The ConnectSafely Report with Larry Magid

Quality content and engagement trumps screen time

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There is a lot of talk about screen time for kids and teens but experts say that what they're doing online is often more important than how long they'...

What do to if you're Facebook account is hacked or you're impersonated

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are things you can do if your Facebook account is hacked or someone sets up an account in your name.

Surveys Shed Light on Teen and Parent Feelings about Social Media

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Three new surveys reach similar conclusions about teens, parents and social media. Things aren't nearly as bad as some pundits claim but they're far f...

5 Questions to ask before you turn over data

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Privacy expert Dr. Shamel Addas shares 5 questions you should ask before giving any company or organization your personal information.

Tech layoffs could make services more dangerous

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

TikTok and Meta have laid off thousands of employees and while it's not clear how many were in trust and safety, there is the danger that these sites ...

Musk's plan to charge for Twitter blue badge raises safety issues

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

New Twitter owner Elon Musk's plan to charge $8 a month for that blue verification badge could have a positive safety impact but it could also lead to...

New home automation standard could improve security

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Major home automation manufacturers are supporting a new standard called Matter which lets devices work together and adds trust and safety standards

Stay safe using VR

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Every week should be media literacy week

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

VR is great but don't hurt yourself or get sick

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As Meta doubles down on virtual reality and more people jump in, it's important to avoid bumping not things and taking breaks

October is cyberbullying month and here are some tips

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

October is cyberbullying month and here are some tips if you think your child might be bullied.

Kids Online Safety Act

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The proposed Kids Online Safety Act would protect kids and empower parents

Elon Musk's likely acquisition of Twitter could impact moderation

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Elon Musk is once again on the verge of acquiring Twitter which will likely impact how the company moderates speech

Ransomware hits LA School District

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Los Angeles Unified School District has been hit with ransomware that affected some of its systems and potentially leaked student information. Fed...

Windows 11 includes security updates

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Microsoft has released a significant update to Windows 11 that includes some security updates along with other new features.

How to fill your time when you're taking a break from your phone

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This segment has advice from ConnectSafely Youth Advocate Trisha Prabhu on what to do while you're talking a break from your phone

Getting a call in the event of a power failure

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A $200 device will call and text you if your power goes out

Watch for fake news during midterm campaigns

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Midterm campaign season has arrived and with it will come fake news reports. Everyone has the right to their own opinion, but not their own facts.

Apple's Watch's new crash detection could save your life

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Apple has added crash detection to its new Series 8 Watch which can detect a car or light truck crash and alert first responders

A California man sued a spammer and got a $1,200 check

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

According to CNET, a California tech executive sued a spammer in small claims court and wound up with a $1,200 out-of-court settlement

Why You Should Review Your App Privacy Settings

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Why You Should Review Your App Privacy Settings

NetSmartz teaches kids about online safety

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

NetSmartz, a project of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, has age-appropriate videos to teach kids of all ages about staying saf...

Protecting passwords before and after data breaches

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The recent breach at Plex is a good reminder on how important it is to have strong safe passwords.

Encryption challenges law enforcement but provides safeguards to consumers and busineses

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Encrypted apps and devices do sometimes make it hard for law enforcement to catch and prosecute criminals but they provide potentially life saving pro...

Security flaws: Keep your iPhone and other devices up-to-date

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Apple has issued another update to its iOS operating system to fix two security flaws that have already been exploited.

Google says its making search more accurate

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A Poynter Institute study finds that 62% of people say their find false or misleading information online weekly. Google is trying to help with new way...

Snapchat Family Center provides parents insight into their teens use of the service

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Snapchat has introduced Family Center to provide parents information on how their teens are using the service. It shows who their in touch with but no...

Study finds that women more worried then men about AI and driverless cars

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A Pew Research study found that women are more concerned about the dangers of AI, especially driverless cara.

Using tech to save on groceries

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Larry explores how to use tech to save money on groceries

Google Maps will notify you if when someone leaves or arrives at a location

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wonder if a friend or loved one got home all right? If you're already able to track them on Google Maps, you can now get a notification when the...

Default privacy related settings you might want to change

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The ConnectSafely Report shares ideas from New York Times columnist Brian X. Chen's column on tech settings you should change right away.

Protect, Backup and Find Your Phone

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

our phone may contain a lot of private and important information so make sure it's secure and know how to restore your data if the phone is lost or st...

Tech and abortion privacy

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

People who use online tools to arrange abortions or track periods could be leaving breadcrumbs that might get them into trouble.

Apple Safety Check

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

App tests news literacy skills

07 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Informable is an app from the News Literacy Project that tests your ability to distinguish fact from fiction, news from opinion and whether something ...

Apple introduces Lockdown Mode for extreme security

07 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Apple has introduced an "extreme" security measure called Lockdown Mode. It's not for everyone but could be a life saver for some journalists and huma...

