If you’ve overheard your kid talking with their friends about “the quickest way to do 90’s” or getting “one pumped,” chances are they’re into Fortnite, one of the hottest video games of the moment. Whether your child is already deep into the game or just now asking to play, it’s a good time to pause and ask: is Fortnite for kids? Here are some things to consider when deciding if “Fortnite” is appropriate for your child.
There are actually several versions of Fortnite, but the one your child is most likely referring to is Fortnite: Battle Royale, a popular video game available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows, and Mac. It incorporates the creative building elements from sandbox games (Minecraft, The Sims) with the action-packed style of third-person shooter games (Tomb Raider, Grand Theft Auto).
In Fortnite, the playing field is the game map, and the goal is to kill the other players and remain the last one standing. To stay alive, players collect weapons and build safe structures. In addition to being hunted by other gamers, players must avoid The Storm, a computer-generated force that damages all players outside of a safe zone.
Is Fortnite suitable for 7-year-olds? What about your 10-year-old? You may have heard of younger kids playing the game with their friends (and maybe even pressuring your child to create an account). However, the Entertainment Software Rating Board rates Fortnite as suitable for teens. Common Sense Media recommends it for ages 13+.
The primary reason these rating bodies cite for their age recommendation is the open chat feature, which may expose your children to risks like online predators. If parents block this function using parental controls, the game can be relatively safe for tweens as well.
There is no profanity or crude language in the game itself. However, because of the open chat feature, kids may be exposed to inappropriate language from other players. If you want to avoid this, you can use parental controls to filter inappropriate language or turn off chat altogether. Show your child how to block, mute, and report other players — even in voice chats.
There is no sex and nudity in Fortnite.
Violence is a central focus of Fortnite. The main goal is to amass weapons and kill other players. However, this violence is tempered by its cartoonish and bloodless nature. When players are defeated, they simply vanish from the screen.
If you do allow your child to play Fortnite (or any other violent video game), consider talking to them about the content and encouraging them to think critically about it.
Fortnite uses what’s known as a freemium model. The game is free to download and play, but users can spend real money for cosmetic add-ons like special outfits for their characters (also known as skins). To prevent any unexpected surprises on your bank statement, it’s a good idea to use parental controls to require a pin for in-app purchases.
The parental controls on Fortnite can be used to turn off voice and text chat, filter mature language, hide your child’s in-game name, and block in-app purchases.
You can also set privacy settings that control who can enter your child’s online friend group — we recommend the “Private” setting, which means no one can enter your child’s group without being invited. Talk to your child about the importance of only playing with people they know in real life, especially if they’re allowed to use the open chat feature.
You can also view reports to keep an eye on how much time your child is playing. Here are step-by-step instructions for setting up parental controls in Fortnite.
It depends on your child’s maturity level and their ability to follow content rules and restrictions. As with any new content your child wants to engage with, it’s essential for parents to take a proactive approach in understanding the game. Preview Fortnite yourself to determine if it’s appropriate for your child. It’s also crucial to establish clear guidelines around gameplay, such as filtering mature language and ensuring your child only plays with friends they know in real life.
If your kid gets really invested in Fortnite, you’ll also want to consider the other content they’ll consume. Even if their own gaming experience is age-appropriate, they may watch playthrough videos on YouTube that feature other people having more violent, and potentially inappropriate, experiences on Fortnite. Talk to your child about what to do if they see something that makes them feel uncomfortable. Tools like BrightCanary monitoring can help keep your child safer online by allowing you to supervise their Google and YouTube activity.
BrightCanary uses advanced technology to scan your child’s searches, views, and messages, alerting you when they encounter concerning content. While BrightCanary doesn’t cover Fortnite yet, the app provides the most coverage across Apple devices and the social media platforms where children are most at risk. Download the app and get a free trial today.
Fortnite is generally safe for tweens and teens, but parents should use parental controls to shield their children from unwanted interactions with strangers. Additionally, it’s crucial to consider the game’s mild violence when determining if it’s suitable for your family.
If you’re like me (and the majority of other parents) you think twice when it comes to posting about your child on social media — especially pictures. You want to update friends and family about your kiddo, but you worry about the implications of their image getting into the wrong hands. That’s why my ears (and eyes) perked up when Instagram rolled out its “Close Friends” feature. Read on to find out how you can take advantage of it.
