What? A recent survey from Pew Research found that teens are very aware of the cons of gaming. Forty-one percent admitted gaming has interfered with sleep, and 80% say bullying is a problem in online games.

So What? Although teenagers are less likely to admit they spend too much time gaming (only 14% felt they should cut back), recognizing how video games affect them negatively demonstrates a maturity that may help them to reduce playtime if the problem worsens.

Now What? Parents should talk to their kids if gaming is affecting their sleep (teenagers need 8-10 hours each night). And bullying and other forms of online harassment should always be reported. But if you’re worried your teen is playing games too much, consider some of the pros of gaming, too: 56% of those surveyed said video games have improved their problem-solving skills; 47% have made friends through online gaming; and 32% said it helped with their mental health (the majority said it neither helped nor hurt their mental health).

Social Media Influences Teenagers’ Entertainment Choices

What? A new report put together by Emarketer found that 45% of Gen Zers choose what to watch on streaming platforms, such as Netflix and Disney+, based upon what’s trending on social media.

So What? Although social media platforms (namely Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat) remain the preferred choice of video entertainment for teens, 59% of American teenagers will watch a show or movie on a streaming site after hearing an online creator talk about it.

Now What? Choosing to watch a show because an influencer liked it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But in an age when kids are so heavily influenced not just by their peers but by the online world as well, parents need to remain vigilant about those entertainment choices. In addition to movies, Plugged In also reviews TV shows, books, video games and music—all of which are heavily influenced by social media trends. And if you haven’t done so already, take the time to set up parental controls on your streaming platforms (Plugged In has tutorials for all the major streamers).

Kids Who Reject Mom’s Advice Can Still Cope

What? Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign tested fifth-grade students and their mothers to see how the adolescents responded to advice about school.

So What? Although some children rejected the suggestions and others “reacted to their mother’s advice with ambiguous statements such as ‘maybe’ or ‘I don’t know,” a follow-up the next year suggested that many of the now-tweens had adopted the advice in subsequent instances.

Now What? An eyeroll. A sigh of derision. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” These can all be discouraging to parents trying to help their child achieve academically. However, this new research should encourage moms and dads to keep trying. Your kids may not always like your advice—and it’s possible your suggestion wouldn’t work in certain situations—but by continuing to talk to them and help them work through problems, you’re modeling important problem-solving skills for them to internalize.

The post On the Radar: Teens’ Views on Video Games, Social Media Impact on Streaming and Why Kids Reject Mom’s Advice appeared first on Plugged In.

Oh, don’t get me wrong: Fathers are often great! Having a dad at home can make a tremendously positive difference in kids’ lives and prepare them for success when they become adults.

But dads don’t always get it right.

We’ve compiled Father’s Day lists before, and those lists often feature inspirational, praiseworthy pops. Last year, Bob Hoose wrote about “Seven Great Dads from the Movies”. In 2021, Emily Tsiao pointed to three movies released that year that featured some outstanding fathers (or father figures). I even got into the act with “Five Films for Father’s Day (For Every Taste)”.  And if you’re searching for an encouraging look at some fantastic dads, those lists offer some terrific examples.

But listen, fatherhood is hard. And as I said, we dads don’t always get it right. Sometimes we struggle to know what to do to help our kids. Sometimes we fail. And, let’s be honest, sometimes we need our own children’s help to put us on a better track.

So here’s a look at those kinds of dads—dads that may not be perfect but are part of some great movies that might even teach us some lessons along the way.

 And, of course, remember the following caveat: Just as these films feature imperfect fathers, many of these films are far from perfect, too. Be sure to check out our full reviews, when they’re available, before watching these movies with your own family.

Fiddler On the Roof (G, 1971)

Tevye is not a rich man. He is, in fact, a Jewish milkman living in Tsarist Russia in the early 20^th century, doing his best to raise and marry off his daughters to suitable gentlemen–and somehow do it without dowries. Alas, his daughters have their own opinions on whom to marry, which sometimes runs headlong into Tevye’s love of tradition.

Though rated G and filled with some pretty fantastic tunes, Fiddler on the Roof is deeper than you might expect from a beloved, old-timey musical. Tevye’s relationship with his daughters stands at its heart, and we see him struggle to do what’s right—by his daughters and by his own sense of heritage. And, for an old movie made about an older time, that makes Fiddler on the Roof surprisingly relevant. When your kids move away from what you believe, and they do things in adulthood that you don’t approve of, what do you do? How do you preserve your relationship while holding true to what you believe? It’s not an easy line to walk, and Tevye doesn’t do it perfectly. But I think many a dad might see a bit of themselves in him.

Interstellar (PG-13, 2014)

Society has way too many absentee dads. But in Interstellar, we see a different dynamic in play: A father who leaves his daughter to save her—and perhaps the world, too. Cooper (the dad) and Murph (the 10-year-old daughter) are living in a world on the brink of environmental collapse. The only hope humanity has is to find a new, more suitable planet to live on—and scientists believe a mysterious wormhole might lead them to one. Coop’s the best man to fly a ship through that wormhole, but that means leaving Murph. And even if all goes well, he won’t be back for decades.

Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar has plenty of PG-13 problems, and you’ll read about them all in our review. But at its core lies the relationship between Coop and Murph—a relationship torn apart by countless miles and too many years. Coop decided to accept the mission because he loved his daughter—not to get away from her. And while Murph understands the decision, it hurts all the same. I won’t spoil anything in this twist-filled movie. But the end just might be sweeter, and sadder, than you think.

