One of the best ways to protect your home network is with a smart router like the Gryphon. If that’s not in the budget, free or low-cost DNS filters such as OpenDNS or NextDNS offer strong protection by blocking unsafe websites before they load. DNS filtering acts as your home’s invisible digital gatekeeper, guarding every connected device. It’s not foolproof, but it’s an important layer in a family’s digital safety plan.

Conversations about youth and technology often focus only on risks, but young people are not just consumers, they are creators, innovators, and culture shapers. Treating them as passive users underestimates their agency and erodes trust. Effective digital parenting means working with, not just for, youth: setting boundaries, listening, co-creating rules, and guiding critical thinking while celebrating strengths.

iOS 26 Roll-Out For iPhone & iPad: What Parents & Caregivers Need to Know About Apple’s New Safety Features Apple is putting safety technology front and center with its latest software release, iOS 26 (1). First announced in June and now available worldwide, the update introduces a suite of parental controls designed to make iPhones, iPads, Macs safer. These tools are not a substitute for conversations or active parenting, but they can support the boundaries you have alread

A viral bar graph claims screens, sleep, and work swallow nearly all of life, leaving almost no free time. Eye-catching? Yes. Accurate? Not at all. With no data, no citations, and exaggerated numbers, it’s designed to alarm, not inform. Using real Canadian research, we show why parents shouldn’t panic over hype-driven graphics and instead focus on balance, purpose, and evidence.

Parents are not powerless against Big Tech. Despite billion-dollar budgets and endless algorithms, research shows that kids don’t just absorb content, they interpret it through the conversations, examples, and guidance they get at home. Your presence and influence shape how they see the online world. Big Tech may capture their eyes, but you shape their understanding.

A teen recently told us, ‘Adults are the biggest bullies, especially in politics, where aggression pays.’ His peers applauded because they knew it was true. Kids are watching adults preach kindness while modeling hypocrisy. If we want youth to believe bullying is unacceptable, it starts with us proving it. The inconvenient truth? Too many adults are failing them.

When tragedy strikes, grief often fuels the search for someone, or something, to blame. Today, technology, social media, and video games are cast as easy targets. While these tools can amplify harmful voices, history shows violence long predates the internet. The real challenge isn’t banning tech but preparing youth with the digital literacy, resilience, and critical thinking skills to navigate it.

Why do the loudest and most extreme voices dominate our kids’ social media feeds? It isn’t by accident, it’s by design. Algorithms reward outrage because anger drives clicks, shares, and profit. The danger is that teens may mistake these amplified extremes for everyday reality. Parents must help them see past the noise, build resilience, and find strength in the middle ground.

Why are some young people drawn toward extremism? At The White Hatter, after decades of listening to teens, one theme keeps surfacing: hopelessness. When doors to housing, education, jobs, and even healthcare feel locked, frustration can deepen into despair. Left unchecked, that despair can make youth more vulnerable to radical voices. Hope, and being heard , are critical safeguards

When violent tragedies unfold, social media doesn’t just report, it amplifies. Graphic videos, conspiracy theories, and polarizing narratives spread within hours, creating fertile ground for those who want to recruit and radicalize youth. No family is immune. Parents need to step in with open, honest conversations that help kids process emotions, spot manipulation, and know they’re not alone.

Anxiety in youth isn’t born in a vacuum, it often reflects what they see in us. Kids don’t just listen, they watch how we react, solve problems, and cope. When parents catastrophize or ban technology without explanation, it fuels worry. Calm modeling, open conversations, and digital literacy help shift anxiety from something that controls kids to something they can manage with confidence.

Think your child is too young for social media? Chances are, they’re already on it. Studies from Canada, the U.S., Australia, and Ireland all say the same thing: huge numbers of kids under 13 have accounts, often set up with a parent’s help. That means the conversation can’t stop at blaming tech companies, it has to include the choices we make at home as a parent or caregiver

A new type of malware named “Stealerium” is being used by cybercriminals in highly invasive attacks. (1) It doesn’t just grab passwords or financial info, it actively watches for pornography searches or browsing. When it detects such content, it secretly takes screenshots of the browser and snaps a photo of the user via their webcam. All this data is then sent to criminals who can use it to blackmail victims.

Banning kids from technology may feel protective, but research shows it can have the opposite effect. Sonia Livingstone, professor at the London School of Economics, warns that when parents make phones and social media off-limits, it often turns them into “forbidden fruit.” Instead of pushing curiosity underground, the real solution is preparing kids with guidance, conversation, and digital literacy

For years, headlines have claimed that Silicon Valley elites keep their kids away from the very technology they create, pointing to one small “tech-free” school as proof. It’s a compelling story, but it isn’t true. Most tech leaders don’t ban screens , they set boundaries, guide use, and model balance, just like many families already do.

After the tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, renewed calls to “harden” schools are growing louder. But when security measures start looking like prisons, license plate readers, drones, and surveillance perimeters, we risk trading safety for constant monitoring. Should schools protect children, or police them? The line is thinner than we think.

Worried about your teen getting home safely? Snapchat’s new Home Safe feature automatically alerts a trusted friend when they arrive at their set home location. It’s a one-time notification designed to balance safety with independence, no constant tracking, just peace of mind. Here’s how it works, plus tips for parents on using it wisely.

The days of easily spotting a deepfake are over. Advances in AI mean the obvious giveaways, like distorted hands, awkward faces, or robotic voices, are now nearly flawless. For parents and educators, this creates a pressing challenge: helping young people question what they see and hear online. If even a viral video of bunnies on a trampoline can be fake, teaching verification has never been more important.”