Mamabear

June 18, 2015

YouTube Kids App Isn’t As Safe As It Sounds

It turns outs that even when a platform is designed with kids in mind, it isn't always as safe as it seems -- as it was with the YouTube Kids App.

When a website or app releases a new “kid-friendly” version of their platform, it sounds like it should be good news for parents.

With so much content online, managing what kids consume is often a big undertaking for parents. So an app designed exclusively for kids, with guards set up to prevent them from finding inappropriate content sounds like a break for parents.

But it turns out that even when a platform is designed with kids in mind, it isn’t always as safe as it seems — as it was with the YouTube Kids App.

What Is the YouTube Kids App?

Many kids enjoy watching YouTube, which includes a large library of kid-friendly content. But the platform, designed for adults, isn’t an ideal tool for young children.

In February of this year, Google (which owns YouTube) launched YouTube Kids, an app that gives younger kids an opportunity to enjoy their own, age-appropriate version of the video platform.

The new app, compatible for tablets and smartphones, was designed with kids in mind. The dashboard looks like a toy with bigger buttons, easy to navigate menus and intuitive playback options.

As for the content, YouTube claimed to curate age-appropriate videos, channels and playlists.

While YouTube Kids didn’t exactly say there would be only age-appropriate content available on the app, it sounded like it was a totally safe space for children to explore on their own.

But that wasn’t the case.

What Went Wrong?

An article on CNN Money reports that a consumer group has uncovered multiple examples of inappropriate content available on YouTube Kids.

Among the content were cartoons that looked harmless at first glance but were actually discussing playing with matches, tasting battery acid, tying a noose and tasting beer.

The iTunes page for YouTube Kids says that it uses “a mix of input from our users and automated analysis to categorize and screen out the videos that make parents nervous.” But that is in no way a foolproof solution.

Google is aware of the situation and working to resolve the issue; but in the meantime, parents need to be aware of what this means for their children.

Is YouTube Kids Safe For Your Children?

YouTube Kids is a better alternative than standard YouTube, but that doesn’t mean you can leave your child to manage their experience on their own.

Parents should carefully monitor the videos their children discover and report any content that is inappropriate or questionable. They can also use the app’s grown-up-only options to turn off search, limiting the content their children can find.

At What Age Can Kids Walk Alone?

The first time a parent sends their child to walk to school or around their neighborhood on their own, it can be scary. It’s difficult to know when kids are old enough to take the walk alone. And it has a lot to do with the parents.

Helicopter parents — parents who believe they should be heavily involved with their children’s lives — may think kids should walk with parents until they are as old as 15. While “free-range” parents — parents who believe they need to give children more independence and autonomy — may think kids should be allowed to walk alone as young as nine.

Federally, there is not a legal age for when children are allowed to in public walk alone during the day. But that doesn’t mean this issue doesn’t have any legal implications. As MamaBear covered early this year, a set of Maryland free-range parents found themselves in legal trouble after permitting their children to walk home alone.

So, how do you know what is right for your family?

Identify the Real Danger

While many parents are afraid to allow their children walk alone because of concerns about kidnapping, The Washington Post says this shouldn’t necessarily be the primary concern. It is extremely unlikely that a child walking alone will be abducted.

In cases regarding missing minors, less than one percent of cases involve a stranger abduction. Ninety-six percent of missing minors are situations related to runaways or other family issues.

The real danger in children walking alone is street safety.

Street Safety Is Just as Important for Older Kids

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests that parents wait to allow their children to start crossing the street on their own at ten years of age. This is the age that it is believed that kids begin to have enough maturity and brain development to form a better understanding of road dangers — which are serious.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, an estimated 61 children under the age of 19 are injured as pedestrians every day.

Their report also says that as kids age, they are actually at an increased risk of being injured as a pedestrian. Their report showed that 14-year-olds were the most likely age group to be injured while walking.

Prepare Your Child For Walking Alone

When it comes to deciding on an appropriate age, there is no perfect answer. It will be different for each family and child based on the maturity level of the child and the values of the parents.

But one thing will be true for all families. It is important to teach street safety rules to children at all ages, and the lessons and reminders need to follow children into their teen years.

Before crossing a street, look left, then look right, then look left once more. Be aware of cars making a right turn, they could be behind you as you cross. And listen, too.
Do not run across the street. If you think you need to run to make it across the traffic, don’t go.
When crossing the street in front of a stopped car, make eye contact with the driver before crossing.
Always walk on the sidewalk when it is available.
If there is not a sidewalk, walk facing traffic so you can step away as vehicles pass.
Only cross the street at crosswalks. And don’t assume cars will stop just because you are in the crosswalk. Wait for them to come to a full stop in both directions.
Always be aware of your surroundings. Do not assume that cars will always be where they are supposed to be on the road.
When crossing at intersections, always look for cars that may be turning.
If listening to music when walking, only put in one ear bud so you can hear what is happening around you.
Do not text, look at your phone, or talk on your phone while you walk near streets. It may not seem distracting while walking, but using a phone requires eyes, ears and concentration, all of which you need to be safe around traffic.
Avoid walking in the dark. If you must, wear reflective or bright clothing.

Explaining the Consequences of Sexting to Your Kids

Parents need to accept the growing rise in sexting and have conversations with their teens (and preteens) about the potential consequences of sexting.

Many parents would probably say they don’t have anything to worry about when it comes to their teen and sexting, the exchange of sexually explicit messages and photos via SMS, or texting.

But most of those parents would be wrong.

According to a report by Drexel University, more than 50% of surveyed students said that they sexted as minors.

Parents can no longer look the other way when it comes to sexting. They need to accept the growing rise in sexting and have conversations with their teens (and preteens) about the potential consequences of sexting.