Since 2018, Instagram users have had the option to create a list of Close Friends, and use it to limit who could see their Stories. Recently, Instagram expanded this option to include posts and Reels. Now, users can choose Close Friends as the audience when posting to their profile, preventing anyone else from seeing the post.
Instagram’s Close Friends list is a great option for parents who want to control their child’s digital footprint and protect their privacy, but who still want to share their adorable offspring with family and friends.
For some parents, such as artists or small business owners, having a private Instagram profile isn’t a viable option. These same parents can now share pictures of their child with their actual friends, while keeping the general public out.
Even parents with a private Instagram can make good use of the feature. Let’s be honest: how well do you really know your 600 Instagram “friends”? Limiting posts about your child to people you trust helps keep your child safe and their life private.
Beware of a false sense of security from the Close Friends list. People can still screenshot the posts you share, so using the feature isn’t a guarantee that pictures of your kid won’t end up somewhere you don’t want. To mitigate this risk, restrict your Close Friends list to people you truly trust and would feel comfortable sharing pictures of your child with directly.
You should still be thoughtful about what you post. Just because you’re comfortable sharing an embarrassing photo of your kid with your 100 closest friends doesn’t mean your child will appreciate it, especially as they get older.
Here are detailed instructions for using Close Friends on Instagram:
People won’t be notified when you add or remove them from your list, and you can update your list at any time. When someone is on your Close Friends list, they’ll know because posts and stories shared to the list display the Close Friends star icon.
Here are some tips for parents when using the Close Friends list on Instagram:
Instagram’s Close Friends list is an excellent feature for parents looking to protect the privacy of their child. It’s not without risk, though. Parents should be mindful about who they add to their list and consider the long term implications before posting about their child.
Social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat, which allow users to interact, are prime arenas for predators and scammers to solicit kids. Some Instagram messages from strangers are just bots or spam, but others are more concerning. In fact, 20% of children report they’ve been contacted by an online predator in the last year. And between 2017 and 2021, the number of young people scammed online increased by a shocking 1,000%. Given the risks, parents should educate themselves about how strangers can contact their children on Instagram and how to protect them.
There are a number of different methods strangers might use to connect with your child on Instagram, including some surprising ones.
One way that strangers might interact with your kid on Instagram is by commenting on posts. Of course, if your child has their account set to private, only people who follow them can see and comment on their posts. But don’t forget about the comments section on other people’s posts. For example, if your child comments on a post and a stranger replies to their comment, your child will get a notification.
While sliding into DMs might be fine for adults looking for romantic connection, the private nature of this type of communication is a concern when it comes to kids. Meta has recently introduced features designed to crack down on unwanted Instagram messages from strangers by siloing them in a separate Requests folder. But accessing these messages are still just a few taps away.
Recently, Meta announced a new update that will restrict strangers from sending unsolicited messages to teens who don’t follow them. This update is still rolling out, though, and it may not reach your child’s account for several weeks.
If a stranger wants to shield themselves further from scrutiny when messaging your child on Instagram, they might use vanish mode. Direct messages sent this way disappear when one person either leaves the chat or turns off vanish mode. Messages sent in vanish mode can’t be copied, saved, or forwarded.
Instagram Lives are streaming videos that users record and share in real time. During the livestream, users can interact with the video creator and each other, meaning strangers can easily use this venue to communicate with your child.
Group chats are a major player in the social landscape of today’s teens and tweens. Instagram users can create group messages and invite people who have public and private accounts. While they can be a great way for kids to connect with friends, they also open them up to interactions with strangers if they’re added to a chat that includes people they don’t know.
Picture this: Your child gets a follow or DM request. The name and the picture on the account look like a classmate or acquaintance, so they accept. It’s only after messaging with the person for a bit that your kid realizes something is fishy. Creating fake profiles that attempt to impersonate another person is one way a cunning stranger might try to connect with your child on Instagram.
The statistics may be shocking, but there are plenty of things parents can do to get ahead of the danger. Here are steps you can take today to protect your child from strangers on Instagram:
Setting your child’s Instagram account to private is one of the best things you can do to protect them on the platform. If you’re wondering how to stop messages from strangers on Instagram, here’s how to do it:
Education is a key component to keeping kids safe online. Explain to your child the dangers of online predators and scammers and help them learn how to spot red flags.