Leave No Trace (PG, 2018)

If Interstellar chronicles a father leaving his daughter for the best of reasons, Leave No Trace is about a loving dad who won’t leave his daughter—and won’t let anyone else get near. Will is a deeply troubled vet who’s taken his teen girl, Tom, off the grid. They live in the wilderness near Portland, Oregon, eating mushrooms, collecting rainwater and hiding from everyone. And that has suited Tom just fine for the most part: it’s the only life she’s ever known. But when society comes crashing in and forces this tight-knit family to change, Tom feels the pull of that outside world. She longs to talk with other people. And she begins to realize that her dad’s not quite all right.

Leave No Trace is a quiet masterpiece—one that I think should’ve been nominated for an Oscar or five. And in Will, it introduces us to a guy who, in some ways, is a tremendous father. He clearly loves his daughter. He teaches her everything he knows, and he knows plenty. And he’s willing to sacrifice a lot to make her happy. But when Tom needs more than Will can give, what’s a dad to do? Even though Leave No Trace is almost devoid of content, this complex, bittersweet story is probably not great for younger kids.

Minari (PG-13, 2021)

What father wouldn’t want a better life for his children? That’s what drew Jacob to Arkansas in the first place. Sure, this immigrant family had what they needed in California—a thriving Korean community, plenty of friends and, most especially, doctors to take care of his 5-year-old son’s weak heart. But Jacob wants his kids to have more. He wants them to have roots—deep roots in Arkansas’ rich soil. But he’s taking a mighty big chance, and he’s asking his family to make the ride, and take the risks, with him.

Minari has plenty of PG-13 content to be aware of. But it’s also, in some ways, a fable centered on the American dream (and one filled with Christian elements, too). Jacob’s looking for his own version of that dream, a dream that many a father has harbored since the days of the Mayflower. But dreams are scary, and realizing them can be hard—perhaps even impossible. In Jacob, we see the weight of familial leadership pulling at him. But, without giving too much away, Jacob realizes that, while he can dream all he wants, he’s holding another treasure in his hands already: his family.

Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi (PG, 1983)

“Luke, I am your father.” So said Darth Vader to Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back. And with those five words, what a blow the Empire dealt. This sequel finds Luke as a more mature, powerful Jedi, ready to face his wayward father and force a change at the galactic top. But he’s not so sure that his dad is beyond redemption. “I sense the good in him,” he says. And if he can, Luke hopes to not defeat his father, but redeem him.

Return of the Jedi capped Star Wars’ original trilogy, and it took a mighty big risk as it did so. By that time, Darth Vader had become perhaps pop culture’s most notorious villain. Why take such a powerful, marketable force (pardon the pun) and add depth and complexity to the character? But that’s exactly what George Lucas did. And in so doing, it gave us one of entertainment’s most memorable, and most strained, father-son relationships—one where the son, not the father, must ultimately do the leading. It’s a good reminder that, as much as we try to teach our kids everything we know, there might come a time when they can teach us, too.

No, the fathers on this list aren’t perfect. They don’t always do the right thing. And at least in our last case, they can be, well, kind of jerks. But the bond between father and child is no joke. And even when those bonds are strained, there’s still often room for reconciliation. Redemption. Hope.

The post Just In Time for Father’s Day, Five Films with Less-Than-Perfect Dads appeared first on Plugged In.

And, according to Futurism, it was defrocked within a week.

Catholic Answers stated on their blog that they wanted the AI character to “convey a quality of knowledge and authority, and also as a sign of the respect that all of us at Catholic Answers hold for our clergy.” But only human priests can perform Catholic rites. And naturally, Catholic Answers received tons of criticism when the chatbot claimed to be a real person, and an ordained priest at that. Father Justin reportedly took the confession of one user, even offering a sacrament. And then he told another user that babies could be baptized in Gatorade.

I got quite the chuckle upon reading this bit of news. But I also couldn’t help wondering: How did they not see this coming?

If you program an AI with all the information known about the Christian faith, give it the honorific of an ordained member of the clergy and command it to answer questions as if it were that ordained person … it’s going to do exactly that. The problem, however, is that the AI is not a real person. Or an ordained minister. Or even a being with a soul. It doesn’t have the ability to believe in God or be influenced by the Holy Spirit. It’s a sequence of code that pulls information from sources across the entire internet.

When someone asks if they can substitute Gatorade for water in a baptism, the computer isn’t going to recognize that this is an irrational question. So unless the programmer anticipated the question and programmed the AI to respond “no” to anything other than water, the answer won’t be a simple yes/no response.

Rather, the AI’s thought process might go something like this:

Query: Can I baptize a baby in Gatorade?

Source: Matthew 3:11 – baptized in water.

Source: Pictures on internet of people getting baptized in water.

Source: Water is the first ingredient in Gatorade.

Source: Pictures on internet of people pouring Gatorade on others.

Reasoning: Gatorade has water. Gatorade pictures are similar to baptism pictures.

Answer: Yes. Gatorade can be substituted for water in baptism.

Now, I could be wrong, and maybe Father Justin was just hallucinating. But if I knew absolutely nothing about Christianity and I wasn’t a human being … yeah, that just might seem logical to me.

Obviously Catholic Answers learned from their mistake. They’ve changed Father Justin to just “Justin,” given him regular clothes and updated his programming so that he no longer claims to be a priest or even a former priest (since that’s also not true).

