Cyber Safety In The News
As part of the Cyber Safety Consulting mission, we want to bring you as much current information as possible. To that end, we have pulled together a compilation of news articles over the past month. One may catch your interest, two, or maybe all of them. Take a look and we hope this helps!
For the full article, click the headline and you will be taken to the original article.
How to Talk to Youth About the Dangers of Viral Challenges and Online Safety
We believe having open conversations about risky behaviors online is critical. While starting these conversations can be difficult, they often need to happen sooner rather than later. They encourage your child to have a healthy online experience in an increasingly connected world.
How To Talk To Teenagers About Online Pornography
We know that the average age of online pornography exposure is 12 years old. This makes it imperative to have these conversations early on, and it should be a casual, on-going conversation. It can also be a great time to include and explain your family’s values about sex.
Study shows screen time in infancy can lead to behavioral problems later on
Parents often wonder what the right amount of screen time is for their child. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that young children stay away from screens until the age of 18 months, and then screentime should be limited to no more than one hour a day for kids ages 2-5 years old.
The U.S. Surgeon General says age 13 is ‘too early’ to join social media
For many years, Dr. Vivek Murthy has voiced concerns about social media and its effect on the American youth, and we have listened. He now states that social media often does a complete disservice to children and teenagers, and he suggests waiting until age 16-18 to join.
Students often share with us that the overuse and overexposure on social media has exacerbated their mental health issues. Yet, many teenagers also feel like it is difficult to take a break from it. For some, the algorithm is too much and manifests as social media addiction, a behavioral disorder becoming more recognized as a serious health issue.
This group of teens in New York are doing something different, and it is a movement we are encouraged to see. They are foregoing the typical trend of the social media obsessed and using their time for other interests. Without having a smartphone on hand, they believe it allows them to create true connection with their peers.
Discord, explained: How the social media platform at the center of the Pentagon leak works
We find that more and more students are using Discord every day. Discord’s servers are, essentially, the same as old-school chat rooms and private blogs. They will have the same problems and opportunities as previous online communities. Research into youth safety online finds that government regulation aimed at protecting minors on social media rarely has the desired outcome, and more often results in disempowering and isolating youth instead.
Social media ban for minors moves forward with exception for parental permission
With this legislation proposal, minors would have to get parental permission to create accounts on TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms. This falls under an amended bill that passed the House Ways and Means Committee recently. Iowa is not the only state considering legislation restricting minors’ social media use. Utah lawmakers passed a bill requiring parental permission for minors to use social media in March, and other state legislatures including Arkansas and Minnesota are considering similar measures.
Arkansas passes bill requiring social media platforms to verify ages and seek parental consent
We will start to see more and more states passing legislation to require social media companies to take responsibility and action regarding student’s mental health. Many questions still remain as to how states can logistically make these sweeping changes to social media.
Jennifer Garner’s kids aren’t on social media. She says her oldest is ‘grateful’
Jennifer Garner’s three children are going to have to break out the charts, graphs and PowerPoint presentations if they want her approval to be on social media. We applaud her for thinking critically about social media and how it affects her children.
Snapchat’s AI chatbot is now free for all global users, says the AI will snap you back
We have concerns based on some of the prompts and responses that AI technology sends to children. It can often respond in an unsafe manner, including instructing children about how to mask the smell of alcohol and pot at a birthday party or how to set the mood when having sex for the first time.
Pinterest Porn: What Parents Should Know?
Many parents forget that Pinterest is a photo-sharing site open to the public. And as such, they should take measures to ensure their children can use it safely. Some images, videos, and external links do slip by Pinterest filters. Therefore, it’s entirely possible children will accidentally come across mature content.