A social media monitoring service like BrightCanary is an excellent way to protect your child from strangers on Instagram. BrightCanary uses advanced technology to monitor your child’s Instagram feed as well as their comments, direct messages, and posts. When a problem is detected, you receive an alert so you can step in.
If your child is contacted by a stranger, help them to block the person and report the unwanted interaction. Even messages sent in vanish mode can be reported.
If your child has an Instagram account, it’s an unfortunate truth that they may receive Instagram messages from strangers. When kids use any social media platform without privacy protections in place, they risk being contacted by strangers, opening themselves up to the dangers of online predators and scammers. But parents can take proactive steps to protect their children from strangers on Instagram — and continue regularly talking about online safety.
According to a nationwide survey, 87% of teens use iPhones. This majority means it’s key for parental control apps to offer robust tools that are effective on Apple devices. But how do the options stack up? Read on for a roundup of the best parental control apps on iPhone.
On average, children in the U.S. spend more than four hours a day on devices, with teens often clocking as many as nine hours. With such a significant portion of kid’s lives being lived online, it’s important that parents use every tool available to them to keep their kids safe from things like online predators, cyberbullying, and inappropriate content.
Recently, the American Psychological Association recommended that parents monitor social media for kids under age 15. That’s because excessive social media use is associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety, as well as negative impacts on sleep quality and self-esteem. Parents can and should use parental controls to manage the amount of time kids spend on their devices and understand what type of content they consume.
When it comes to the best parental control apps for iPhones and other Apple devices, BrightCanary stands out from the pack. BrightCanary uses advanced technology to remotely monitor your child’s YouTube, Google, TikTok, and Instagram activity.
BrightCanary monitors what other apps can’t, like TikTok direct messages, Instagram comments, and YouTube searches. Some apps can only scan content when your child is connected to the same WiFi as you, which is challenging when you’re outside the home. BrightCanary is different — the app continuously monitors your child’s online activity whenever, wherever, and alerts you when you need to get involved.
Plus, BrightCanary recently added text message monitoring. This feature is designed to make BrightCanary the best parental control app to monitor text messages on Apple devices because it shows you what the texts actually say, unlike other apps, which simply send you a content alert.
You can think of Life 360 as location tracking plus. In addition to their location, you can use it to see things like your child’s phone battery life, ETA, and driving speed.
Life 360 works very well on the iPhone, but its features are limited. Without the ability to access any other apps or data outside of Life360, the parental control options are limited to its tracking features. If you have a new driver on your hands and want to help them stay safe on the road, Life360 is a fantastic choice. But for robust parental controls for when they reach their destination, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Qustodio wins points for offering very similar features and functionality for iPhones as it does for Android devices. Parents can use Qustodio to set limits on apps and block kids from using specific apps and websites. But its monitoring capabilities only alert you when they try to access something you’ve blocked. So if you want to allow your child to use social media, but are interested in options to monitor their use, Qustodio may not be enough for you.
With Norton Family, you can block your child from accessing specific websites or content and get insight into their online activity. The reports show you what search terms your child uses and their browser history. It also alerts you if they attempt to visit a blocked site.
Similar to Qustodio, the only option for managing social media is to block your child from the sites entirely. This is a good option for younger kids, but may not be the best choice for teens. One major drawback for Apple users is that Norton Family doesn’t provide any app supervision for iPhones.
Similar to BrightCanary, Bark uses advanced technology to scan texts, social media, and other online material for concerning content and alert parents when there’s an issue. You can also do things like control app downloads and require approval for new contacts.
However, Bark’s limitations are notable. While it can scan content on Android devices anytime, it can only manually scan iOS devices when they’re connected to the same network as a desktop with the Bark for Parents app installed and active. While Bark’s technical challenges might be manageable for monitoring a device used only at home, it falls short in tracking your kids’ iPhone usage wherever they go.
