Raising Digitally Responsible Youth

Copyright © 2023 Safer Schools Together. The reproduction of this material is strictly prohibited without the written permission of the copyright owners. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: Given the rapidly evolving nature of technology and social media applications, this information (especially social media platform related) is current as of the date of publication.

Copyright © 2023 Safer Schools Together. The reproduc�on of this material is strictly prohibited without the writen permission of the copyright owners. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: Given the rapidly evolving nature of technology and social media applica�ons, this informa�on (especially social media pla�orm - related) is current as of the date of publica�on. This is an interac�ve document. Click the underlined links to read more or navigate to the correla�ng sec�on of the document.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 1 GENERAL PARENTING TIPS ........................................................................................................................... 2 THE ESSENTIALS........................................................................................................................................... 3 SEXTING VS. SEXTORTION ............................................................................................................................ 4 SOCIAL MEDIA APPS TO KNOW .................................................................................................................... 7 Snapchat (“Snap”) ................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Instagram (“Ig”)s .................................................................................................................................................................. 14 TikTok .................................................................................................................................................................................. 18 Facebook & Messenger .......................................................................................................................................................... 20 YouTube ............................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Twitch .................................................................................................................................................................................. 25 Discord ................................................................................................................................................................................. 26 Vault Apps ............................................................................................................................................................................ 27 The “Rules” (That No One Follows) ......................................................................................................................................... 27 Internet, Texting, and Social Media Lingo/Slang ....................................................................................................................... 28 VIDEO GAMING ......................................................................................................................................... 31 The Ratings Guide from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) .................................................................................. 32 Roblox .................................................................................................................................................................................. 32 Minecraft .............................................................................................................................................................................. 34 Fortnite ................................................................................................................................................................................ 34 Valorant................................................................................................................................................................................ 36 Steam .................................................................................................................................................................................. 37 Doxing.................................................................................................................................................................................. 38 PARENT/CAREGIVER RESOURCES................................................................................................................ 39

INTRODUCTION

Our current world climate is constantly connected to technology. What do we need to know as parents/caregivers to protect our children and teach them responsible and appropriate uses of technology? The parameters of rules and expecta�ons that we put in place at home will undoubtedly guide our children’s sense of digital responsibility. Raising children in a digital era can seem overwhelming at �mes. Technology has entered our lives at a rapid pace over the past several years and con�nues to evolve. The reality is that apps and technological devices will change, but the behavior stays the same. Modera�on is key to managing technology use in our homes. This does not need to be an “all or nothing” approach with either absolute prohibi�on or full unchecked usage. It is beneficial to maintain an open, transparent, and ongoing dialogue with our children regarding the internet, technology, social media, and video games. Remaining approachable and being a trusted adult to the children in our lives could make the difference between whether our children come to us when issues or uncomfortable situa�ons arise rather than feeling alone in the process of going to their peers to seek comfort and advice instead. Technology is here to s t ay, whether we like it or not. The digital reputa�on of today’s students, or how they choose to represent themselves online, is being evaluated and assessed by future employers and/or admissions departments. The goal of this parent/caregiver guide is to help introduce the major social media pla�orms, video games, and relevant trends that are either being used already or have the poten�al to be used by our children. Stay the course. We want to prepare our children for their tech - infused futures and walk down this digital journey alongside them by staying informed. Good luck!

Photo by Julia M Cameron.

GENERAL PARENTING TIPS

There are some general paren�ng �ps that can help navigate a household that respects digital boundaries. Some of these can include: • Keeping phones and devices out of the bedroom. Sleep is important for growth and according to Dr. Ben Carter, 89% of adolescents have at least one device in their bedrooms – most of which are used around bed�me, doubling their chances of ge�ng insufficient sleep 1 . Sleep disturbance in childhood is known to have adverse effects on health, including poor diet, obesity, sedentary behavior, reduced immune func�on, and stunted growth . It has also been linked to mental health concerns 2 . • If possible, have a central charging sta�on for all portable digital devices. The kitchen table or island, living room, or another common area in your house is a great place to keep all household devices charged at night, including your own! By modeling digitally responsible behavior and se�ng an example for youth that you don’t need to sleep with your device(s), it helps children understand that they don’t need to either!

Photo by Driven by Décor. • Know their passwords – it is y our parental right. You paid for the device that you gave your child, which means…you guessed it! You own it! You have the right to spot- check devices that belong to you, including the ones that you gave your child. • Stay educated. If your child comes to you and asks to download an app that you’re unfamiliar with, download the app and try it out yourself first. Play around with it and do your research . If your child already has an app or game, ask them to teach you about it and how it works! • Put tape or a s�cky note/s�cker over the device camera when not in use.

