Welcome to Parent Pixels, a parenting newsletter filled with practical advice, news, and resources to support you and your kids in the digital age. This week:
🚫 TikTok banned from operating in Canada, may remain in US: The controversial social media app was politely yet firmly asked to shutter its offices in Canada, although Canadians can still use and access TikTok at their own risk. CBC reports that the decision to shutter TikTok’s Canadian offices was based on national security concerns and the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community — pretty similar to the reasons TikTok was heading toward getting banned in the US. President-elect Trump has signaled that he will try to halt the ban, which would likely face formidable political challenges and legal hurdles. Either way, odds are high that your child will still be able to record TikToks for the foreseeable future. Stay informed with our guide to TikTok parental controls.
👤 NYT profile uncovers the dark side of minors on social media: The New York Times recently profiled Jacky Dejo, a child influencer turned social media entrepreneur who grew up in the creator economy — and in close proximity to men who are sexually interested in minors. Jacky’s parents started social media accounts for her when she was 6, intending to chronicle her snowboarding prowess. But as Jacky grew older, she captured the attention of adult fans, ultimately leaning in to their interest and charging for exclusive access to salacious posts and images. The profile is as enlightening as it is disturbing, but one of its more harrowing illustrations is the way that social media algorithms play a distinct role in surfacing children’s images to men who have a sexual interest in them — and failing to remove underage content that violates terms of service. Parents, talk to your kids about the risks of online predators, grooming, and why they should keep their social profiles private.
🔐How schools implement “away for the day” phone policies: More schools across the country are asking students to put away their phones, but are these policies really helping kids? A recent feature in the Seattle Times says yes. Robert Eagle Staff Middle School is one of 4,000 schools worldwide that use Yondr pouches, neoprene bags that lock away the child’s phone for the day. Staff at these schools say that students are more focused during class, spend less time dealing with conflicts from group chats or social media, and even have fewer disciplinary incidents (like vaping and alcohol use) because kids can’t use their phones to coordinate meetup locations. “The last two years, 70% of my job has been dealing with cellphones. It felt like whack-a-mole,” Principal Zachary Stowell said. “And now that’s removed. Now I’m talking to teachers about their teaching, which is cool.” Does your child’s school have a phone-free policy?
Parent Pixels is a biweekly newsletter filled with practical advice, news, and resources to support you and your kids in the digital age. Want this newsletter delivered to your inbox a day early? Subscribe here.
Is social media influencing your child’s eating habits and relationship to food? We spoke with Maiken Wiese, RD, about eating disorder warning signs. Here are some important conversation-starters based on her insights.
Is your child consuming an endless loop of bad news? This habit can expose your child to an endless stream of negative content and fuel their anxiety. Find out what to do about it.
Text message monitoring is a great way to keep your child safe. But if your child is deleting texts, your alarm bells might be going off. Is it harmless, or are they hiding something?
🤬 What’s the best way to stay cool, calm, and collected with your children? Check out these tips to improve self-regulation — your ability to keep your emotions in check — via Parenting Translator.
📵 Australia has proposed a ban on social media for kids under age 16, but it isn’t clear how the ban would be implemented. If the legislation becomes law, the platforms would have a year to figure out the details.
🧩 Looking for some screen-free activities you can do with your children this winter? Save this list from Techno Sapiens.
🎧 We were featured on the Calm Parenting Podcast in an episode about practical strategies for screen time and parental controls — give it a listen!