Password managers empower you to create strong and unique passwords

29 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You know you need strong passwords but it's hard to remember them all. That's where a password manager comes in

How parents use their digital devices impacts how kids use theirs

29 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The phrase "do as I say, not as I do" doesn't cut it when it comes to be being a good digital role model

Instagram experiments with age verification technology

23 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Instagram is now employing technology from UK-based Yoti to verify age if a user tries to change their age from under 18 to over 18

TikTok to let you limit consecutive screen time

09 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

TikTok had already implemented the ability to track how much time you use the service during a day but, to enhance well-being, now has a feature to le...

Voice privacy

02 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Your voice can say a lot about you, including your identity, gender, race and even health conditions.

Relationship between tech and gun violence

02 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There has been a lot of speculation and finger pointing around mass shootings, including the role of tech. It may have an impact, but it's not the mai...

You can delete what Google knows about you

26 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are tools that you can use to delete your Google activity or prevent it from being collected

California bills could impact how kids use the internet

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A pair of bills in California would impact how kids use the internet. One is good. The other one raises concerns

FCC adopts new robocall rule

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last year the FCC implemented a program to require verification of caller ID but left an international loophole that they just closed. Let's hope it w...

Clearview AI to stop selling facial recognition databases

12 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The ACLU and Cleaview AI have reached a settlement that will require the company to stop selling facial recognition data to most private companies.

Google releases tool to request removal of personal info

12 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At its Google IO developers conference, the company announced that it's rolling out a tool to make it easy for people to request removal of personal i...

Musk's Twitter purchase could increase personal harassment

05 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Elon Musk's likely acquisition of Twitter could be a setback for those seeking to avoid harassment and other harms

Google Chrome updated to fix security flaws

05 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Google has recently reported a security issue with its Chrome browser which is a reminder to keep Chrome and all other apps up-to-date

Unused apps can impact smartphone storage, performance and security

28 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Getting rid of your unused apps can improve free up storage space, improve performance and make your phone more secure

Elon Musk could destroy Twitter's important moderation policies

28 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While free speech is essential, there are important Twitter moderation policies that can help protect against harassment, bullying, hate speech and vi...

App encourages users to "be real"

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The BeReal photo sharing app doesn't have filters or editing tools and gives you only two minutes to get ready for a picture, making it harder to try ...

Google uses AI to block search spam

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sound bites from Google Public Search Liaison Danny Sullivan on how the company uses artificial intelligence to block harmful spam.

Beware of scam crypto marketplaces

14 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Under the best of circumstances, cryptocurrency is risky but beware of scam websites that steal your money

DuckDuckGo launching Mac browser

14 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

DuckDuckGo, known for its private search engine is has launched a beta browser for Mac with a Windows version to follow. It already has browsers for i...

Android apps steal personal data

08 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dozens of apps, downloaded on millions of Android phones may be stealing your personal data.

Robocalls persist despite law and FCC rules

08 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Most robocalls are against the law. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 and subsequent rulings by the FCC ban commercial entities from engag...

Combating stereotypes about seniors and technology

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Despite what some people think, many seniors are tech savvy

Google is beefing up its resources to fight false information

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Google is adding resources to fight false information including putting a "highly cited" label on original news stories and notices about emerging sto...

There is such a thing as undersharing

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We hear a lot about oversharing online, but what about undersharing?. Dani Coke, a successful illustrator and social media influencer says not to let ...

Living in stressful times

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We live in stressful times and, says Dr. Marc Brackett head of Yale's Center for Emotional Intelligence, we need to be precise about our feelings and ...

Instagram parental supervision tools

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Instagram is rolling out parental supervision tools to give parents more visibility into what their kids are doing on the popular service. Instagram h...

How to speak with your kids about war in Ukraine

10 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Chances are you kids are seeing images about the war in Ukraine online and on TV and some may be traumatized. A psychiatrist has advice on how to talk...

Misinformation vs. Disinformation

03 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Shaelynn Farnsworth of the News Literacy Project explains the difference between misinformation and disinformation,

Be prepared for Russian cyberattacks

03 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Although it’s very unlikely that average Americans will be directly targeted by a Russian cyberattack, it is quite possible to become an indirect vi...

Pediatrician says authenticity is key to successful use of social media

25 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Pediatrician Dr. Michael Rich says that authenticity is key when it comes to the healthy use of social media

Roblox exec says kids need 'spidey sense"

25 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Roblox has had its share of problems but no matter what it does to protect its young users, kids, says Roblox VP Tami Baumak, need to develop "spidey ...

VR harrassment

17 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A British woman said that her VR avatar was sexually harassed by a group of male avatars. VR expert Britan Heller weighs in

Talk with your kids about safety when you unwrap new devices

17 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon Kids safety expert Catherine Teitelbaum says that you should talk with your kids about onlne safety while you're unwrapping new tech devices.