1 Bed�me use of media devices more than doubles the risk of poor sleep in children -- ScienceDaily 2 Chi ldren and Sleep | Sleep Founda�on

Photo by ReviewGeek. • Build a culture of openness and trust in establishing a two - way dialogue about technology and social media between you and your child. You want to be approachable to your children when , not if, a concern comes up in their digital lives. • Technology isn’t going anywhere – try to introduce technology into your home and your children’s lives at a pace you feel comfortable with, rela�ve to your child’s age and emo�onal maturity. • We are not our child’s best friend. We are responsible for ensuring their safety in the online world just as much as we are responsible for ensuring their safety in the offline world! • Google yourself and your family. Any names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, or social media usernames that are associated with your family can be searched online; see what shows up before others do. • Remind your children of the permanence of anything posted online or sent electronically. Not everything we post online stays, but we don’t get to decide what stays and what doesn’t! These �ps are intended to be used in part or whole alongside your personal paren�ng methods. You as a parent/caregiver know what is best for your child. It’s important to put our children’s well - being first and allowing yo urself to have a strong understanding of digital responsibility will enable your child to as well so they can make beter decisions online and offline on their own. If you would like to atend a parent session on Raising Digitally Responsible Youth, how to keep our children safe online, and understanding current trends, please reach out to your school/school district or PAC and ask them to request a proposal from Safer Schools Together 3 . THE ESSENTIALS There are many components to the online world that are generally known and understood by most digital users, however, here are three essen�al terms that we need to understand to take control of our digital responsibility: Hashtag A hashtag (#) is a symbol added before a word or phrase to create a searchable category indexed by social media and becomes discoverable by other users. Instagram, Twiter, and TikTok are the primary pla�orms where hashtags are used. Hashtags are a way of making it easier to find and follow other users/posts within a par�cular category or contribute to a conversa�on.

3 Request a Training (saferschoolstogether.com)

Username A username is a unique online iden�ty that is chosen to represent someone online. Most pla�orms make you choose a username when you create an account, and this username is typically unique to this

individual user (may not be used by others, unless that username is no longer in use). Passwords

We all know the challenge of trying to remember our passwords for a website or an app and it’s easy to fall into the habit of using the same passwords for all our logins. This is a dangerous habit, especially if it is something predictable such as a dog name or home address. We should remind our children not to share their passwords with their friends ! This is the number one reason behind accounts ge�ng “hacked”. Use different passwords for each pla�orm you have an account for and ensure they are strong with a mix of numbers, leters, and special characters (!@#$%^&*). TIP: Try a password manager! There are many free password manager apps available in the iOS app store, Google Play store, and in the form of browser extensions. Password managers store your passwords on a digital “keychain” and can help you to manage passwords (especially really strong ones), so you don’t have to!

SEXTING VS. SEXTORTION

Th ere is no doubt that smartphones are having a tremendous impact on our everyday lives. The use of instant messaging especially has skyrocketed since the introduc�on of smartphones and social media. Research suggests that over 41 million messages are sent out every minute 4 , and this number is expected to con�nue to increase. The term ‘sex�ng’ has emerged as the use of text messages and instant messages to send sexually explicit photographs, videos, and messages has become more prevalent. Sex�ng is also commonly found over popular apps such as Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct Messages, but we have seen it widely popularized through Snapchat due to its ability to send photographs/videos and messages that can only be seen once for only a few seconds before it “disappears” into cyberspace – unless, of course, someone was to take a screenshot and distribute it to others…

4 Text, Don’t Call: Messaging Apps Sta�s�cs for 2022 (kommandotech.com)

Sex�ng has several dangers to acknowledge regarding how it can permanently impact the lives of our youth. One of the most dangerous scenarios that we see occur repeatedly, especially in teenagers, is sextor�on. Sextor�on is when non - physical forms of coercion are used to extort non - consensual sexual favors from the vic�m. Sextor�on can happen to anyone who chooses to sext – it’s not always a stranger you’ve never met; it can also be someone close to you. It is crucial for our youth to understand that when they choose to engage in sex�ng, they are subjec�ng themselves to sextor�on.

Video by YouTube user FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Snapchat (“Snap”) Since its release in 2011, Snapchat has remained one of the most popular social media applica�ons that o ur youth are using to communicate and share their digital lives. With over 293 million daily ac�ve users worldwide and over 5 billion Snaps created every day 5 , Snapchat is the de facto medium of communica�on for students in grades 6 -12. The reason for its popularity is that it turned text communica�on into a visual experience that allows users to send disappearing photos that leave behind (almost) no evidence and for the most part, don’t become part of a youth’s digital footprint. The founda�onal feature that makes Snapchat desirable to youth is the disappearing of photos/videos that vanish a�er they have been opened. Users can set a viewing �me of as litle as 1 second up to 24 hours a�er which, once viewed, it will be deleted from the recipient’s device and as the company claims, from Snapchat’s servers 6 . Snapchat allows users to take s�ll photos, record short videos, add text, and create drawings to send to a personalized, and typically private, list of friends. However, nothing stops the recipient from taking a screenshot or using a different device to take a picture or the image or screen recording of the video. Note: if you take a screenshot using the recipient device, Snapchat will no�fy the sender that you’ve taken a copy. Despite news headlines that suggest Snapchat is “just a sex�ng app” or one that is only used to send nude photos, this is not the case and represents a very small usage of the app. TO ADD - How To Use Snapchat! (Complete Beginners Guide) (2023) - YouTube

5 Snapchat Demographic Stats: How Many People Use Snapchat in 2023? (backlinko.com) 6 Do Your Snapchats Really Delete A�er Being Opened? - PSafe Blog

