🎒New school year, new digital dangers: Your back-to-school safety guide
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Hello Reader, Back-to-school season is in full swing! Which means it’s time to refresh your digital safety plan. And we have just the tool to help! Our FREE Digital Safety Planner will help you get the school year off to a great start. This downloadable guide is packed with practical advice on:
With the right plan in place, your child will be prepared to navigate digital dangers at school and elsewhere. How kids are exposed to pornography at school Unfortunately, school and school buses are often where kids see pornography. (Sadly, that’s why I say that every school bus is a XXX theater.) Here are a few of the most common stories we hear: Smartphones: While your child may not have a smartphone, many of their peers do—and these devices often make their way onto the playground or school bus. Unfortunately, kids are prone to share inappropriate content, including pornography. School computers: Kids encounter porn on school devices including mobile libraries, computer labs, and more. One mom shared how her fifth grader saw porn when the librarian was viewing it on her school computer. Learn more: Chromebooks: Love them or hate them, Chromebooks are here to stay. We wrote last week why many parents are frustrated with the lack of parental controls on school-issued Chromebooks and gave 5 tips to keep your kid safer while using them. Learn more: Library apps: Even the most innocent-seeming resources, like a digital library, can contain sexually graphic literature with accompanying pictures. Learn more: Erotic books: This one isn’t new, but still important to remember. Erotic, or “spicy” lit as it is colloquially termed, is as prevalent and popular as ever, and kids do bring it to school. There are even TikTok accounts dedicated to “spicy” books. In some cases erotic books are available to students in physical school libraries. Learn more:
Risky apps: While this falls under the smartphone category, it’s worth discussing apps separately. Many coaches and teachers require specific apps to share information. Any app that allows communication comes with a risk of predators targeting your child or peers sharing external links to porn. There are too many to list them all, but a few worth mentioning are Snapchat, Roblox, and X. A good rule of thumb is if there is a chat feature, then there is risk. Specifically, we conducted an investigation into the Saturn app and discovered significant digital risks, including how easy it was for strangers to pose as students and gain access to your child. Learn more:
What you CAN DO Whether you’ve already established a digital safety plan or are making one for the first time, having this conversation now can set the tone for safer and more responsible device use throughout the year. Here’s how you can start:
Grab that Digital Safety Planner to get started. Digital privacy is a myth Expect your kids to resist parental controls and monitoring software when setting up your digital safety plan. However, it's important to remind them their digital footprint is permanent, and your guidance isn't just about rules—it's about protecting them from serious risks. By catching and addressing risky online behavior early, you can help prevent situations that could lead to encounters with predators or porn addiction. Consider yourself a digital co-pilot. Learn more: To support you further, these articles dive deeper and offer actionable advice:
And as always don’t forget the crucial, internal filter. Learn how to help your kid develop this in 3 Steps to Give Kids an Internal Filter. Brain Defense There is one more tool you can add to your toolbelt. Designed for children ages 7-11, Brain Defense: Digital Safety is your ally in arming your kids with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate the digital world safely and confidently. The Brain Gang – 6 positive teens who your kids will love, cover essential topics taught like:
Take Action Now Equip your child with the tools needed to navigate these challenges confidently:
Your involvement and guidance are crucial in helping your child build a strong internal filter to be prepared when faced with pornography and other digital dangers. You've got this! Kindly, Kristen P.S. Want to share this important message with others? You can easily share this link with a friend to view it in a browser. Encourage them to subscribe so they never miss valuable information. Let’s spread the word and make a difference—one family at a time! 🚨Final hours to save on Labor Day sales —free and discounted phones!
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Defend Young Minds
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