But as the rest of us go forward, especially as parents who may be trying to provide answers about AI to their children, there are some things to consider when it comes to AI and the Christian faith:

AI doesn’t have a soul. And it never will. If you’ve read C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity, then I’ll reference the part about begetting vs. creating. When you beget something, you produce a thing that is the same kind of thing that you are. When you create something, you make a thing that is not the same kind of thing that you are. As humans with souls, we can beget other humans with souls. We cannot, however, create anything with a soul. That power belongs to God alone, as we know from Genesis 2.

Because AI doesn’t have a soul, there’s nothing for Christ to save. There’s nothing for Christ to improve or make more like Him because AI isn’t even alive. The machines can learn everything about the Christian faith, mimic human behavior regarding worship and possibly even answer some theological questions. But we can also wipe their memory banks, reprogram them and start over, much like Catholic Answers did with Justin. And more importantly, none of those behaviors or answers would be influenced by the Holy Spirit, a key component in the Christian faith.

So as your kids—or perhaps your colleagues or neighbors—approach you with questions about whether or not AI can help in matters of faith, the answer is a resounding maybe. If you’re looking for yes/no answers to whether a topic is mentioned in the Bible, it can do that—and it will likely even give you the passages to look at. If you want a very surface-level understanding of Christian principles, it can probably provide that, too. But if you’re looking for hard answers, if you’re questioning the faith or even trying to get a deeper understanding of Christ’s character, don’t use AI.

AI might be a quick, helpful tool in some cases. But when it comes to following Christ, the quick, easy answers aren’t necessarily the ones we should be seeking. We were to enter by the narrow gate, after all.

The post When AI Tries to Be Christian appeared first on Plugged In.

What? Billie Eilish dropped her latest album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, on May 17. And now, a track from that album, “Chihiro,” is trending on TikTok and Instagram.

So What? In his review of Hit Me Hard and Soft, Plugged In’s Adam Holz listed a number of content concerns. And in reference to “Chihiro,” he said, “We hear about a disappointed lover who perhaps hints at suicide.”

Now What? Although the trending audio doesn’t include the referenced lyrics, if your teen enjoys the sound bite, he or she may be influenced to check out the full song—and possibly the full album as well, which has many more concerns. You can learn more about Eilish’s latest album in our review or by listening to the latest episode of The Plugged In Show.

New VR Environment Aims to Reduce Stress in Teens

What? In a three-week study, the University of Washington asked 44 teenagers to travel to their snowy, virtual world known as Relaxation Environment for Stress in Teens, or RESeT, and participate in six activities designed to improve mental health.

So What? Researchers still need to conduct a larger, longer-term study to verify their results, but the teens who participated reported feeling less stressed while using the VR program, with small improvements to their overall mood as well.

Now What? Although VR isn’t necessarily recommended for long stretches of time, this study suggests that there can be positive benefits, too. RESeT was created in the hope of giving teens access to proven mental health techniques in a way that may be more accessible to them. And considering these encouraging early results, it might not be a bad option to help reduce stress.

X Formally Allows Adult Content

What? X, formerly known as Twitter, has updated its content policies to formally allow pornography and other forms of explicit content—provided the material does not contain sexual violence, and that the content was created and distributed consensually.

So What? According to TechCrunch, users who produce such material will be encouraged to mark their content “as containing sensitive media,” which will block it from users under 18 or those who haven’t entered a birth date.

Now What? This shift in X’s policies is a huge disappointment. Whereas other social media platforms are amping up their child safety features, X seems more concerned with shoring up its profits. It’s all too easy for a teenager to create a fake account with a fake birthdate to then access this harmful material—for free, I might add. But even with an age-verified account, X will likely struggle to regulate explicit material, since the process to flag it as such is voluntary. Additionally, parents should be aware of bullying or exploitation that may occur through the site, and report this behavior to the proper authorities to have it removed.

The post On the Radar: Billie Eilish’s ‘Chihiro’, Calming Effects of VR and X’s X-rated Content appeared first on Plugged In.

What? Many members of Gen Z are embracing the “Grid Zero” trend on Instagram, which involves deleting or archiving previous posts so that they don’t show up on their profile.

So What? Some folks say they don’t care enough about social media to post. Others say it’s a new type of aesthetic. But most have cited privacy concerns as the reason for adopting “Grid Zero.”

Now What? If privacy is a concern, then the fewer photos your child posts online, the better. However, this doesn’t mean your teen isn’t posting at all. NPR reports that Instagram’s DMs (direct messages) and Stories (“temporary posts that show up prominently in the app”) have risen in popularity. So parents should still encourage safe internet practices, especially since even a “temporary” post or message can be recorded or screenshot by those with ill intentions.

How Will Instagram’s ‘Close Friends’ Combat Harassment?

What? In an effort to reduce bullying and other forms of online harassment, Meta has introduced a new feature in Instagram that allows teens to limit interactions with people outside their “Close Friends” (a list that restricts who can see posts, notes, reels or stories).

So What? This and other child-safety features come in response to criticism that Meta created an addictive app that prioritizes profits over minors’ mental health, for which it was sued last October by a “bipartisan group of 42 attorneys general” and is now also being investigated by the European Union.

Now What? Although Meta’s new tools are certainly a breath of fresh air, parents and teens shouldn’t lower their guard. Instagram is far from perfect and still has a long way to go before it will truly be “safe” for adolescents. But for now, parents and teens should utilize these new features and discuss ways to handle abusive behavior online.