SOCIAL MEDIA APPS TO KNOW Snapchat (“Snap”)

Since its release in 2011, Snapchat has remained one of the most popular social media applica�ons that our youth are using to communicate and share their digital lives. With over 293 million daily ac�ve users worldwide and over 5 billion Snaps created every day 7 , Snapchat is the de facto medium of communica�on for students in grades 6 -12. The reason for its popularity is that it turned text communica�on into a visual experience that allows users to send disappearing photos that leave behind (almost) no evidence and for the most part, don’t become part of a youth’s digital footprint. The founda�onal feature that makes Snapchat desirable to youth is the disappearance of photos/videos that vanish a�er they have been opened. Users can set a viewing �me of as litle as 1 second up to 24 hours a�er which, once viewed, it will be deleted from the recipient’s device and as the company claims, from Snapchat’s servers 8 . Snapchat allows users to take s�ll photos, record short videos, add text, and create drawings to send to a personalized, and typically private, list of friends. However, nothing stops the recipient from taking a screenshot or using a different device to take a picture or the image or screen recording of the video. Note: if you take a screenshot using the recipient device, Snapchat will no�fy the sender that you’ve taken a copy. Despite news headlines that suggest Snapchat is “just a sex�ng app” or one that is only used to send nude photos, this is not the case and represents a very small usage of the app.

Video by YouTube user Simple Alpaca.

7 Snapchat Demographic Stats: How Many People Use Snapchat in 2023? (backlinko.com) 8 Do Your Snapchats Really Delete A�er Being Opened? - PSafe Blog

Snapchat Lingo

Snaps A user takes a photo/video using their digital device/smartphone in real �me. The user can select an amount of �me between 1 - 10 seconds or choose infinite �me for the receiver to view the photo/video. A user can elect to have the photo/video that they have just taken to be saved into their photo gallery, their ‘My Eyes Only’ folder, or simply sent via Snapchat without being saved on their device. Stories A user can add the photo/video to their ‘Story’. Depending on the user’s privacy se�ngs, the photos/videos added to a story can be viewed by all Snapchat users or just those on their friends’ list for up to 24 hours. Chat A user can type a text message or create a voice message, voice call, or video call within the Snapchat app to their friends using this feature. Once both par�es have viewed the message, the message will vanish. The chat se�ngs can also be manually changed within each conversa�on to be set to disappear a�er 24 hours instead. Photos/videos from the camera roll or gallery of the user’s device can be uploaded and sent within the chat. Group chats o�en exist between mul�ple friends. Streaks Seen within the chat log screen, a user’s ‘Snapchat Streak’ is the number of consecu�ve days that the account owner and a friend have sent at least, but no less than, 1 snap per day to each other. If they do not snap with each other within 24 hours, they lose their streak with their friend (this is a huge deal to today’s youth!)

My AI

As the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) increases, we can expect to see a surge in the development of new AI services. Most recently, Snapchat rolled out its own AI bot, called My AI. This new AI bot is powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology but has additional safety enhancements and controls that are unique to Snapchat. 9 What differentiates Snapchat’s AI from services like ChatGPT or Midjourney is a user can customize the bot’s name as well as the way it looks reducing the perception of interacting with an AI system. With My AI, users can leverage a variety of AI capabilities. To access My AI, users need to access the Chat screen. From th e Chat screen, users will then be able to select My AI and ask the AI bot a variety of questions. Some example s of how My AI can be used include asking for advice, requesting help to plan a trip or find directions, as and asking for simple suggestions such as ‘What to make for dinner?’ 10 If a user has shared their location with Snapchat, My AI will be able to provide specific information including nearby location recommendations. 11 Users currently have the option to send feedback to Snapchat by pressing and holding on any response from the AI bot. This allows users to share more on what they’d like to see more or less of while Snapchat continue s to train the My AI bot . 12 Currently, there is no verified way, nor ha s SST found a way to permanently remove My AI from a user's Snapchat account. We encourage parents/guardians to talk to their children about the risks associated with having conversations with AI, and how AI should not replace a trusted adult, parent, or adviser if they are experiencing a difficult situation.

9 What is My AI on Snapchat and how do I use it? 10 What is My AI on Snapchat and how do I use it? 11 What is My AI on Snapchat and how do I use it? 12 What is My AI on Snapchat and how do I use it?

Snap Map

The Snap Map allows users to view Snaps of spor�ng events, celebra�ons, breaking news, etc. in their communi�es and around the world. This feature is available within the applica�on itself, as well as being accessible via a web browser without even needing to log in to the app 13 . Perhaps the most concerning content viewable from this map, however, is where your friends are…exactly where they are…in real - �me. Users can share their loca�ons with everyone on their “friends” list so they can see exactly where their friends are and what they are doing (driving, sleeping, listening to music, etc.) in real - �me on a virtual map. This is an example of what the Snap Map looks like to a user from the mobile applica�on while logged into their account. These are all of Ashley’s friends who have Snap Map enabled. They are represented by the Bitmoji 14 they designed for themselves. This is why it is so important that our children are only communica�ng on Snapchat with close friends and family that they know and trust in real life.