Sexting Can Be Considered Child Pornography

Child pornography is a term that will likely scare and repulse most teens. But those same teens probably have no idea that sexting, as in receiving and sharing illicit images of minors, can be legally categorized as child pornography.

The Drexel study showed that many teens are unaware of this association and found that 61% of respondents didn’t know that sexting was considered child pornography.

But sexting is connected to child pornography and can lead to legal repercussions as twelve teens in Chicago found out. A group of male students aged 15 and 16 were taken into custody after it was learned that they were distributing nude images of others under the age of 18.

Relationships May End, But Images Will Remain

It isn’t uncommon for teenagers in relationships to believe that their relationship will last forever and fail to think the possibility of it ever ending. So, when they are about to send an explicit message or photo to their boyfriend or girlfriend, they rarely think about what will happen to that message if they break up.

Parents need to have conversations with their teens about the reality of their relationships and remind them to think about what will happen if the relationships ends.

Would they want their ex to have their hands on the photos after the relationship? What could happen if the relationship ended poorly? Would their ex use that photo against them?

Teens need to be reminded that if they share sexual photos with their boyfriend or girlfriend, that photo will remain even if the relationship ends.

People Can Share and Steal Private Images

When teens send a text, social media post, or sext, they often aren’t thinking about the long-term life of their message.

They send a message to a specific person and believe that is their only audience. They usually don’t think about the possibility of the message being shared or stolen without their knowledge.

But any piece of digital material has the potential of being shared without consent.

Teens may think that they are safe using platforms like Snapchat, where images are deleted after an allotted amount of time.

But even these sites and platforms are not safe. Last year, MamaBear covered a situation where 13GB of photos and videos on SnapChat were stolen by hackers.

Images that teens thought were private were stolen and shared without the creator’s’ knowledge.

Related: Snappening: What Snapchat’s Third Party Hack Means for Our Kids

The Cost of a Damaged Reputation

Whether images from sexting are stolen, intentionally misused, or just remain on a social media site on the Internet, the ultimate danger is a permanent consequence linked to a damaged reputation.

When a college entrance committee, a prospective employer, or anyone else that may be in a position to make a decision affecting your child’s future can find messages and photos as they search your child’s name across the web they are more and more likely to say “no,” often before even considering the actual school or job application. Many colleges are now running software to scan the Internet for content linked to potential new students. Imagine 4 years of hard work in high school to achieve grades and test scores high enough to apply to the best schools, only to be denied because of a few stray sexting messages.

Related: How To Talk to Your Kids About Their Digital Reputation

Parents can no longer avoid and ignore teen sexting.

They need to have conversations with their teens to help them clearly see the potential consequences that can come from sexting and sharing inappropriate and illicit messages. Parents can also get more involved with their child’s digital world by using MamaBear, The Ultimate Parenting App™. The free app, available for iPhones and Androids, sends parents notifications regarding their child’s social media activity and account, keeping them in the loop of their child’s social media habits and digital life.

May 26, 2015May 26, 2015

Table Talk: How to Talk to Your Teenage Son

Offering guidance and advice during your son's teen years is vital to helping them make good decisions. Learn the best ways to talk to your teenage son.

Raising sons can be hard in different ways than daughters — especially when the teenage years hit.

Teen boys are hardwired to take risks, push boundaries, try new things, and test their surroundings. These habits help them explore their world, discover new things, and prepare for adulthood, but this exploration can be hard for parents watching them, and parenting them, as they go through this time.

Parents want and need to form close bonds with their sons so they can help guide them through this challenging and experiential time. Offering guidance and advice is vital to helping sons learn to make the right decisions, and that starts with a clear line of communication between parent and son.

But talking to teen boys isn’t always easy, so here are a few tips on how to talk to your teenage son.

Don’t Be Upset If His Answers Are Short

When talking to your teen son, you may get responses like “yeah, sure, okay, and fine.” Teenage boys tend to be brief in their conversations.

Don’t take it personally and don’t let it make you upset or angry. Showing frustration with your teen son’s lack of communication will only push him away and turn short answers into no answers.

Also, don’t take his lack of response as an opportunity to fill the conversation with your thoughts. Don’t turn every conversation into a lecture. Understand that this may be your son’s way of communicating for the time being and don’t let short responses stop you from asking questions.

Ask Open Ended Questions

If you find it difficult to have conversations with your son, try asking open-ended questions that aren’t as easy for him to ignore or shut down.

An open-ended question cannot be answered by a simple one-word answer. It requires more thought and consideration to come up with an answer. An open-ended question would be “What was the best part of soccer practice?” as opposed to “How was soccer practice?” or “Which friend’s house are you going to?” instead of “Are you going out?”

Show an Interest in His Interests

It may be tempting to ask your son questions about the particular parts of his life you want to know about — school, grades, and work. But kids rarely want to talk about those things.

Begin your conversation with questions about things that you know interest them. Maybe you don’t have the same interests as him or care as much about those topics, but it is important to show your support regardless.

Then, as the conversation gets going, move on to the details of school and work.

Start Talking Early

Don’t wait until it’s too late. If you have young sons, start opening the lines of communication early on. Your child will be less likely to shut you out if you have been cultivating and growing a healthy relationship from a young age.

And talk about the big issues early. Teens will have more resistance to conversations about alcohol and drugs when they are already in high school.

Regularly Have Dinner Together

Teens begin searching for and craving autonomy. That means they may push you away, spend more time with their friends, and frequently hide in their rooms. So counter their retreat actions by having regular dinners that are expected and planned. When dinner together is a routine activity, it will be hard for your son to avoid.

Looking for even more tips to help you communicate with your sons and daughters? Check out the entire MamaBear series on table topics that can help you have better conversations and bring you closer as you gather around the dinner table.

Author: MamaBear