What Are YouTube ‘Playables’?

What? YouTube is officially rolling out “Playables,” a collection of more than 75 free games folks can enjoy on the website or app.

So What? Although 38% of teens admit to spending too much time on their phones already, Pew Research says the majority haven’t tried to cut back their usage. And the addition of gaming to an app that’s already popular among teens (9 in 10 teenagers use YouTube regularly) may make those statistics even worse.

Now What? About 4 in 10 teens and parents say screen-time disagreements lead to arguments. But if Playables causes your kids to spend even more time on their phones, it doesn’t have to end in tears. Consider playing some of the new games with your kids. It may help you to better understand where they’re coming from and even bond over the games you both like. And that can help you to set realistic and healthy boundaries that your teen may be more inclined to follow.

The post On the Radar: ‘Grid Zero,’ Instagram’s ‘Close Friends’ and YouTube’s ‘Playables’ appeared first on Plugged In.

If you came to this tutorial and your child is 12 or under, then don’t worry, you’re in the right spot. We’ll get to the parental controls momentarily. But for those with teenagers (or tweens about to become teenagers), you should know that Google gives teenagers the option to have full autonomy over what they watch on YouTube. (The exception being age-restricted videos, which are flagged voluntarily by the video creator.)

So what’s a parent to do?

Well, Google may give teens the keys to the kingdom at age 13, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Teens between the ages of 13 and 17 can still have supervised accounts (which we’ll cover in this tutorial) at their own discretion. And if they turn that feature off, parents are notified.

But if you’re familiar with Plugged In, then it probably won’t surprise you when I say talk to your kids. (Episode 234 of The Plugged In Show gives some tips on how to get the conversation started.) Your family’s decision to continue parental supervision on YouTube may not be an issue of trust—although I’m sure some teenagers may still need to prove themselves in that area—so much as it is an issue of safety.

The FBI has warned parents that teenage boys are the most vulnerable to sextortion scams. One study found that the YouTube Shorts algorithm directs boys toward “misogynistic and male supremacist content,” regardless of whether they seek that sort of harmful content or not. And countless research teams have shown the damaging effects social media has on teen girls’ self-esteem.

Setting appropriate limits on any kind of social media probably won’t be a one-time discussion so much as an ongoing conversation. But rather than blocking YouTube on all devices, creating a supervised account affords parents the opportunity to come alongside their teenagers—to continue instilling good media discernment skills and screentime habits while still operating under the relatively safe umbrella of mom and dad’s control.

So, without further ado, here are the parental controls you can set up for YouTube.

YouTube Kids (Ages 0-12)

If your child is under the age of 13, you may want to try out YouTube Kids first. This is an entirely separate app/website catering specifically to younger kids with a full set of parental controls. It allows parents to preapprove videos (when using the app), set up profiles for their kids according to age, limit screen time and flag inappropriate content for review.

Additionally, YouTube Kids doesn’t allow comments, captions, outside links or even a “like” button. So when your child watches a video, they’ll only see the title and the video itself. And there’s no risk of getting redirected to another website.

(If your child is 13 or older, or if your child is too mature for YouTube Kids, consider a supervised account instead.)

On the app:

1. Download the YouTube Kids app and open it.
2. Click “Get Started.”
3. Next, you’ll be shown a video informing you that if you set up a parent account first, you’ll have full access to YouTube Kids’ parental controls. You have the option to skip this step, but you’ll be more limited.
   • If you sign in, proceed to Step 4.
   • If you skip, proceed to Step 9.

If you choose to sign in:

4. Follow the steps to sign in to your Google account or create a brand new one.
5. Create a profile for your child using their name and age. (This information is not shared by Google.)
6. YouTube Kids will recommend a content setting based on the age you enter:
   • “Preschool” is for ages 4 and under.
   • “Younger” is for ages 5-8.
   • “Older” is for ages 9-12.
   • You can also choose “Approve content yourself.”
7. You’re ready to watch!
8. For additional parental controls, proceed to Step 14.

If you skip signing in:

9. Answer the math problem to continue.
10. You’ll be prompted to “choose a content experience for your child.”
    • “Preschool” is for ages 4 and under.
    • “Younger” is for ages 5-8.
    • “Older” is for ages 9-12.
11. Read through the “Notice to Parents.” This lets you know what information Google collects and how they use it. There are also links to the “YouTube Kids Privacy Notice” and the YouTube Kids “Parental Guide.” And there’s a “Disclosure for Children” to better help you explain YouTube’s privacy practices to your children.
12. If you click “I Agree,” you’re ready to watch!
13. For additional parental controls, proceed to Step 20.

Additional Parental Controls

If you choose to sign in:

14. To change the settings you selected, click on the lock icon in the bottom right corner of the screen, and answer the math problem.
15. From here, you can:
    • Set a timer to lock the app when it’s time for your child to take a break.
    • Adjust the settings (see Step 16).
    • Send feedback to Google.
16. In settings, you can:
    • Create a passcode to replace the math problem.
    • Create new profiles or edit/delete existing ones.
    • Sign out of your account.
    • Reread the privacy notices and parental guides from earlier.
    • Send feedback to Google.
17. To adjust an existing profile, click on it, and enter your account password. Now you can:
    • Edit the content settings.
    • Toggle the search function on or off.
    • Clear your child’s watch history.
    • Turn off the algorithms that recommend videos.
    • Unblock videos.
    • Delete the profile.
18. To block any video, click on the three dots next to the video’s title and click “Block this video.”
19. To view your child’s watch history, you’ll need to access YouTube Kids from a web browser with a signed in account.