Within the Snapchat Se�ngs, users can turn off the ability for others to see their loca�on by enabling something called Ghost Mode or only allowing their loca�on to be viewed by certain friends (Ie. their best friend) and/or parents/caregivers or other trusted adults. Ghost Mode is a full privacy mode that makes a user’s presence on the Snap Map visible to the user alone. This disallows other users from viewing their loca�on, including users on their friend list. The Snap Map is o�en used by SST threat analysts and law enforcement to find missing students by asking peers of the missing student to share their Snap Map with us.

13 About - Snap Map (snapchat.com) 14 Bitmoji

Message Screen

Here is an example of what the Snapchat Chat screen could poten�ally look like within a Snapchat account. Use the Chat Screen Icon Guide and the Friend Emoji charts on the following pages to see whom this user interacts with the most. To test your knowledge, try answering the following ques�ons (answers in footnotes at the botom of this page): • What does a blue - colored no�fica�on mean? 15 • What does a pink - colored no�fica�on mean? 16 • What does a purple -co lored no�fica�on mean? 17 • Who is this user’s best Snapchat friend? 18 • What is a Snapchat best friend? 19 • Who has the longest Snap Streak with this user and how many days has this Snap Streak lasted? 20 • Who was the last person this user sent a message to and when? 21 • Does this user currently have a Snap Story? How do you know? 22

Are the Snaps to Monique incoming or outgoing? 23 What type of Snaps were sent to Monique (Photo, Video, or Text)? 24 At the top of the Snapchat with Monique, there is a no�fica�on that a screenshot was taken of the chat – who can see this? 25

•

15 Text or audio communica�on. 16 Photo communica�on. 17 Video communica�on. 18 Dsasu (indicated by yellow heart). 19 The person this user has sent and received the most amount of Snaps to/from. 20 Jonny Wanyanga (273 days). 21 Jessica (5 minutes ago). 22 Yes; indicated by the round photo in the upper le� - hand corner of the screen. 23 Outgoing as they say ‘Delivered’ rather than ‘New Snap’ or ‘New Chat’ . 24 Photo. 25 Both the user who took the screenshot and Monique.

Chat Screen Icon Guide

Photo courtesy of Snapchat

Friend Emoji Guide

Friend Emojis are determined by Snapchat to keep track of the status of a user's friends. These can change over �me based on the interac�ons between users. Friend Emojis can also be altered in the se�ngs of Snapchat.

Instagram (“Ig”)

Owned by Meta 26 , the popular photo - and short video - sharing app Instagram has over 500 million+ daily ac�ve users 27 . If you see a youth scrolling up with their thumb on their smartphone looking at photos, chances are they are looking at Instagram.

Hashtags (#) are used o�en on this pla�orm. This gives people a way to be introduced to and follow other users w ith similar interests.

Video by YouTube user Simple Alpaca.

26 Meta Pla�orms - Wikipedia 27 How Many People Use Instagram? 95+ User Sta�s�cs (2023) (backlinko.com)

Privacy Se�ngs on Instagram

On Instagram, users either share posts with everyone by having a public profile or only share posts with people they have approved to follow them with a private profile. SST strongly suggests children have private profiles un�l they are ready to start using their profile as a por�olio for prospec� ve jobs, admission to post- secondary ins�tu�ons, and other personal/professional projects. A public profile will show the account’s content publicly on Instagram, even without logging in:

A private profile will show the account but not the content they post:

Having a private account on Instagram requires users to go to their account se�ngs. There, under ‘Account Privacy’, users can toggle the Account Privacy switch.

Instagram Stories

Users on Instagram have the ability to post photos/videos to their “Stories” for the public or just for their followers to see. These stories are only visible for 24 hours. This concept was copied from the very popular Snapchat app that has quickly gained trac�on among youth. Users can see who has watched their Instagram Stories, and can receive poll ques�ons, messages, and reac�ons from other users.

Photo by NapoleonCat.

Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels were added as a feature in 2020 and were originally 15 seconds long 28 . These are short videos with music included, very similar to the style of TikTok videos. Instagram Reels can now be up to 90 seconds and can also be cross shared on Meta’s other pla�orm Facebook. Instagram Reels are the fastest - growing feature worldwide and are expected to have over 1.22 billion users each month 29 .

Photo by BuddyMantra.

Direct Messaging (“DMs”)

Direct Messaging, or ‘DMs’, is a private message inbox within the Instagram app. This is a feature that allows users to privately communicate, like text messaging. This is where youth can receive private messages from their friends, par�cipate in group chats, or even receive messages from strangers. There is currently no way to turn the Instagram DMs off. It is important to note that photos, videos, and voice recordings can be sent through Instagram DMs, including from accounts that aren’t mutual (doesn’t follow the user/the user doesn’t follow them).