The best parental control app is the one that works best for your family. Some apps rely on a block-and-restrict approach, but Apple devices already come with robust parental control features that allow you to restrict what websites, apps, and content your child can access. Other parental control apps, like BrightCanary, allow parents to monitor what their kids do online and step in when they need to. This level of iPhone parental monitoring can help teach your kids how to be safe and responsible digital citizens, and it encourages more regular conversations about what they see online.
As a parent, you make it your business to know what your child is up to. You ask who they’re hanging out with, connect with their friend’s parents, maybe track their location. But how much of that same effort do you put into social media monitoring?
A recent Gallup poll found that the majority of U.S. teens spend over four hours a day on social media. With so much of your kid’s time spent in the online realm, it’s worth making sure you’re properly monitoring their social media accounts.
Social media monitoring refers to supervising your child’s activity on social networks, such as Instagram and TikTok. The most effective plan for monitoring a child’s social media accounts employs a mix of approaches. Here are some options to explore:
It’s impossible to catch everything your child does online. Luckily, there are services available which use advanced technology to monitor your child’s social media accounts. These are a great compliment to your hands-on efforts.
Set up regular times to sit with your child, view their social media feeds together, and talk about them. Rather than only looking for problems, instead approach your tech check-ins with an attitude of curiosity. Inquire about why they like to follow certain people, ask them how they’re friends are doing, and watch some funny TikToks together. Sprinkle in teachable moments and pause to address any concerns you may spot.
Make it clear to your child that the conversation about their social media life isn’t confined to your tech check-ins. Let them know they can come to you with any problems or concerns, and you’ll help them through it.
Most major social media platforms include parental monitoring settings which give caregivers extra control with their child’s accounts. Many of the big tech players such as Apple and Google also have options which help you keep an eye on your kid’s tech use.
The quick answer is: yes. Experts are clear that it’s important for parents to be proactive when it comes to their children’s social media use. In fact, the American Psychological Association (APA) recently issued guidelines advising that parents monitor social media accounts for all kids under 15.
Cyberbullying, online predators, and content that encourages harmful behavior are just a few of the reasons why it’s vital that parents stay on top of their child’s social media.
There are also compelling reasons to continue monitoring older kids, too. After all, the dangers don’t end once a child turns 15. At the same time, it’s important to teach children to be independent and look out for themselves online as they near adulthood. Consider a tapered approach: monitoring closely when your child is younger, then gradually stepping back as they get older and demonstrate responsible online behavior.
The most successful recipe for monitoring your child’s social media uses a mix of approaches, including taking full advantage of the digital tools available to assist in your efforts.
Here are a few of our go-to social media monitoring tools:
BrightCanary is a child safety app that uses advanced technology to alert parents when their child encounters something concerning online. It’s easy to set up and provides both instant alerts as well as ongoing reports. BrightCanary stands out because it gives parents visibility into direct messages, posts, and comments on TikTok and Instagram — something other monitoring apps don’t offer. It’s a great way to monitor your child’s social media accounts without spending hours scouring them yourselves.
Apple’s Screen Time feature provides real-time reports on your child’s device use, including apps they’ve opened, websites they’ve visited, and how much time they’ve spent on their device. These features are simple to use and can be set up through Apple’s parental controls.
If your child is under 13, you can use Google’s Family Link to track their online activity from your phone. It allows you to check their device use, screen time, and content recommendations. It also lets you see their app use and view their text messages and social media accounts.
Most major social media platforms, like Instagram and TikTok, come with parental supervision settings that allow you to set guardrails around your child’s online activity. For example, using Instagram’s built-in Parental Supervision tool, you can see how much time your child spends on the app across all devices, what accounts your child is following, and who’s following them. You can also view what accounts your child has blocked.
Monitoring children’s social media accounts is a must for parents. A multi-prong approach works best, mixing hands-on viewing with digital tools. If you’re going to let your child use social media, you also need to consider how you’ll approach social media monitoring to keep your child safe.
Why would you want a parental control app that cannot be deleted? Picture this: You just spent an hour researching and setting up parental control settings on all of your child’s devices and apps, only to have your little digital native offspring around them in a matter of minutes. Sound familiar?
A frustrating number of parental control settings are designed in such a way that kids can easily bypass or even change them, rendering them all but useless. Luckily, there are thoughtfully-designed options which allow parents to set boundaries and have the peace of mind that those boundaries won’t be duped.
