LEARN THE BASICS

Whether you're a novice or tech savvy, we've put together a selection of "stuff" everyone should to know.  Whether it's questions about the right time to buy a cell phone for your child; kid friendly email services; or issues such as bullying or predators you'll find it all here.

Pew Research Center Publishes Study on Parents, Teens, and Online Privacy

Most parents of teenagers are concerned about what their teenage children do online and how their behavior could be monitored by others. Some parents are taking steps to observe, discuss, and check up on their children’s digital footprints, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project

Protecting Your Home Network

Your home's wired and wireless Internet connections should be as secure as possible. All home wireless (WiFi) networks should be password protected with the strongest encryption available. Your Internet connection should be secured with OpenDNS, which is a simple, powerful, and free solution that helps parents protect all devices on their network from inappropriate web sites.

Bullying Prevention

Parents and kids need to take an active role in combatting both offline and online bullying. Education and open communication are both critical. Parents should know the warning signs that their child may be a victim or victimizing others. If your child is threatened or you fear for their safety, then save the evidence and take it to local law enforcement.

Strangers and Predators Online

Kids can easily encounter predators online; and predators know the places kids hang out online and how to develop online relationships with them. In this section, we cover the patterns typical of online predators, the likely places where kids can encounter them, how you can minimize the risks of your child becoming a victim, and how to respond if you sense that your child is being targeted by an online predator.

Email and Kids

Email is everywhere. The dangers that lurk via email can be as bad as the web. Parents must be actively involved in teaching kids about email and what to do when they get an email from someone they don't know. Most of the popular, free email services aren't designed with kids in mind. Kid-specific email services offer age-appropriate ease-of-use, spam filtering, and optional parental controls that are ideally suited for kids.

Activating Parental Controls on Cell Phones

All major cellphone carriers in the US offer parental control options. Here you'll find a comprehensive list with some additional solutions for iPhone and Andriod users.

Dr. Mary Ann Layden: Porn Culture in the Mobile Age

"Porn Culture in the Mobile Age" by Dr. Mary Ann Layden, PhD. Dr. Layden is a psychotherapist and Director of Education at the Center for Cognitive Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the Director of the Sexual Trauma and Psychopathology Program and the Director of the Social Action Committee for Women's Psychological Health.