Smart Social Podcast: Keeping students safe so they can Shine Online

How well do you really know what your kids are doing online? Here are really great tips and strategies to get you to open up a dialogue about social media safety with your kids while also setting boundaries and guidelines for them to follow. Learn More:  https://smartsocial.com/?p=44959 

A social media detox can empower kids and change them in positive ways. In this guest blog post, the director and owner of a tech-free community service summer program for teens shares some of the lessons that can be learned during a social media hiatus. https://smartsocial.com/?p=44937

If you don’t want your kids video chatting with complete strangers, then keep them off Fachat. That’s the whole point of this new app. It launched in the fall of 2019 and is quickly rising in popularity. It’s also raising some serious red flags for Josh Ochs and the team at Smart Social. He explains why the Fachat app could be incredibly dangerous for students. Learn more: https://smartsocial.com/...

Josh shares the best ways to keep your kids safe on social media. He was interviewed by Marianne Hynd, the Director of Operations at the Social Media Research Association (SMRA Global) and he shares this interview here for you to learn from. Download the app to learn more: https://smartsocial.com/smart-social-app/

Call of Duty is one of the most popular video games of all time. Now millions of people are taking their violent, multiplayer battles on the go. The free Call of Duty mobile app is rated for ages 17 and up, but is still popular among young children. The app has warnings for mature content, violence, and profanity.  We also want parents to know this game can be addicting for users and offers many i...

Snapchat has also been linked to depression, phone addiction, bullying, and there are even reports of suicide. Despite all of this, teens LOVE Snapchat. They can use it to share photos, videos, and private messages with filters and fun effects.  I want you to know all about Snapchat because if your teen has a phone there’s a good chance this app is already on it. I’ve compiled a complete guide for...

It’s quickly gaining popularity as the #VSCOgirl trend takes over the internet. So what exactly is the VSCO app and is it safe for young users? In this episode, Josh Ochs at Smart Social tells parents everything they need to know about the popular photo editing and sharing app. Learn more: https://smartsocial.com/vsco-app/

There is a new messaging app that makes it easy for users to stay in constant contact and share private content with their inner circle of friends. But one of the options in Threads by Instagram raises some serious privacy concerns that we want parents to know about. Threads users can turn on a feature that allows the app to basically stalk their every move-- are they out to eat, working out, or r...

In this episode Josh Ochs speaks to 250+ middle school students in Mission Vijeho, Ca. He shows them how to shine online and how to brand their Instagram in a positive way.    Download the SmartSocial.com app here: https://smartsocial.com/app  

Parents- this viral internet stunt we want you to know about is NO Ice Bucket Challenge!  Some kids across the country are lighting themselves on fire-- or letting their friends ignite them while recording it for social media. Yes, unfortunately, you read that correctly.  It’s called the “Fire Challenge.” It’s not new, but new viral videos are now popping up. Just this month, a 12-year-old Michiga...

Facebook’s Lasso app lets users create and edit videos to share on the app. The videos can also be sent to Facebook and Instagram. Kids can have fun using Lasso, but the Smart Social team wants parents to be aware that complete strangers can watch your kid’s videos. Learn more: https://smartsocial.com/lasso-app-facebook

At Smart Social, we keep kids safe on social media so they can someday shine online. But we also want to teach students how to shine in person because no one ever gets a second chance to make a great first impression. In this episode, Josh Ochs talks with an etiquette expert about the top four ways students can set themselves up for success. Download our app at https://smartsocial.com/app to learn...

The Amino App encourages young users to explore their interests and connect with people who have similar passions. However, those virtual Amino communities are uncensored and everyone using the app is anonymous. Your children could be chatting, sharing photos, or exchanging videos with adult strangers who have ulterior motives. There are several recent news accounts of predators lurking on the Ami...

