True Story: A Parent's Take on Privacy

Friday, October 23, 2009

At McGruff Safeguard, we truly enjoy hearing from the parents and families who use the software program. The following story is from one of the parents. What I liked personally liked about this was the mother’s stance on privacy. We’ll go into this a bit more after you see what she wrote:

“I love being able to read about what is going on with the day to day activities of my 13-year old. The naive parents think that it is so invasive and that you don't trust your child or are not giving them privacy. At 13 they don't deserve privacy. The best thing about the program is simply being able to direct your conversations with your child about what is going on and having an intelligent two-sided conversation about topics of concern. All of this is important to do before it is too late.”

This was the premise McGruff Safeguard was created under: two-sided conversation. I’ve seen the extremes…parents who give their teens way too much freedom, and those who keep their kids on a pretty tight rope. Both can be detrimental. I think one of the biggest challenges parents have is learning how to find and then maintain moderation. However, growing up is tough

There are many parents out there that indeed feel as though they are invading their child’s privacy. It’s really not if you think about it. It’s actually making sure they don’t make careless decisions. It’s about their safety. It’s about their future. McGruff Safeguard wants to help you monitor your child so you can have two-sided conversation. We love your feedback. Please keep it coming.

Labels: McGruff Safeguard, privacy, two-sided conversation

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posted by Lindsay Manfredi at 7:05 AM Link to this Article 0 Comments

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Controlling Privacy Settings: Be safer online

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

We've talked over and over again on this blog about privacy and social media. Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace--some of the most prevalent social media sites on the web--are also the easiest venues for your child or teen to "put themselves out there" in ways they might not have realized, or even wanted. But today, I want to share with you more than just a warning, I have some actionable tid-bits that you and your child can put into place today.

I must credit Nick O'Neal over at All Facebook for putting together an incredibly detailed list of instructions for protecting your privacy on Facebook. I recommend your read his article (http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/02/facebook-privacy/) for a detailed break down. Some of my favorites, ones which I've personally implemented, include the following...

Avoid Photo/Video Tag Mistakes.
If someone snaps a shot of you at the last Christmas party, it's not too harmful for them to tag that photo of you. But what about photos that you might not want out there? Or worse, photos that AREN'T you but someone thinks its funny to say that it is. Change your settings to disallow tagging without your approval.

Control what Basic Information is Shown.
This is indeed basic. Under the “Basic Information” section on the Profile Privacy Page, you can control what is seen on your page. Go thru the list and select what you want shown or not shown. You can go to the News Feeds and Wall privacy page as well to control what actions are shown in your friends feeds.

Make Your Contact Information Private.
For certain friends your contact information is known, but for acquaintances you don’t want to give out all that information.

Avoid the Embarrassing Wall Post.
If a friend or contact posts something embarrassing of your child, Facebook has provided you with the ability to customize the posting visibility.

These are just a few of my top picks. Read the full list and detailed instructions at All Facebook blog.

Labels: Facebook, online parenting, privacy, social media

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posted by Nick Carter at 11:24 AM Link to this Article 0 Comments

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Protecting your Child's Privacy Online

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

When my brother and I were younger, our parents belonged to a small social club in the tiny one-horse town where we grew up. Every so often, all the families would meet for dinner at the Lions Club lodge in town. At one such meeting, my brother, all of 3 years old at the time, was being particularly restless in his seat. One parent teased, "What's the matter, you got ants in your pants?" A few people chuckled and conversation went on... until a few moments later when mom turned around to find my brother, pants to his ankles, examining carefully to find these ants that must be there somewhere.

That story was funny from the moment it happened (and as you can imagine, my brother would prefer it be forgotten today). At three years old, children have little regard for their privacy and even less grasp on the far-reaching impact this little event would have for the decades to come. It seems nobody is capable of forgetting that story even today.

What we need to remember in the Internet age is that teens aren't altogether more astute as to the far-reaching impact of their actions. They may not even have an altogether higher sense of privacy than my brother did at three. But, what should be most concerning is this: the social network of those who may be on-lookers is infinitely larger than the quaint pot-luck dinner in our tiny town lodge.

My brother would never have dreamed that at the age of 31, old ladies around town would still remember that cute little boy who took a joke too literally. Does your teenager know how far-reaching the Internet community can be, and how permanent a mark can be made? Emotions posted on a Facebook wall, a careless remark in a Twitter feed, or even a indiscreet photo displayed on a MySpace page... all of these have the instant capability reach millions of viewers and to follow a teen into adulthood with consequences no child could foresee.

Mom laughed out loud (or LOL, if you will) as she redressed her totally oblivious son. No harm done and a great story to tell at family dinners. Are you there, at the social gatherings of today's Internet community? McGruff SafeGuard allows parents to "be there" to watch, see what their kids are up to, and keep them from dangers that they may never even know are ahead.

Labels: children safety, Facebook, internet safety, McGruff Safeguard, monitoring, online parenting, photos, privacy, sexting, teenagers