28 Instagram Reels - BrandMen�ons Wiki 29 24 Instagram Reels Stats That Might Surprise You (hootsuite.com)

TikTok Formerly known as Musical.ly, TikTok is currently one of the world’s most popular video - sharing social networking applica�ons and is centered around short videos with popular songs or sounds added. TikTok reigned as the most downloaded app globally in 2022 with 672 million downloads 30 that year a�er 9 quarters of holding the same �tle 31 and over 3.5 billion downloads since the app’s incep�on 32 . Despite several incidents of data breach allega�ons 33 and being banned in several countries 34 , TikTok is not going away any�me soon. TikTok has strategically marketed to younger audiences, and although users must be 13 years of age to sign up, the content isn’t being filtered. However, TikTok does offer some form of parental control under their Family Pairing feature 35 . Age - inappropriate content is inevitably reaching 37.3% of its es�mated audience that is under the age of 18 36 , as well as audiences who are poten�ally younger than the required 13 years of age, as it is quite easy for younger app users to lie about their age. The average �me a user spends on TikTok is 95 minutes per day 37 ; this is an increase of 43 minutes per day from 2022’s sta�s�c of 52 minutes 38 . This �me is spent either crea�ng and sharing short videos or watching the exis�ng plethora of TikTok videos uploaded to the pla�orm already. Either way, it’s being done for nearly 100 minutes every day. This �me is similar to but exceeds the amount of �me spent on other social media pla�orms such as YouTube (47.5 minutes), Snapchat (30.8 minutes), and Instagram (30.6 minutes) 39 .

Video by YouTube user Simple Alpaca.

30 Most Popular Apps (2023) - Business of Apps 31 TikTok Remains the Most Downloaded App in Q1 2021, According to New Data | Social Media Today 32 How Many Downloads Does TikTok Have in 2023? (App Stats) - EarthWeb 33 TikTok sued for billions over use of children's data - BBC News 34 Which countries have banned TikTok? | Mashable 35 How to Use TikTok’s Parental Controls (howtogeek.com) 36 TikTok User Sta�s�cs (2023) (backlinko.com) 37 9 Stats About Average Time Spent on Tiktok 2023 [New Data] (businessdit.com)

38 10 TikTok Sta�s�cs You Need to Know in 2022 [New data] (oberlo.com) 39 Average Time Spent On Social Media in 2023 (by Pla�orm) (oberlo.com)

There is also a growing number of adults on TikTok. More than 56% of users are between the ages of 25-54 40 years old. Adults joining the app are not necessarily there to create a safe space for TikTok’s younger audiences and may not even realize that poten�ally children of all ages, if not just ages 13 to 18, can see the content they choose to post. Although TikTok states in its Terms of Service 41 that any inappropriate content will be taken down by moderators, it may take hours, days, or even not happen at all. This is something to consider when keeping in mind that more than 1 billion TikTok videos are viewed every day 42 .

With the increasing popularity of video- sharing apps, there are a couple of different apps to look out for that are similar to TikTok such as Triller 43 - an American - based app with over 250 million downloads 44 and the ability to share videos with added music or sounds similar to TikTok. YouTube has also followed this trend with YouTube Shorts, which can be found on Page 21 of this guide.

40 Global TikTok user age and gender distribu�on 2023 | Sta�sta 41 Terms of Service | TikTok 42 33+ Amazing TikTok Sta�s�cs You Should Know in 2023 (techjury.net) 43 Home | Triller 44 15 Triller Sta�s�cs, Facts, and Figures to Get to Know the Pla�orm (influencermarke�nghub.com)

Facebook & Messenger

Although less popular among youth in comparison to other social media apps, Facebook and Messenger are s�ll very ac�ve and important to note. Both owned by Meta, Facebook and Messenger can be used together under Facebook’s web browser pla�orm, or separately in their own respec�ve apps from the iOS App Store or Google Play store. Facebook is a social media pla�orm that allows users to stay connected with friends and family online. Since its crea�on in 2004, Facebook stands at over 5 billion downloads 45 and is now operated under the umbrella company Meta, which also owns Instagram.

Messenger is a separate app that is exclusively an instant and direct messaging service which automa�cally connects with a user’s Facebook friend list. Because Messenger is integrated into the desktop version of Facebook but not the mobile version, the separate Messenger app is con�nuously bringing in over 2 million downloads through the iOS App Store alone 46 and is used on mobile more frequently than the standalone Facebook app.

45 Facebook Revenue and Usage Sta�s�cs (2023) - Business of Apps 46 Facebook Messenger - Sta�s�cs & Facts | Sta�sta

In 2017, an applica�on called Messenger Kids was released. Messenger Kids is an applica�on for children to communicate with pre - approved friends and family through their parent’s Facebook account. Messenger Kids features include: • Recent contacts and chat history; allows parents to see whom their child is cha�ng with, whether they are video cha�ng or sending messages, and how frequently those conversa�ons happened over the past 30 days. • Log of images in chats; allows parents to see the most recent photos and videos their child has sent and received in their inbox. • Reported and blocked contacts; allows parents access to a list of the repor�ng and blocking ac�ons their child has taken in the app. • Remote device logout; allows parents to see all devices where their child is logged into Messenger Kids and log out of the app on any device through the Parent Dashboard. • Download your child’s informa�on; allows parents to request a copy of their child’s data.