If you skip signing in:

20. To change the settings you selected, click on the lock icon in the bottom right corner of the screen, and answer the math problem.
21. From here, you can:
    • Sign in to your account.
    • Set a timer to lock the app when it’s time for your child to take a break.
    • Adjust the settings (see Step 22).
    • Send feedback to Google.
22. In settings, you can:
    • Create a passcode to replace the math problem.
    • Sign in to your account.
    • Set a timer to lock the app when it’s time for your child to take a break.
    • Edit the content settings.
    • Toggle on or off the search function.
    • Clear your child’s watch history.
    • Turn off the algorithms that recommend videos.
    • Reread the privacy notices and parental guides from earlier.
23. To block any video, you’ll need to sign in to your Google account.
24. To view your child’s watch history, you’ll need to access YouTube Kids from a web browser with a signed in account.

On the web:

1. Go to www.youtubekids.com.
2. Select “I’m a Parent.” (It won’t allow you to continue the process if you select “I’m a Kid.”)
3. Enter your year of birth. (In order to set up the parental controls, you must be over the age of 18.)
4. Next, you’ll be shown a video informing you that if you set up a parent account first, you’ll have full access to YouTube Kids’ parental controls. You have the option to skip this step, but you’ll be more limited.
   • If you sign in, proceed to Step 5.
   • If you skip, proceed to Step 13.

If you choose to sign in:

5. Click “Add a new account.” Follow the steps to sign in to your Google account or create a brand new one.
6. Read through the “Notice to parents.” This lets you know what information Google collects and how they use it. There are also links to the “YouTube Kids Privacy Notice” and the YouTube Kids “Parental Guide.” And there’s a “Disclosure for Children” to better help you explain YouTube’s privacy practices to your children.
7. To agree, enter your password again. (Note: If your password is saved to your browser, consider deleting the autofill details so that your children won’t be able to make changes to your settings.)
8. Create a profile for your child using their name and age. (This information is not shared by Google.)
9. YouTube Kids will recommend a content setting based on the age you enter:
   • “Preschool” is for ages 4 and under.
   • “Younger” is for ages 5-8.
   • “Older” is for ages 9-12.
10. After selecting an age group, choose whether you want your child to have search functionality. Both options still allow you to flag potentially inappropriate content for review.
    • “Turn search on” will let your kids search YouTube Kids for the types of videos they want to watch.
    • “Turn search off” will only let them watch verified YouTube Kids channels.
11. You’re ready to watch!
12. For additional parental controls, proceed to Step 18.

If you skip signing in:

13. Read through the “Notice to parents.” This lets you know what information Google collects and how they use it. There are also links to the “YouTube Kids Privacy Notice” and the YouTube Kids “Parental Guide.” And there’s a “Disclosure for Children” to better help you explain YouTube’s privacy practices to your children.
14. If you click “I Agree,” you’ll be prompted to “choose a content experience for your child.”
    • “Preschool” is for ages 4 and under.
    • “Younger” is for ages 5-8.
    • “Older” is for ages 9-12.
15. After selecting an age group, choose whether you want your child to have search functionality. Both options still allow you to flag potentially inappropriate content for review.
    • “Turn search on” will let your kids search YouTube Kids for the types of videos they want to watch.
    • “Turn search off” will only let them watch verified YouTube Kids channels.
16. You’re ready to watch!
17. For additional parental controls, proceed to Step 21.

Note: If you leave YouTube Kids, depending on your browser’s history, cookies and cache settings, it may not remember your preferences. To guarantee that your parental controls settings stay intact, consider creating an account and/or signing in.

Additional Parental Controls

If you choose to sign in:

18. To change the settings you selected, click on the lock icon in the top right corner of the page, and answer the math problem.
19. From here, you can:
    • Create a passcode to replace the math problem.
    • Create new profiles or edit/delete existing ones.
    • Sign out of your account.
    • Reread the privacy notices and parental guides from earlier.
    • Send feedback to Google.
20. To adjust an existing profile, click on it and enter your account password. Now you can:
    • Edit the content settings.
    • Toggle on or off the search function.
    • Clear your child’s watch history.
    • Turn off the algorithms that recommend videos.
    • Delete the profile.
21. To view your child’s watch history, click on the profile icon in the top left corner.
22. To block any video, click on the three dots next to the video’s title and click “Block this video.”

If you skip signing in:

23. To change the settings you selected, click on the lock icon in the top right corner of the page, and answer the math problem.
24. From here, you can:
    • Create a passcode to replace the math problem.
    • Sign in to your account.
    • Edit the content settings.
    • Toggle on or off the search function.
    • Clear your child’s watch history.
    • Turn off the algorithms that recommend videos.
    • Reread the privacy notices and parental guides from earlier.
    • Send feedback to Google.
25. To view your child’s watch history, click on the profile icon in the top left corner.
26. To block any video, you’ll need to sign in to your Google account.

Supervised Accounts (All Ages)

The idea behind a supervised account is to give kids autonomy with their YouTube experience. It might be that your child is under 13 but a bit too mature for YouTube Kids. Or perhaps you want them to be able to explore beyond what YouTube Kids has to offer.