Here are a few of the ways kids get around parental controls:
Why exactly is it so vital that parents find controls their kids can’t get around?
Here are just a few of the benefits of parental controls:
Nothing is foolproof, but the following options provide an extra layer of protection because they’re set and controlled from your device, not your child’s, making them much harder to bypass. Combining them with a strong password on your device and regular digital check-ins will give you the peace of mind you’re looking for.
Why it’s a good choice: Parental controls are set on the parent’s Apple device and only the adult “organizer” can remove a child from that group.
How to set up Apple Family Sharing:
Check out Apple’s guide to set up Family Sharing.
Why it’s a good choice: BrightCanary parental monitoring is a little different from traditional parental controls. It uses advanced technology to scan your child’s online activity and alert you to any concerning content in text messages, social media, and more. BrightCanary runs on your phone, not your kid’s device, so you remain in the driver’s seat. Simply connect your child’s Google, YouTube, iCloud, or social accounts, and BrightCanary takes care of the rest.
How to set up BrightCanary:
Click here to learn more about how to set up BrightCanary.
Why it’s a good choice: With Google Family Link, you aren’t just accessing or regulating your child’s account — you’re the one actually managing their account. You can set screen time limits, get location alerts, manage their data settings, and more. If your child already has an existing Google Account, you can still add the same layers of supervision, all controlled on your account, not theirs.
How to set up Google Family Link:
Learn more about how to set up Google Family Link.
If you’re looking for a parental control app that cannot be deleted, opt for an app that runs on the parent’s device — and doesn’t require any extra software or apps on the child’s device. In some cases, adding a bunch of extra monitoring software to your child’s device can actually slow their phone down. Stick with the apps and settings you can control from your phone, and make sure to have plenty of chats and check-ins with your child along the way.
It’s no secret that using devices before bed is bad for sleep. To help kids develop healthy sleep habits, it’s a good idea to limit their phone use before bed — and a cell phone lock box is a practical solution the entire family can use to develop a nighttime device routine that actually sticks. Check out these eight cell phone lockers that help you store devices overnight, ranging from funny and decorative to lock-and-key serious.
If you’re eager for your family to put away their devices at night, but you’re struggling to get them similarly enthused, consider using humor to get everyone on board. Enter the phone bed. After all, you’ve likely spent years bringing your phone with you to your actual bed — doesn’t it deserve a cozy place of its own to sleep and recharge?
If you’re looking for something a little less pricey, try an Ikea hack with this simple doll bed. You can take the gag as far as you want, adding a pillow and sleeping mask, tucking your phones in for the night, and even signing them a lullaby. It might feel silly at first, but you never know, this could be your family’s new favorite nighttime ritual.
If you’re interested in minimal effort and maximum efficiency, grab a tray or a bowl you have lying around, toss it in a common area of the house, and use it as a storage site for devices. For an upgrade that won’t break the bank, check out this cute tray from Target. (Bonus: when it’s not serving Zzzs for your family’s phones, it can do double duty and serve drinks for the adults.)
Are you the kind of family who prefers to take care of business without the fuss or fluff? Then you might want to opt for a charging station. Stick it in a cupboard to get it out of the way and you’ve just created a device cabinet. Boom.
Do the kids in your house (or — be honest — the adults) have a hard time not sneaking their phones out of bed after lights out? Your situation might call for something more drastic. This cell phone lock box keeps devices secure until it’s time to wake them up. Just make sure you pick the person in your family with the most self-control to be in charge of the combination.
Calling all crafters! If this is you, then I know you have a spare shoebox and some decorative paper lying around. Enlist your kids to help you snazzy up the box and drill a few holes in the side. You’ll have yourself a bespoke charging station tailored to match your design aesthetic.
If your decor is less high-tech and more cottagecore, you’re a perfect contender for a bread box charging station. Depending on your level of commitment to the lifestyle, you can either DIY it or pop over to Etsy for an endless selection.
Bring a little green into your home with a charging station that doubles as a planter. Your kids can use the built-in LCD clock to know precisely the moment they can reclaim their devices in the morning. And if fake grass isn’t your thing (is it anyone’s?), you can replace it with the plant of your choice.
