The SnapChat smart phone app is one of the newest crazes for teens because it allows a user to send what they believe to be a very private and very temporary photo to another user (and if you use it just for fun with friends, it can be a blast). Because SnapChat (seen below, yellow icon) Read more…
A recent ruling by the New Jersey Court of Appeals has sparked a nationwide debate over exactly who is liable when an accident is caused by a distracted driver. According national reports, the court considered the claim of two victims who both lost their legs when a texting teen driver ran into their motorcycle. While Read more…
Most parents and kids I speak to regarding online safety seem to have a bad case of the ‘it-will-never-happen-to-me’s.’ Stories of hacking and social engineering seem like far away ideas, or things that happen in a Spielberg movie, but not an everyday occurrence. I get it. In fact, I used to be one of these people. Read more…
It’s natural to talk with your children when you see them out in public. It’s a biological reaction to admire their talents, praise them publicly, and even wrangle their wayward behavior when it starts to stir. Just don’t do it online. Parents are wise online if they curb what comes naturally and consider exercising a Read more…
A quiet headline last week was a win for family safety online when a Florida fraternity lost its national charter for alleged slanderous and drug-related Facebook posts. Not only did the National arm of Pi Kappa Alpha, or Pike, disband the fraternity’s chapter but Florida International University, also ordered the fraternity to cease all meetings Read more…
There are some simple moves online that can save you an enormous amount of time. And when it comes to reporting abuses online nothing comes in handier than a screen shot, which is simply a photo file image of what’s in front of you on your computer screen or mobile phone. Think of it as Read more…
If your son or daughter is headed off to college this month, don’t shrink back on your commitment to family safety online. Being a college freshman at 17 or 18 doesn’t mean their wisdom download is at 100% complete (far from it). The words “privacy” and “dorm” don’t often show up in same sentence but Read more…
Recently one of my daughter’s friends shared a silly (and unflattering) video of her on Snap Chat as she imitated a crazy dance they were both watching on a popular TV talent show. When my daughter told the friend “you better not post that!” the request was ignored. The 10-second video was sent to several Read more…
Mobile phone technology is amazing isn’t it? It’s so amazing it can track your child’s location (hey, they are called ‘smart phones’ for a reason). In fact, your family is likely uploading dozens of photos a week and inadvertently broadcasting your exact whereabouts. Both safety and privacy is put at risk each time your child Read more…
It’s that time of year again. You head out to the store to buy a truckload of number two pencils and color-coded binders along with a flood of other dazed parents who can’t believe school is back in session. So you pretty much know what is in your child’s backpack but do you know who Read more…