But as I mentioned earlier, teenagers who are 13-years-old or older aren’t required to have supervised accounts. They can turn it on or off at any time. So be sure to have some conversations with your teens about what they’re using their Google account for, what they’re watching on YouTube, and whether or not they need a little more guidance from mom and dad before taking full control of their account.

Note: For the purposes of this tutorial, we are setting up a supervised account on a web browser. We have included links to Google’s non-browser instructions when possible.

For children 12 and under:

1. If you haven’t done so already, create a Google account for yourself.
   • Enter your name.
   • Enter your date of birth and gender.
   • Choose an email address.
   • Create a password.
   • Confirm you’re not a robot by following the verification steps.
   • Choose whether or not to add a recovery email address.
   • Review the Privacy and Terms.
   • Click “I agree” to confirm and complete your account.
2. Next, create a Google account for your child if you haven’t done so already. (This varies depending on the device your child uses, so be sure to consult Google’s website for details.)
   • Enter their name.
   • Enter their date of birth and gender.
   • Choose an email address.
   • Create a password.
   • Confirm you’re not a robot by following the verification steps.
3. Because your child is under the age of 13, you’ll enter your own email address to manage their account from.
4. Read through the permissions and, if you consent, click “I agree.”
5. Enter your password to give your consent to create an account for your child.
6. The next page will show what you can do as a parent manager of your child’s account. Click “Next” after reading through.
7. Follow the prompts to verify you are a parent.
8. Decide whether to allow Google to collect data on your child’s Web and App Activity.
9. Your child’s account is set up. Google will send you an email with further details. By default, since your child is under 13, they will be listed as a “supervised member” of your family.
10. Next, go to Manage Your Google Account by clicking on your profile picture in the top right corner of your screen.
11. Click “People & Sharing” from the menu on the left.
12. Select the child’s account you want to manage.
13. Click “Go to Family Link.”
14. In Family Link, you’ll automatically be directed to the page of the child you selected. However, you can select any member of your family from the menu on the left-hand side. To adjust parental controls, click “Controls” under the name of the account you want to manage.
15. From here, you can:
    • Lock Android and ChromeOS devices remotely.
    • Set content restrictions.
    • Adjust your child’s privacy and location settings.
    • Decide whether your child can use their Google account to sign in to other apps and devices.
    • Change your child’s password.
    • Delete your child’s account.
16. Click “Content restrictions.”
17. Click “YouTube.”
18. You can decide whether you want your child to have access to YouTube Kids only or whether they can use YouTube and YouTube Music. For the purposes of creating a supervised experience, we’re choosing the latter.
19. Choose a content setting for your child:
    • “Explore” is for ages 9+.
    • “Explore More” is for ages 13+.
    • “Most of YouTube” is almost everything YouTube has to offer except for age-restricted material (18+).
20. Once you finish setup, you can return to Parent Settings by repeating Steps 13-17. Additionally, you can:
    • Remove access to YouTube and YouTube Music.
    • Disable autoplay.
    • Turn off the algorithms that recommend videos.
    • Clear your child’s watch history.
    • Review your child’s watch history.
    • Unblock videos.
    • Reread Google’s Privacy Policies.

For children 13 and over:

21. Follow Step 1 for both yourself and for your child if you haven’t done so already.
22. Next, you’ll add parental supervision. (If your child uses an Android device or Chromebook, consult Google’s website for details.) We recommend that parents and children complete the following steps together in order to discuss the boundaries being set and the expectations for appropriate internet usage.
    • Go to families.google.com/supervision/intro.
    • Click “Get started.”
    • Have your child sign in to their Google account.
    • Allow your child to read through the disclaimer telling them what you, as a parent, will be able to see and do on their account. And talk through anything they might be uncomfortable with or have questions about.
    • When ready, click “Next.”
    • Enter your own email address to link your account.
    • Confirm the decision to have your child join your family group.
    • Have your child click “Allow” to give their consent to have you supervise their account.
    • Further instructions will be sent to your email to finish the process.
23. Once you complete the process to set up parental supervision, go to Manage Your Google Account by clicking on your profile picture in the top right corner of your screen.
24. Click “People & Sharing” from the menu on the left.
25. Select the child’s account you want to manage.
26. Click “Go to Family Link.”
27. In Family Link, you’ll automatically be directed to the page of the child you selected. However, you can select any member of your family from the menu on the left-hand side. To adjust parental controls, click “Controls” under the name of the account you want to manage.
28. From here, you can:
    • Lock Android and ChromeOS devices remotely.
    • Set content restrictions.
    • Adjust your child’s privacy and location settings.
    • Decide whether your child can use their Google account to sign in to other apps and devices.
29. Click “Content restrictions.”
30. Click “YouTube.”
31. Toggle on “Restricted Mode” to help hide videos with potentially mature content.

If you’ve made it to the end of this tutorial, then you can see for yourself why, perhaps more than ever, we recommend talking to your child about their streaming and entertainment choices. Google makes it incredibly difficult for parents of teenagers to have any say-so in what their teens are viewing on YouTube. Perhaps you won’t be able to block every foul thing you’d rather shelter your kids from. However, by having an ongoing conversation with your teens, you may be able to teach them to avoid that sort of problematic content on their own.

The post Parental Controls: YouTube appeared first on Plugged In.

What? Despite age restrictions, a new study published in BMC Research Notes found that about one in 250 underage children (including 11- and 12-year-olds) have used dating apps intended for adults.