Dr. Catherine Jackson, Licensed Psychologist and Neurotherapist shares with us how screens and modern technology have many benefits. However, too much screen time may cause changes in the brain and can also lead to other problems such as obesity and sleep difficulties. Sleep difficulties, which can be caused by too much screen time, in and of itself leads to an array of other problems. These inclu...

Josh Ochs got the great opportunity to work with Mountain Brook Jr High in the Birmingham, AL area to teach students how to shine online.  Thank you to Principal Donald Clayton (and his great staff) for letting us share our message with students and parents. Learn more at https://SmartSocial.com or download our new iOS app at https://SmartSocial.com/app

Josh Ochs gives a social media parent speech to 100 parents at Mountain Brook High School in the greater Birmingham, AL area. Thank you to Principal Donald Clayton (and their great staff) for letting us share our message with parents. Learn more at SmartSocial.com or download our latest app at https://SmartSocial.com/app

Dr. Michael Bishop teaches us 5 tips to manage video game use for parents of students. Next Steps for Podcast Listeners: Join the Smart Social Community to unlock Josh's tips each week: https://smartsocial.com/join Subscribe to our podcast on: iTunes – Google Play – Youtube – Stitcher Radio – Spotify – Alexa/Echo – Web Player --> Register for our new free social media safety webinar . Hire Josh...

Captain Tim Martin shares tips from his investigations. He suggests to parents to have a conversation, know about identity theft and download all programs that your kids are using. Next Steps for Podcast Listeners: Join the Smart Social Community to unlock Josh's tips each week: https://smartsocial.com/join Subscribe to our podcast on: iTunes – Google Play – Youtube – Stitcher Radio – Spotify – Al...

In July of 2019 Instagram released two new features to help increase positive interactions and reduce bullying. Encouraging Positive Interactions Online bullying is a complex issue. For years now, we have used artificial intelligence to detect bullying and other types of harmful content in comments, photos and videos. As our community grows, so does our investment in technology. This is especially...

Blain Watson is the Principal at Manuel E. Dominguez High School in the Compton Unified School District. Josh Ochs caught up with him to learn more about how he turned his school around in less than two years. He took the 27% absentee rate and was able to lower it to 9.9% absentee rate. **Blain's Leadership Goals for the Dominguez High School Transformation: ** Move from a deficit-based thinking m...

Here are some key takeaways from this chapter: • Often people underestimate their involvement with social media. Everything you do online lives on in the public sphere, from your LinkedIn bio to your comments on friends’ Facebook posts. • Most prospective employers—as well as current ones—can and will search for you online to learn more about the person behind the resume (and make sure the person...

Sgt. Rudy Perez works at the LA School Police Department and helps protect over 600,000 students in 22 cities. He shares how 80% of law enforcement investigations have a digital footprint Next Steps for Podcast Listeners: Join the Smart Social Community to unlock Josh's tips each week: https://smartsocial.com/join Subscribe to our podcast on: iTunes – Google Play – Youtube – Stitcher Radio – Spoti...

Josh Ochs caught up with Ben Tracy to talk about why students should be positive on social media. Ben was fired on his first day of his new job at 23 years old. He tells us his story and shares how a disgruntled former employee might hurt your reputation if you don't take these steps. Next Steps for Podcast Listeners: Join the Smart Social Community to unlock Josh's tips each week: https://smartso...

David Kaufmann is a teacher and a father. He shares what he learned when he took an 8 day social media detox. Learn what he missed, why he went back, what he liked and what he's going to do differently. Next Steps for Podcast Listeners: Join the Smart Social Community to unlock Josh's tips each week: https://smartsocial.com/join Subscribe to our podcast on: iTunes – Google Play – Youtube – Stitche...

As the first generation of parents raising children with smartphones and unmatched access to technology, it’s not easy to give kids the support they need while also keeping them safe. While there are many reasons to celebrate technology, today’s digital trends can put children in real danger. Relying on these tips and resources will help you protect your kids in the digital age and make parenting...