TrueCare Blog

I have been entrenched in cyber safety since starting a new job in 2010. I have learned the ins and outs of social media safety, the dangers, issue resolution, ID protection and theft, and a wide variety of other wonderful, educational information I share with parents daily. But as a parent, much of what I’ve learned is frightening, though, not enlightening. So, I have taken it upon myself to educate parents I meet on this important issue. Some are open to … Continue reading →

…(they knew I put that on Facebook) Guest blog As parents, there’s a lot we don’t know about our kids online behavior. We’d like to think they’re behaving and portraying themselves appropriately online, but that’s not always the case. Socializing online is the new way to communicate and let’s face it, we don’t know that much about how kids use the endless amount of socializing networks available to them. But, we do know that kids, tweens and teens can fall … Continue reading →

In our previous post, we discussed online baggage and self-inflicted reputation damage. Whether intentional or accidental, everything posted online creates a digital footprint that is always online and very hard (or impossible) to remove. Defaming others is sometimes called cyber-bullying. It can include:

• Getting back at a former friend who hurt your feelings
• Creating fake social network accounts impersonating someone else including their likes, dislikes, photos, postings, etc. (which is also illegal, by the way, and kids and their … Continue reading →
  

Did you know that college admissions counselors often look at social media profiles before they make admission decisions? Same with employers – before they make a hiring decision they often google the applicant to see that person’s online persona. Unfortunately, kids don’t really think that far ahead.  Kids sometimes try to be funny, popular or cool by posting something inappropriate online. They have no idea that what they are posting can be interpreted differently by different people. This includes:

… Continue reading →

Just two years ago, we shared tips for maintaining a safe internet environment at home. The tips were about computer use and how to manage internet and social media use among kids. The ballgame has changed completely in these two short years. Computers seem to be a lot less of a concern today as many kids use their smart phones and other mobile devices for ALL of their internet needs – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, games such as Words with Friends … Continue reading →

Monthly Social Media Safety Discussions via Twitter Tweet Chats When: First Tuesday of Every Month Time: 12:00 – 12:30 pm CT Where: On Twitter Hash tag: #TrueCare Tweet Chats are a great way to talk about important issues with people who share similar interests or concerns around an issue in a forum to have live, real-time discussion on the issue. Our goal is to connect people who are passionate about keeping kids safe online. In our tweet chats, we connect … Continue reading →

Rachel Musnicki TrueCare Intern As I near the end of my college years, I feel like I’ve finally started to get the hang of social media. I don’t accept friend or follower requests from people I don’t personally know, I don’t post inappropriate pictures of myself and I make the most of privacy controls (My grandmother does not need to see what ridiculous YouTube video is my favorite this week). However, I wasn’t always that smart or cautious. If I … Continue reading →