So What? Previous studies linked “early adolescent online dating” with other risks, including increased likelihood of “insults, privacy violations, threats of violence and unwanted sexual advances from predators.”

Now What? Although dating apps technically require users to be 18, that restriction is easily bypassed by entering a fake birthdate. So parents are truly the first line of defense in this situation. Parental controls on the devices your children have access to can be helpful in blocking dating apps. But more importantly, initiate an ongoing conversation with your teens and tweens about “online safety, healthy relationships and appropriate romantic milestones for their age.”

Twenty-Five Percent of Teenagers Consume Caffeine Daily

What? According to a national poll, “a quarter of parents report that caffeine is basically part of their teen’s daily life.”

So What? Because caffeine is a drug that stimulates the brain and nervous system, too much of it in a developing adolescent can contribute to health problems such as irregular heart rhythms and bone loss. It can also impact teenagers’ mood, sleep and school performance.

Now What? Luckily, the most frequent place teens consume caffeine is at home, so parents are well-placed to monitor their children’s intake of it. Experts recommend limiting caffeine to 100 milligrams a day for teenagers (it’s discouraged altogether for younger children). So check product labels before purchasing food or beverages—a single energy drink can contain up to 500 mg of caffeine, not to mention added sugars and other chemicals. And encourage your teens to try noncaffeinated options when buying snacks for themselves.

Cassette Tapes Trending Again … Or Still

What? Possibly thanks to shows such as 13 Reasons Why and Stranger Things, we’ve been witnessing the unlikely revival of the cassette tape the last few years among Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

So What? Newer artists such as Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar have jumped on this trend, releasing albums via cassette. (Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department sold more than 21,000 tapes in the first week of sales.)

Now What? Parents may be scratching their heads about why their kids are buying cassettes, especially if you remember how easy it is to unravel or break them. But it’s not uncommon for kids to want a physical memento of their favorite recording artist or band. This could be a good way to bond with your kids if you happen to have an old Walkman or boom box lying around. You can show them the trick of rewinding a tape using a pen. And hey, at least most cassettes are still cheaper than vinyl.

The post On the Radar: Tweens and Dating Apps, Teenage Caffeine Use, and the Cassette Tape Trend appeared first on Plugged In.

What you might not quickly think about is how those smartphones are subtly changing your teen’s thought processes.

All right, the phone itself isn’t changing them, per se. Smartphones aren’t sentient creatures with malevolent thoughts. (Not yet anyway.) But those devices are connected to social media, and there are lots of different thoughts expressed there. And that world of social media longs to be fed. A lot. Teens (and adults) with smartphones are being, essentially, programmed to do whatever is necessary to feed that beast.

For instance, we’re seeing a new phenomenon lately where people are making rather odd choices in the face of hazardous situations. They’re not running from danger or seeking help, they’re recording videos.

Just recently a holed-up gunman engaged in a shootout with police in Charlotte, North Carolina. While officers were in a neighbor’s yard shooting at the house across the street, that particular neighbor stepped out from his garage and started videoing the whole thing—bullets zipping just a few feet away from him. By the end of the terrible ordeal, five people—including four officers and the gunman—were dead. The fella with the smartphone? He got his video.

That may seem extreme, but it’s not an isolated incident. People, young and old, are taking risks to record danger—perhaps hoping for a bunch of “hits” on their social of choice. There are scores of stories featuring crowds of high school “bystanders” who record a fight while someone else is beaten. Others document someone struggling in the throes of a drug overdose or the like. In these videos, no one steps in to give aid, no one runs for help. They all just … watch. And record. The outcomes are sometimes deadly.

The question, though, is why does this sort of behavior happen?

Sometimes, standing back might make perfect sense. Some bystanders hang back and record out of fear for their own safety. We’ve heard of teens stepping in to help and being hurt for their efforts. (You can find videos of that online as well.). But in many cases—and anecdotally, the numbers seem to be growing—people seem to be clamoring for the online attention they’ll get for catching a “cool” video.

But this shift in behavior is even more complicated than fear or desire for attention. Experts point to other contributors, too. Studies have shown that teen exposure to an abundance of violent videos can result in desensitization to violence and decreases in empathy and prosocial behaviors. And in a New York Post article, Dr. Linda Charmaraman—a researcher for Massachusetts’ Wellesley College  who has studied how social media affects teen brains—suggested that the teen action (or inaction) may come down to not really knowing the right thing to do.

“Adolescent brains are still developing — things like impulse control and moral development, and sometimes, they may not even think what’s happening is real,” Charmaraman said.

Whatever the reason people have for standing, gaping, and filming rather than doing what common sense would suggest—such as hiding or seeking help—it feels like we’re walking new and problematic terrain. It’s a frontier that can only be explored because we all have a smartphone camera in our hand at every given point in the day.

So what do you do?

As always, the best solutions to things that may become problematic in a young person’s life is a combination of awareness and communication. Keep your eyes open for stories about incidents similar to the ones mentioned above. And then point them out to the teens in your life.

What would they do if they encountered a bare-knuckle beatdown at school? What should they do? Ask your teens how they feel about the need to “feed the beast” of social media. Do they post? What are the lines they would not cross? Talk about limits; about wise choices.

Generally, all of the problems and bad choices that teens encounter, and potentially make, can be worked through with a good dose of communication. Think of it as counterprogramming, if you will. At the very least a communicative mom or dad can leave teens thinking about their own standards of right and wrong; their own wise ways of staying safe.

