Protect Kids Online

Have you heard of Mewe?  The company states that they are an "alternative to Facebook."  Popularity on this one among kids is still unknown, but it requires a slightly higher age than Facebook, and Carl and Dana saw some content not appropriate for young ages right away.  Remember, the same safety rules apply no matter the app or platform - don't let new tech overwhelm you!

Dana & Carl talk about Discord and Twitch in this episode, and prove that neither one of them are regular online gamers.  They also prove very quickly how easy it is to spend a lot of time watching other gamers live stream their play.  It is very easy to lose track of time.  Check out episode 95 and some of our tips on our website to set up those screen time limits on devices!

It's that time of yeeeear.....when new devices and toys are common in the house!  Did your household get some new tech this holiday season?  We know it's exciting, but try to take the time to set up screen limits, privacy settings, and safety information right away.  It's best to get into good habits early!  Carl and Dana review some information about screen time, the importance of...

Go along with Dana and Carl on an Internet Safety Adventure!  Hear about Google's great Be Internet Awesome program, including a quick run-through of their interactive online game, Interland!  Help your kids use tech to reinforce positive behavior, and grab some great info and resources along the way.

Instagram has announced a new "add-on" for their app, and it appears to be some competition for Snapchat's more popular features!  Hear about how it works, and chat with your teens about whether they plan to give this one a try!

There's never a mistake too big - we can always ask for help.  Hear some of the new stats (and resources) offered to victims of sextortion from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Thorns Stopsextortion.com

Carl and Dana are joined by Ben, an Outreach Manager from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  Hear about NCMEC's new into the Cloud program, geared toward younger kids, with episodes, activities, and an online game!

In this episode Dana and Carl hop into the newer social networking application Rabbit.  If your teen wants to share a streaming TV show, movie or YouTube channel have then jump into Rabbit where they can watch together with their friends.  However, like always, Dana and Carl will discuss the holes that Rabbit can dig into and expose your teen to something less hoppy.  

This month celebrates 3 years of online safety resource collaboration between WI Department of Justice and Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction!  Check out the updated resources available, hear about future plans for additional resources, and send in your thoughts for what you'd like to learn more about!

Do you follow your teen on social media as part of your online safety plan?  That's a great way to have relevant discussions with them about their app use...but are you aware of all of their accounts?  Carl and Dana talk about how common it is for kids (and bad guys) to have multiple accounts on social media platforms.

It's that time of year...Carl and Dana know that tech is a very big part of our kids' lives, and that includes schoolwork and homework!  Check out a few tips and app ideas that could become great resources for them (or you) as homework questions pop up.

Balancing screen-time limits with long travel?  This episode refers to a few tips to help navigate this balance, as well as a few app/website recommendations based on age and topic of interest.  There's even a bonus - some of them are educational!

Dana and Carl share information from a survey done of teens in a Wall Street Journal article.  Teens shared what they wish their parents knew about their tech use and things they wished their parents would do or talk about - what valuable information!  Check it out, it might guide some of those safety discussions with your teen.  

60% of parents say they are monitoring their kids' online behavior.  Are you one of them?  What does monitoring mean to you?  It is important not to get too bogged down in specific apps.  Know what your kids are using, but more importantly, HOW they are using them!  Need more information to get started?  Check out the interact! program at protectkidsonlinewi.gov.

YOLO is a Snapchat add-on that has been off the charts popular since its recent release.  It's an anonymous Q&A app that allows you to ask questions of your friends and followers on Facebook.  Dana and Carl talk about how it works, things to be aware of, and ways to start the discussions with your kids about safety when it comes to anonymity online.

Carl and Dana walk through the new popular game:  Bitlife!  Start as a baby, and make choices that affect your virtual life until your virtual death!  Beware, though - the choices might not be the most child-friendly.  This is one to be having chats about appropriate choices if your kids are playing it.  It's all fun when it's virtual, but actions have consequences!

The World Health Organization has recently released some recommendations for screen time limits for young children.  You may be surprised to hear what they are!  Join Dana and Carl in this episode as they talk about how these limits can be difficult, but the most important thing is setting limits that work for your household...and stick to them!  Stay Safe!

Part 1 had so much great info - Summit Credit Union's Financial Education Specialist returns for Part 2!  This time, the group talks more about what to do if you think your financial information has been compromised, and how to start (and continue) some of those basic safety discussions with your teen regarding online safety, including oversharing, knowing who you are talking to, and more.  R...

In this episode, Carl and Dana are joined by Summit Credit Union's Financial Education Specialist to talk about how the basic online safety rules apply to being safe in all aspects!  They discuss ideas to discuss with your teen about having their financial information on their phones - including financial responsibility, healthy budgeting, and how to avoid scams and risky situations.  Don&apo...

We flipped the part 1 and part 2 of these episodes, but it is great information either way! 90% of teens say they play video games on a computer, game console, or cellphone, according to a recent Pew Research study. Join Carl and Dana as they chat with Jeff, an agent that knows a lot about gaming, about popular games, safety information, and more!

We flipped the part 1 and part 2 of these episodes, but it is great information either way!  Online gaming is so popular, we thought the episode deserved a Part Two. In this one, Carl, Dana, and Jeff talk about in-app and in-game purchases, and the importance of setting   approvals on gaming systems so you don’t have some unexpected charges from these popular video games.  Interested in the financ...

Dana and Carl welcome their safety co-worker, Amanda, to this episode to revisit YouTube.  YouTube is such a popular resource and spare time entertainment site for kids and adults alike that we thought it was worthy of another episode!  Listen in for the new updates and additional thoughts on this very popular app and website.

PKO 76:  In this episode Carl and Dana dig into the information overload that is the website/app Reddit.  Whether you are looking for news, weather, chat or meme's, Reddit is your one stop shop.  However, is that all Reddit has to offer?  

In our Diamond (75th) episode Dana and Carl take you live online to the free chat site Omegle.  Learn what Dana and Carl experience while chatting live with several unknown individuals on their "Unmoderated Section" which is unfortunately easy to access for any age. 

Are you looking for a good way to introduce your child to a social media account?  Facebook has a Safety Center, with everything from policies to Parent and Youth.  Portals at your fingertips!  This is a great place to start together before creating those accounts, or to take a moment to review, even if you already have an account!