A cell phone lock box might seem like an extreme solution, but it’s a practical way to create a barrier between hands and screens. For the best results, get the whole family involved: have everyone commit to a time when their devices go into the cell phone locker (or bed, or planter).
Parents are told all the time how important it is that kids not get too much screen time. But how much is too much? How do you know when you’ve reached that point? And — most importantly — how do you get your kid to actually step away from the screen? We break down recommended screen time by age, plus tips to help your child put down their screens when time is up.
While headlines often depict screen time as a black-and-white issue, suggesting immediate dire consequences if your child exceeds screen time limits by even a minute, the actual research is less conclusive and expert recommendations are more nuanced.
Here are the current guidelines from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP):
If the lack of definitive guidelines for older children, teens, and tweens leaves you feeling like you’re floundering in the dark, don’t worry. There’s still plenty of expert guidance to help you determine when your child is getting too much screen time so you can adjust accordingly.
Here are some signs to watch for:
Below, we’ll walk through some tips to set boundaries around screen time in and around the home. It’s a good idea to lay out these rules in a digital device contract that you discuss with your kids and revisit as they grow older.
For preschool- and elementary-aged kids, parents should still be fairly involved in their screen-time routine.
Tips for younger kids:
By the time kids reach their middle school years, parents can start giving a little more leeway, but should maintain plenty of hands-on involvement.
Tips for tweens:
The teenage years are a time for preparing to be an adult while still under the watchful eye and protective wing of actual adults. Teens still need some guardrails, but it’s important they start learning how to manage their own screen habits.
Tips for teens:
Regardless of your child’s age, here are some tips to help limit their screen time:
Screens are an unavoidable part of modern life, but it’s important that children develop healthy limits around their use. Parents should adjust their approach as children age to help them maintain balance and learn how to manage screen time on their own.
The internet might not be made for porn, but it’s certainly a prime breeding ground for it. This means parents should prepare themselves for the likely possibility their child will someday be caught with porn. (If you’re reading this, it’s probably already happened to you.) Before you freak out and attempt to burn down the internet, take a breath and read on for tips on how to talk to kids about porn.
There are many ways your child might come across porn. Their friends could send them videos, or they may stumble onto adult social media profiles. They could click on a link without realizing what it is, or find porn through a mix of natural curiosity and the power of Google.
Sexual curiosity and exploration are normal parts of childhood development. However, pornography presents a fake and distorted representation of sex, which can skew expectations for sexual relationships when they’re older.
Similarly, viewing porn can negatively impact the way kids think about bodies and sexuality (both theirs and their future partner). It’s also worth mentioning that porn is a popular avenue for scams and malware, so there are practical concerns as well.
So, if your child was caught with porn, don’t freak out — take action.
At this point, you may be thinking, “How do I not freak out? Because I’m definitely freaking out right now!” Here are some tips for starting the conversation, setting up safeguards, and monitoring your child going forward.
Most children will naturally feel some shame about watching inappropriate material, but shame around sex can be detrimental. Your goal should be setting boundaries for your child without making them feel bad about their actions.
Consider your family’s values. Identify which ones are compromised here and use that to frame the conversation with your child.
Here are a couple conversation-starters using values language:
You knew an article on kids watching porn wouldn’t be complete without a reminder of the importance of discussing sex with your children. There are appropriate ways to discuss sex at any age, and experts recommend starting before your child can even talk. (Yes, you read that right.) If you haven’t already had “the Talk,” now’s the time to start.
In addition to talking to your child about what’s off-limits online, take the time to set up parental controls — features that limit your child’s ability to access certain websites and explict content. This should be done on devices, individual apps such as YouTube, and internet browsers.
A monitoring service can help keep an eye on your child’s internet use. BrightCanary uses advanced technology to scan your child’s online activity and alert you to any issues. If your child encounters adult content on their social feeds, searches for inappropriate material, or is sent an explicit message, BrightCanary will let you know.
Ideally, parental controls are set up before your child starts using their devices on their own. It’s not too late to add these settings after the fact, though. It’s better to have some supervision in place than none at all. While these tools and settings don’t replace your involvement, they’re a great tool (and give you added peace-of-mind).