YouTube

PewDiePie, MrBeast, Markiplier, DanTDM, and Logan Paul: these names may or may not be familiar to you, but if your child spends �me on YouTube, they have likely come across videos by these YouTube “famous” creators before. The over-the- top humor, outrageous pranks, and clickbait 47 video thumbnails have made these YouTube creators extremely popular and influen�al. Owned by Google, consider YouTube the Google of video. Created in 2005, YouTube is currently the second most visited website in the world 48 (second to Google) with over 2 billion monthly ac�ve users 49 and approximately 5 billion videos watched every day 50 . YouTube can be used as a way for users to pass the �me, express themselves, learn new skills, and watch content they enjoy such as sports, video games, etc. However, it can also be very easy to cross over into watching less - than - appropriate topics and content. Parents should set parameters on video watching and moderate access to age - appropriate videos.

Video courtesy of YouTube user Creator Brain.

47 What is Clickbait? - Defini�on from Techopedia 48 List of most visited websites - Wikipedia

49 How Many People Use YouTube in 2023? [New Data] (backlinko.com) 50 How Many YouTube Videos Are Watched A Day in 2023? - EarthWeb

These are just a few examples that could poten�ally appear as ‘Suggested Videos’ on the front page upon visi�ng YouTube. Users can watch YouTube passively without being logged into an account or can sign in to track the type of videos they watch and like, subscribe to channels, and upload their own videos. Although YouTube does offer features such as Restricted Mode 51 , it is best prac�ce to download YouTube Kids for children under 13 years of age. This version of YouTube (explained in further detail on the following page) only displays content that is tagged as ‘Kid - Friendly’ by YouTube and their trusted ‘Kid - Friendly’ creators and adver�sers.

51 Turn Restricted Mode on or off on YouTube - Computer - YouTube Help (google.com)

YouTube Kids

For younger audiences, YouTube has created an app that is specifically aimed at children between the ages of 3 - 8. The videos on YouTube Kids are heavily censored and focus more on family - friendly entertainment and learning. YouTube Kids is a separate applica�on from YouTube and must be set up using an adult’s email address. From there, the adult user can set up profiles for their children and can even control in - app searching. Parents/caregivers can also set viewing �mers to help monitor and control app usage. YouTube Kids can be a good alterna�ve to YouTube as it introduces our youngest to digital media on our terms and with specific, child - friendly boundaries.

Twitch

Twitch is a live video streaming service that primarily focuses on video games. During a stream, there is a streamer who is the person conduc�ng the broadcast with or without live webcam footage and is typically playing a video game while engaging with their live audience in the live cha t. Viewers can chat with the streamer and other users in the stream’s live chat log, in which other viewers can type back or the streamer may respond by voice. Twitch users have sent more than 14.2 billion chat messages since the streaming service’s incep�on in 2011 52 . The average Twitch user can be found using Twitch for 95 minutes per day 53 , which can include watching and/or streaming. Twitch is generally free to watch, and following streamers is also a free feature. However, there are certain paid subscrip�ons that users can use to give streamers a set amount of money per month to support their stream called Subscrip�ons, as well as single - �me payments called Dona�ons/Tips and Bits. These can be purchased for real - world currency through the Twitch pla�orm and spent within the website/app towards any streamer who has this feature enabled. Because Twitch is owned and operated by Amazon, any user with an Amazon Prime account is eligible for Twitch Prime and is given one free Subscrip�on pass (worth $4.99 USD) per month. This can be used in the same way a regular Subscrip�on is used. Although gaming is s�ll the most popular topic on Twitch, there are also other topics such as ‘Just Cha�ng’, ‘Art’, and ‘Pools, Hot Tubs, & Beaches’. It’s important to note that although some channels may restrict viewers to ages 18+ (monitored only by a buton confirming you are over 18, no actual age verifica�on occurs), many streams that do not have an age restric�on s�ll broadcast inappropriate content.

52 Twitch by the Numbers: Stats, Users, Demographics & Fun Facts (muchneeded.com) 53 Twitch by the Numbers: Stats, Users, Demographics & Fun Facts (muchneeded.com)

Discord

D iscord is a free voice and text messaging applica�on that is available as a desktop, browser, and mobile applica�on (iOS and Android) with over 150 million monthly ac�ve users 54 . Typically, Discord is used as a space for gamers to chat either by instant message, voice chat, or video chat. Discord is now being used for many different types of online communi�es such as YouTuber/Influencer chat channels, art communi�es, and a place to meet new people. It is es�mated that 850 million Discord messages are sent every day (6 billion each week and 25 billion each month) 55 . Within Discord, users can create or join ‘Servers’ where they can invite as many people as they would like to engage in a chat together. Voice chat can be used as either an open mic or push -to- talk – a feature that only allows others to hear you by enabling voice via the designated buton set by a user on their keyboard or mouse. Users can also share their computer screens with Discord. Discord also offers a paid subscrip�on service called Discord Nitro 56 that allows users to have Discord upgrades such as increased upload limits, customized emojis within servers, HD video streaming, access to games and ac�vi�es to play within the pla�orm with friends, Server Boosts, custom profiles, and m ore.

Video courtesy of YouTube user Discord.