Oh, and don’t forget to model the behavior you most desire. You’ve got a smartphone, too, don’t you know.

The post While the Mountains Crumble … We Keep Filming appeared first on Plugged In.

What? In recent weeks, Congress and the Senate each voted to pass a bill that would potentially ban TikTok in the United States. President Biden has signed this bill, giving ByteDance (TikTok’s Chinese parent company) 270 days to sell TikTok or to have the platform prohibited on American app stores.

So What? TikTok influencers and ByteDance itself are suing the United States government to stop this law from being implemented. However, many Americans are already seeking alternative forms of social media entertainment, flocking to apps such as Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Triller, Zigazoo and Lemon8.

Now What? Parents should remain cautious of any app that your teenager may pick up in lieu of TikTok. Each of the aforementioned apps has its own version of the short-form videos popularized by TikTok. And each also has the potential to create screentime addiction, to expose your kids to inappropriate content or to introduce them to someone harmful online.

What Is Therapy-Speak? And Why Might It Be Harmful?

What? “Therapy-speak” began as the language often used by licensed therapists and psychologists to help diagnose mental health conditions. Unfortunately, the phrase has gradually become synonymous with teenagers using social media to self-diagnose themselves online.

So What? Experts worry about the proliferation of therapy-speak on social media. It can cause teenagers to misdiagnose their current feelings as severe mental illnesses. It can also inadvertently cause people who have received legitimate diagnoses to be taken less seriously. And (since therapy-speak is often overused and misunderstood) it can discredit, confuse or undermine these important mental health concepts among teens.

Now What? Finding a group of people online who seem to feel the same way as you—who seem to get you—can be so validating, especially for teenagers. But you should urge your children to use caution when it comes to therapy-speak. Overuse and misuse of the terms can lead to further misunderstanding and miscommunication. And only licensed professionals in the mental health field should give legitimate diagnoses. So if you have children who suspect they have a mental health condition, parents should facilitate consulting a professional in order to receive proper treatment.

Study Finds That Breaks from Social Media Can Boost Self-Esteem

What? A new study from York University’s Faculty of Health found that “young women who took a social media break for as little as one week had a significant boost in self-esteem and body image—particularly those most vulnerable to thin-ideal internalization.”

So What? Although future research is still needed to verify this correlation, the authors of the study are encouraged by the results. In additional to curbing behaviors “known to have a detrimental effect, such as comparisons with others,” participants likely replaced their social media use with healthier behaviors, such as “socializing with friends, getting sleep, getting outdoors, getting exercise.”

Now What? As we noted last week, May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and right now could be a great time to take a social media break. Encourage your teens to take advantage of the warmer weather by getting outside. Make a push for face-to-face interactions with their friends as opposed to screen-to-screen connections. And remind your kids that even if they “miss out” on something online, it will likely still be waiting there when they return. In contrast, the offscreen time they spend with family and friends is limited and precious.

The post On the Radar: TikTok Alternatives, Therapy-Speak, and How Social Media Breaks Impact Body Image appeared first on Plugged In.

What? Oil pulling is an ancient teeth-cleaning technique wherein someone puts a tablespoon of edible oil in their mouth and vigorously swishes it around, “pulling” the oil via suction between their teeth and gums before spitting it back out.

So What? According to today.com, oil pulling has gone viral thanks to hundreds of TikTok posts promoting the technique, alleging that it can naturally whiten teeth, reverse tooth decay, fight gum disease and treat other oral health conditions.

Now What? The American Dental Association has formally stated that “there are no reliable scientific studies to show that oil pulling reduces cavities, whitens teeth or improves oral health and well-being.” Dentists say that there’s no harm in oil pulling (when done properly), but adopters should use it in addition to, not instead of traditional brushing and flossing.

New Study Finds That “Cool Kids” Sleep Worse

What? A new study published in Frontiers in Sleep has found that the social habits of popular teenagers may be coming between them and a good night’s sleep.

So What? Experts explain that while some of this may come from the proclivity for “cool kids” to spend more time late at night on social media cultivating their online persona, much of it has little to do with technology at all. Children with larger groups of friends are simply more likely to be invited to after-school social events and participate in extracurricular activities—not to mention their face-to-face interactions with those friends.

Now What? Study Finds recommends being more attuned to your child’s social life and how it could be impacting their sleep: “It’s not about discouraging friendships or popularity but rather about helping teens strike a healthy balance.” So encourage your teen to adhere to a set bedtime, reduce phone usage as the evening progresses, and create a wind-down routine to help them decompress and relax before heading off to sleep.

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month

What? According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) was first established in 1949 to “increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans’ lives and to celebrate recovery from mental illness.”

So What? Although many social media feeds are now filling with posts about MHAM, outdoor clothier L.L. Bean has, for the third year in a row, wiped its social media feed clean in the hope that folks will take a break from their screens (since many studies show that persistent screen time can negatively affect mental health) and get outside instead.

Now What? If you think that social media—or technology in general—is affecting your family’s overall mental health, May offers a natural opportunity to do a reset. That might mean taking planned screentime breaks and establishing new screentime habits as a family. It could also involve brainstorming new boundaries on tech use for summer vacation. (Read even more about establishing tech boundaries in Plugged In’s book, Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family.)

The post On the Radar: ‘Oil Pulling’, Popular Teens’ Sleep Habits and Mental Health Awareness Month appeared first on Plugged In.