, most videos on YouTube are not screened for educational quality, so kids might be learning incorrect facts.

On a near daily basis, videos on KidzTube get submitted by people in the education field that work with us. You can access these videos by using the video search tool at the top of our website. We also have strategic partnerships with some of the best teaching resources, like Khan Academy, to get early access to their content.

Safer Videos

Once a video is approved for inclusion and passes all our tests, we carefully categorize it in the appropriate subjects and subcategories. This helps to ensure better search results and improved related video content during browsing.

Created by KidzSearch, it as has over 30,000 safe video titles and the video library keeps growing each week. After all, kids need to have some fun too as a way of encouraging them to come back and keep learning things in our educational library.

One way we achieve this is by providing reviewed safe videos in areas such as music videos (designed for kids), movies/tv shows for kids, magic tricks, arts/crafts, cute animal videos, quality non-violent cartoons, toy reviews, and sports.

Safe Video subject areas include:

• English
• Fine Arts
• Health
• Math
• Science
• Technology
• Social Science
• History and more.

KidzTube is more than a safe YouTube alternative.  Our related videos software carefully mixes relevant educational videos with our fun content to help guide kids towards learning new concepts that they might otherwise never explore. For example, a cartoon that features lasers might have an educational video that talks about how lasers work next to it for viewing.

In addition, you’ll find content dealing with emotional health issues that are very important to kids in our Psychology and Motivational videos section. These videos all teach very important concepts that all children should learn to be better students and to get along better with other kids.

Each and every video on KidzTube has our quality of approval seal on it, so you can be certain that it will be safe, educational, and enjoyable for kids to watch.

Best of all, our content is 100% free to watch and works on desktop, mobile tablets/phones, and in our KidzSearch App available for Android, Apple iOS, and Amazon Kindle devices.

Video Search Alternatives

YouTube continues to be the dominate platform and search engine for videos.  We encourage the use of our video search tool to ensure all videos are educational, as well as filtered through a robust screening system to ensure safety. This is idea for schools.

As kids get older, they are going to want to be on YouTube.  Parental monitoring and supervisions by teachers in the classroom will be a key factor in maintaining safety online.  At the very least, set up parental controls for Youtube should your children or students leave our website and search for videos on other video platforms.

One step up in safety when searching for videos is YouTube Kids, which a different app dedicated for kids which has more suitable safer video content for children.