54 Disco rd Sta�s�cs 2023: Valua�on, Revenue & Market Share (earthweb.com) 55 Discord Revenue and Usage Sta�s�cs (2023) - Business of Apps 56 Nitro Benefits and Features | Discord

Vault Apps

Vault apps are mobile applica�ons designed to hide private photos, videos, files, or other applica�ons on a device, usually by using the icon of another app such as a calculator, camera, or notes. Vault apps are popular amongst teens in order to protect their mobile privacy to use app locking, private bookmarks, incognito browsing, cloud backup, and more. However, teens should be reminded that using technology is a privilege and they are not en�tled to full privacy on their devices for their own safety.

The “Rules” (That No One Follows)

Although many social media pla�orms and apps have a User Minimum Age Agreement 57 either in order to sign up or outlined in their Terms of Service, these are typically bypassed by younger users in order to bypass this effort.

57 Age Limita�on in Terms and Condi�ons Agreements - TermsFeed

Internet, Tex�ng, and Social Media Lingo/Slang

Lingo

Transla�on That feeling when Oh my goodness

Lingo

Transla�on

TFW

Rona/VID

Referencing Corona Virus or Covid Connec�ng with friends to chill Blown off or rejected; deliberately singled out A way to express excitement about something Word meant to add emphasis to a point that has been made. O�en regarded as a more extreme or intense version of "period." Another word for lying Someone who enjoys the aten�on of others and will do crazy things to get it OG used to mean Original Gangster although some people these days use OG as a quicker way of saying Original Only interested in things mainstream, popular, and trending S�ck to your own business A word used to indicate excitement or an epic moment. When someone is very high / Drunk One thousand dollars

Sheesh

Link

Sneaky Link

Deaded

Phrase used to describe a secret sexual rela�onship

Real One

SKSKSKSK

A real friend

CD9

Cap

Parents are present

Mutuals

Periodt/ Periot

To follow and be followed by someone on a social media pla�orm

Snake

Bands

A snake is someone who you think is sincere and really nice, but then turns out to be a backstabber

Swole

Ham

Muscular

Snack

Stay in your lane

An atrac�ve person

Savage

A bad a** who did something nobody else would do.

Derp

Basic

When someone does something stupid, weird or odd A shorter version of the word " suspect " A person who has everything you need Person that you have a known for a long �me or feel close with A pairing or couple that you want to get a rela�onship

Sus

POG /POGCHAMP Zooted / Turnt

Plug

Day 1

Finna

Finally, about to

Ship

Bars / Zannies

Xanax, a prescrip�on drug used to help symptoms of anxiety and panic disorders

Wins

GOAT Simp

Explicit photos or Nudes

Greatest of All Time

Lean *also knowns as purple drank, sizurp, dirty sprite, Tris

A mixture of Jolly Ranchers, Sprite, and codeine that will get you high

Someone who does way too much for a person they like

Lit

DTF Tho Emo

Cool/Awesome Over-the-top Cool/Awesome

Down To F***

Extra

Though

Fire

Emo�onal

Shade Go - Off

VSCO Girl Mukbang

Girls that use VSCO Popular ea�ng videos Where are you at? Drunk/Intoxicated

Disrespec�ul manner To hype someone up

WYA

Low -Key

Quiet/Modest

Faded

Salty

Being upset over nothing

Fav/Fave

Stan

A crazed fan

Favorite

Lingo Thirsty

Transla�on

Lingo

Transla�on

Oof

A synonym for someone who is sexually eager

Onomatopoeia when something bad happens Bad publicity / boycot

Tea

Cancelled

Gossip

Shook

FML

Shocked/Surprised

F*** my life

Wig

KMS/KYS

Cool/Awesome

Kill myself/Kill yourself Funny/Unbelievable Friends with benefits

Big Yikes

Dead FWB

Uh oh

AMA

Ask me anything Age/Sex/Loca�on At the moment

ASL

GTG/G2G

Got to go

ATM

GG Bet Flex BFF Slay

Good game

Fit

Ou�it No Lie

I agree

No Cap BF/GF

Showing off

Boyfriend/Girlfriend

Best friend forever

F4F

Follow for follow

Succeed

HundoP

Roasted

100% sure about something Awesome/Posi�ve Spirit

To be dissed By the way

Fierce

BTW

A sexualized term for a desirable body

A tex�ng term for crying

Squad

Weak

Group of friends

Amused

Finsta/Spams A secondary social media account

Yeet

To discard an item at a high velocity

Cray

Mood Deets

Crazy

Relatable

Cuffed

To be locked down in a rela�onship

Details

TBH DM

DGAF

To be honest Direct message Get the f*** out

Don’t give a f***

RN Nic

Right now

GTFO

nico�ne, usually in the context of vaping "hit the nic"

Thicc

HML (hit my line) Contact me

Descrip�on of a person’s physical descrip�on. Normally used as a compliment

LMK

HBD

Let me know

Happy Birthday

If you have any ques�ons about lingo or slang and their respected transla�ons, please contact Safer Schools Together toll-free at 1- 866 -554- 0848 or info@saferschoolstogether.com.