Talk with your kids about social media but be respectful

10 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As part of our Safer Internet Day program, ConnectSafely CEO and Youth Advisor Trisha Prabhu talked with author and Cultures of Dignity founder Rosali...

Virtual Safer Internet Day Program provide expert advice

03 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This year's Safer Internet Day is online with interviews from leading experts along with safety executives from the companies that makes the apps that...

Safer Internet Day encourages conversations

03 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tuesday is Safer Internet Day but this year it's an entire week. ConnectSafely's education director, Kerry Gallagher explains that the goal is to enco...

Fitness devices are not medical devices but they're starting to act like them

13 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Smartwatches and other fitness devices are starting to provide medical information but it's not always accurate and you shouldn't act on it without co...

Dealing with COVID-related stress

13 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence has advice for both adults and kids dealing with stress from a return to online work or learning and other ...

ADL: Social media amplifies hate speech & extremism that led to January 6th

05 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Oren Segal who runs the ADL's Center on Extremism, says that social media is amplifying the type of hate speech and extremism that led to the January ...

How to speak with kids about January 6th

05 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Expert advises parents to focus on children's feelings -- not their own -- when talking to kids about the events of last January 6th.

Facebook blamed for allowing posts encouraging election denial and violence

05 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

An analysis by the Washington Post and Pro-Publica found 650,000 posts that denied the legitimacy of President Biden's election including some that ad...

Top data breaches of 2021

30 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Security Magazine is out with its top 10 data breaches of 2021 and there are some whoppers

Making New Years resolutions on how you behave online

30 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you're going to make some New Years resolutions, consider some on how you treat yourself and others online.

How parents can enable their pre-teens to use social media without breaking the rules

23 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

ConnectSafely education director, Kerry Gallagher, has advice for parents wishing to help their pre-teen get on social media without lying about their...

Ways to increase your privacy when searching online

23 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Google isn't the only search engine. DuckDuck Go says it doesn't collect any personal information. Other tools include in-private or incognito browsin...

Combating hurtful online rumors

16 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

t can be very hurtful to be a victim of an online rumor, but there are ways to help cope, said ReThink app creator and ConnectSafely contributor Trish...

Parental controls for TV and online video services

16 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Most cable, satellite and online video services offer some type of parental controls that parents can use to customize what content their children can...

Senators call for legislation while head of Instagram proposes an industry standards body

09 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

During a senate hearing, the head of Instagram responded to calls for legislation with a proposal for an industry standards body

Technology to help care for elderly loved ones

09 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon is jumping into the elder-care market with products to enable people to monitor and assist elderly loved-ones. A new service, called Alexa Toge...

Talk with the teacher before you react to reports about controversial school subjects

02 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There is a lot of news coverage about what schools are teaching but sometimes its not based on what they are actually teaching. If you're concerned, t...

Be careful before donating online to charities

02 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

December is a time for giving but it's also a time for scamming. Be careful before responding to an online charitable donation request

Physical well-being and digital well-being are not mutually exclusive

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Physical well-being and digital well-being are not mutually exclusive

Adults can be role models when it comes to authenticity

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Parents often complain about how teens are posing in ways that are inauthentic, but sometimes adults are guilty of that as well.

Memes of mom's drinking wine to cope with their kids may be funny but what happens if your kid sees it later on?

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Those memes of mom's drinking wine to cope with their kids may be funny but what happens if your kid sees it later on?

Computing Has Gone Full Circle, and It’s Time to Go Back a Bit

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Computing Has Gone Full Circle, and It’s Time to Go Back a Bit

You can request Google to remove links to images of kids

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A new Google policy allows kids and parents to request removing of images of minors from Google search.

That Facebook angry emoji leads to discontent

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Newly released documents show that clicking on Facebook's angry emoji emoji increases the visibility of controversial content.

Tips for Cybersecurity Awareness Month

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and here are some basic tips to keep you safe

Avoiding Zoom Fatigue

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Zoom fatigue is real and can cause anxiety and other symptoms.

Keeping your operating systems up-to-date

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why Tuesday is an important day of the week for Windows users and why you should keep your operating systems up-to-date

Facebook's moderators can't please everyone

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There's been a lot of criticism over the way Facebook moderates content. And while some claim it's "profits over people," decisions are often based on...

New law makes it easier to cancel online subscriptions

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

AB 390 makes it easier to cancel online subscriptions before they start charging you. While it's a California law, it will likely impact consumers in ...

Is Facebook's Instagram like big tobacco or more like chocolate?

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As a whistleblower reported, Facebook knew about an internal study that about a third of teen girls had negative body images from Instagram. But other...

Our algorithm overlords

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Algorithms have a big impact on what we see online and how many of us behave. They run on computers, but they are controlled by humans who should be h...