Let’s face it: porn isn’t going anywhere, and neither is your child’s curiosity, even after you’ve had “the Talk” with them. Start a practice of regular check-ins where you sit down and look at things like their YouTube and browser histories with them. Make it clear it’s not a punishment, but a way for you to keep them safe.
The mere fact that your child viewed porn isn’t necessarily alarming, but it can become problematic if porn use begins to affect your child’s emotional, physical, social, and academic health. Pornography can be associated with addictive behaviors — if you’re concerned about your child’s behavior, speak with a mental health professional.
Additionally, certain behaviors could suggest potential abuse. For example:
If you suspect your child is being abused, it’s important to investigate and consider involving legal or mental health professionals. StopItNow.org offers a free online help center that can connect you with additional information and guidance about next steps.
From porn websites to social media, pornography is an ever-present part of the internet. Parents should take proactive steps to talk to their children about porn, and use parental controls to limit the exposure they have online. If kids do encounter explicit material, it’s important to talk to have a conversation about it — and steer kids toward healthier ways to learn about important topics like sexuality, consent, and family values.
When your child uses YouTube, you’re probably most concerned with the appropriateness of the videos they watch and their screen time limits. While these are both important, parents also need to understand the risk that strangers might contact their child on the platform. Read on to learn what to look for and how to minimize the stranger danger on YouTube.
Online predators are a risk anytime your child uses the internet, with as many as 20% of children contacted by an online predator last year alone. Platforms that allow users to interact are prime places for predators to solicit kids. While YouTube recently removed their direct messaging feature, there are still several other avenues for communication that parents should know.
Here are the various methods strangers may use to talk to your child on YouTube:
When your child comments on a video, other users can then respond to that comment. When this happens, your child will receive an alert in the app and by email, depending on their notification settings. This may not have the same sense of immediacy as a direct message, but it’s still an effective way for strangers to contact your child.
In addition, the public nature of the comments section can give the illusion of safety. But predators are sneaky in the tactics they use to build trust. What begins as seemingly innocent public communication can result in a request for private contact information and rapidly grow into something more concerning.
YouTube Lives are videos that creators record and share in real time. During the live stream, users can interact with the content creator and with each other. This level of contact presents all the same threats as the comments section, with the added risk that immediate back-and-forth communication can quickly escalate.
If your child has their own YouTube channel and adds their email address to their About Page, other users can then reach out to them directly.
Many YouTubers add their social media handles to their About Page so subscribers can follow them on multiple platforms. If your child is an aspiring YouTuber, or simply wants to emulate their favorite creators, they may follow suit. This means strangers are just one click away from finding your child on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, where they can learn more about them (and their whereabouts) and contact them through direct messages.
Here are some tips for minimizing the risk that your child will be contacted by strangers on YouTube:
For users under 18, parents can set up a supervised family account, which allows them to adjust their child’s settings (such as removing contact information and correctly listing their age) and view their comment history.
Children under 13 automatically don’t have access to the comments section of videos and are unable to participate in YouTube Live chats. Here’s how to verify and adjust your child’s age setting on their YouTube account.
If your child is 12 or under, consider YouTube Kids. Not only are the videos curated for younger audiences, there are no comments sections or YouTube Lives.
If your child is old enough to view the comments section, encourage them to select “top chat.” This view will filter out potentially harmful messages. It’s not foolproof, but it can help.
Have an honest, age-appropriate conversation with your child about the risks of talking to strangers online and the ways they may be contacted via YouTube. Encourage them not to engage with people they don’t know in real life and to alert you if anything makes them uncomfortable.
If your child is the recipient of unwanted communication on YouTube, report the comment. (Even better: empower your child to do so themselves.) Reports can lead to a comment being removed or even the deletion of the offending user’s account.
Regularly sit down with your child to look at their YouTube together. Check out their watch history and view some of their favorite creator’s videos together. Use the opportunity to keep an eye on their activity and to establish open lines of communication.
BrightCanary can help make your check-ins easier: as a parental monitoring app, BrightCanary monitors your child’s YouTube searches, videos, and posts. The tool uses advanced technology to summarize your child’s online activity and alert you when your child encounters something concerning, so you can talk about it together.
Like all online platforms that allow users to interact with each other, your child may be contacted by strangers on YouTube. This presents risks, but parents can take steps to lessen the danger and protect their kids.