VIDEO GAMING

Video games with mature content advisories were once �ghtly policed by retailers across the con�nent using the ESRB Ra�ngs Guide 58 , similar to age restric�ons on R - Rated movies. Unfortunately, alongside the prolifera�on of technology growth and unlimited access to video content, enforcement of these ra�ngs has become non - existent. It is not uncommon to hear of some parents deciding to purchase Grand The� Auto for their 12 -year- old! If you are unfamiliar, Grand The� Auto V has in - game exposure to graphic violence, sexual ly explicit content and reenactment, alcohol and drug use/abuse, and strong language. Top 10 Most Violent Video Games of All Time 1. Bulletstorm (2011) 2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2010) 3. Postal (1997) 4. Mortal Kombat (2011) 5. Grand The� Auto III (2001) 6. Hotline Miami (2012) 7. MadWorld (2009) 8. Manhunt (2003) 9. Splaterhouse (2010) 10. Soldier of Fortune (2000)

58 ESRB Ra�ngs Guides, Categories, Content Descriptors

The Bad News Research generally suggests that prolonged exposure to violent video games can make people feel more aggressive, desensi�zed to violence, and feel less empathe�c. Experts also suggest that due to the global pandemic, online gaming and gambling addic�ons are on the rise 59 . The Good News Video games can provide several possible cogni�ve benefits including increasing response �me performance and hand - eye coordina�on, prac�ce in visual - spa�al skills, stronger visual memory, becoming beter at patern recogni�on, and using trial and error to problem - solve more o�en. Moral of the Story Content and context mater! As parents/caregivers, we need to be involved in which games our children are playing. Enforcing �me limits and self - regula�on while minimizing exposure to inappropriate and violent content is important. We want to reinforce pro - social games that can test and grow our children’s crea�vity and enhance cogni�ve skills while remaining age - appropriate for our children’s emo�onal maturit y. SST encourages parents to do their research on any video game before allowing children to play them. A detailed descrip�on of most games can be found online through Google search. Two of the most popular games played by our youngest children ( aged 4-13) are Roblox and Minecra� which have online mul�player modes that include chat and messaging features which parents should be aware of and monitor at their discre�on. The Ra�ngs Guide from the Entertainment So�ware Ra�ng Board (ESRB)

ESRB ra�ngs are categorized into three parts: • Ra�ng Categories; suggest age appropriateness. • Content Descriptors; indicate content that may have triggered a par�cular ra�ng and/or may be of interest or concern. • Interac�ve Elements; inform about interac�ve aspects of a product, including the users’ ability to interact, the sharing of users’ loca�on with others, if in - app purchases of digital goods are completed, and/or if unrestricted internet access is provided.

Roblox

Roblox is a downloadable interac�ve game pla�orm that allows users to play mul�ple types of games inside the Roblox world. It is a crea�ve, Lego - style sandbox environment for playing and crea�ng games.

59 Online Gambling, Gaming Addic�on Has Increased During COVID - 19 (healthline.com)

Roblox has built - in capabili�es for friends lists, messaging users, and in - game chat. The chat func�on works differently depending on the users’ age – for users 13 and under, the chat is built off a list of “whitelisted” words, preselected by the developers as safe for children to use. If the user is over 13 (or sets their birthday so it appears they are), then chat is more open - ended. However, there is s�ll a built - in “blacklist” func�on that atempts to keep curse words and derogatory terms out of the chat.

Roblox privacy se�ngs also permit parents/caregivers to control who is allowed to interact with their children. The user can adjust whether everyone, friends, or no one has access to communicate both inside games and using the pla�orm’s messaging system. By se�ng the appropriate age category and ensuring privacy se�ngs are updated, parents/caregivers can limit interac�ons with other users.

Minecra�

Minecra� is one of the most accessible video games available, as it has sold more than 200 million copies across PC, game consoles (Xbox, Playsta�on, and Nintendo Switch), and smart devices 60 . It is very easy to learn and can be played anywhere. Minecra� can be played either in the online world or offline as a single -player. Game Modes • Survival; the player can level up, search for resources, and cra� different weapons, tools, and structures. Players must fight hunger and monsters during the night. • Hardcore; same as Survival Mode but the player only gets one life. If they die, the game is over, and they must start fresh. • Crea�ve; the user cannot die and has access to all the blocks and items available. With this game mode, users can create whatever they want with no restric�ons. The player also can fly to get from place to place faster. Online Play and Chat Mul�player allows players to play alongside friends. They can build, mine, create, and even fight each other in some servers. All game modes that exist in single - player also exist in mul�player, as well as the game difficul�es. Minecra� does have child - friendly servers available, which you must request to join. This ensures random players will not come into the servers as they will not have access. Single - player is the safest op�on as no one can join or chat with a single -player user. Fortnite Amongst one of the most popular video games available today, since it’s release in 2017 by Epic Games, Fortnite has accumulated over 350 million players globally 61 . Fortnite is available to download for free on PC, game consoles (Xbox, Playsta�on, Nintendo Switch), and as a mobile game for smart devices on iOS and Android. Fortnite should not

60 Minecra� Revenue and Usage Sta�s�cs (2023) - Business of Apps 61 Fortnite is now one of the biggest games ever with 350 million players - The Verge

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