Can Minors Remove Content Online?

It’s nearly impossible to impress on children the permanence of things they share online through social media, emails or via text. Once they click “send,” that text message, photo or video is out there, available for sharing, forwarding and re-posting by anyone who gets ahold of it. A recent law passed last month in California is aimed at giving kids a chance to delete their digital mistakes, but there are some pretty big loop holes.

In September 2013, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 568 which, among other things, requires that operators of any website or online service remove content posted by a minor (18 and younger) if the minor requests it be removed. Postings that fall under the requirements must be removed from public access but can be maintained on the website’s server. The law will apply to websites housed outside of the state, provided that the minor is a California resident. The law will take effect as of January 1, 2015.

While this sounds promising, SB-568 offers little protection in reality. The web site operator must only remove content posted by the minor themselves, a pivotal distinction. If your child wants to remove something that was posted by someone else, for example a photo their friend (or enemy) snaps of them doing something questionable and then posts online, they’re out of luck. Since many websites already include provisions that allow anyone to delete accounts or content that they themselves have posted, critics question what this law really offers other than legal enforcement to pre-existing privacy practices.


This is another step in California lawmakers’ work to protect minors from the long term repercussions of childhood Internet indiscretions. Last year, California lawmakers passed SB-1349, a law that prevents both public and private post-secondary schools in California from demanding social media usernames or passwords as a condition of enrollment, or from threatening or taking pecuniary actions against students or student organizations that refuse to comply with a request for login information.

However, schools can continue to search out any publicly available data linked to a minor. A school district in Glendale, California recently hired a 3^rd party firm, Geo Listening, to monitor student’s public posts on social media. While the disclosed intention is to identify at-risk students, those who may be contemplating suicide or violence toward others, the overlap between data posted to social media and intervention by school officials leaves some to question the extent to which the information gathered may affect their child’s academic future. Other parents welcome the “second pair of eyes” monitoring their children’s online activities.

While it is promising that lawmakers are aware of the ongoing challenges faced by minors with access to the Internet and taking actions to try to offer them some legal protections, the protections are still minimal. While some children are certainly posting questionable things about themselves, the vast majority of things that they would want to remove from the Internet are more likely going to have been posted or shared by others. Once something is made available online, if it’s truly shocking, funny or compromising it’s likely to get shared and re-posted almost instantly, and not always by friends kind enough to listen when little Johnny wizens up and asks them to take it down.

This law offers no protection from cyber bullies who post nasty comments, images or videos about others intentionally, though to be fair that isn’t the intention of the law. The bill’s author, California Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg says it’s intended to help kids “who often act impetuously with postings of ill-advised pictures or messages before they think through the consequences. They deserve the right to remove this material that could haunt them for years to come,” (http://sd06.senate.ca.gov/news/2013-09-23-governor-signs-steinberg-bill-protecting-minors-privacy-internet).

[pullquote]the world of technology continues to evolve faster than lawmakers can keep up[/pullquote]

Unfortunately, the world of technology continues to evolve faster than lawmakers can keep up. With a generation of kids that learn that anything worth doing should be posting online, and many of whom judge their worth by how may “likes” or “views” their postings generate, what’s a parent to do? I’m glad that California lawmakers are making an effort to help minors reduce the long term ramification of their own childhood indiscretions, but I know that it’s ultimately up to me to teach my children about the consequences and permanence of things posted online.

Back to School Apps

While I’ve consistently proclaimed that no student needs a tablet or Smartphone to succeed, handheld internet-enabled gadgets can serve a purpose. From downloading textbooks to syncing notes and reference materials, there are some amazing tools for studying, research and organization. I wish that I’d had them when schlepping back and forth to class oh-so-many years ago. If your back-to-schooler has been lucky enough to get their hands on a tablet or WiFi-capable mobile device, these apps can help them make the most of it.

Save yourself from the backache resulting from lugging around that huge Chemistry tome with Kno Textbooks (www.kno.com, free for iPhone, iPad, Android or Windows), an online text book resource boasting over 200,000 titles. Purchase textbooks through the app and you’ll have digital content available on your computer and all your mobile devices. Engage with interactive graphics, click to view more information on intriguing topics, add notes and use advanced search features to make studying easier. There are even integrated flashcards for when exam time comes around. Textbooks are available for grades K-12, college and advanced degree courses.


Going from one class and one teacher to six or seven can be a leap, one that can lead to missed deadlines and forgotten assignments. While there are many homework tracking tools available, I like the cross-platform syncing capabilities of myHomework Student Planner (https://myhomeworkapp.com/, free for iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle or Windows, $1.99/year for ad-free experience). Quickly view your course load, see assignments and sort by date due, type (for example, reading, paper, or study), or by course. Due dates are integrated with your calendar and you’ll receive alerts of impending deadlines.

If your teacher uses Teachers.io, myHomework allows you to “join” their class and have course information and whatever the teacher has provided (like the syllabus or assignments) automatically updated to your device. Parents can login to an account that they create for their child to keep abreast of progress on homework and projects, or view notes added by their teacher through Teachers.io. Information is automatically synced across all devices with the myHomework app, or login online to view or update your account.

If your student is getting buried under a sea of paper and losing important notes or reference materials, Evernote (www.evernote.com, free, for iPhone, iPad, Android or Windows) lets you digitally store and organize notes, photos and weblinks related to your course of study across all your devices. Take a picture of a page in a book or the printout of an assignment, and Evernote’s text recognition will convert it into a searchable, easily retrievable digital document. Save, organize and sync everything related to a project, paper or study topic and sync it across all your devices so it’s always at hand. See the video guide here: http://evernote.com/getting_started/

Mobile devices can give you access to a wealth of information:

Never be at a loss for words again with dictionary.com at your fingertips. Download the Dictionary.com app (http://dictionary.reference.com/apps, free, all platforms) so that the next time your professor pontificates about preterition, you’ll know just what he means.

WolframAlpha (http://products.wolframalpha.com/mobile/, $2.99, all platforms) has a silly name, but can answer just about any query from “how far is the Earth from the sun?” to “compare the air speed of a peregrine falcon to the land speed of a cheetah.” There are also apps for data related to specific courses of study, such as Tides, Genomics, Algebra, Corporate Finance, etc.

If you’re tackling a second language, Google Translate (www.google.com/mobile/translate/, free, iOS and Android) lets you type or speak what you want to say and instantly view the translation in over 50 languages. The text-to-speech feature lets you hear the spoken translation for more than 30 languages, or take a photo of non-Latin writing to see the translation in standard American characters.

For anyone who remembers leafing through the pages of the Encyclopedia Britannica for well-written and concise information about famous people, places and events in history, consider that wealth of information being constantly updated and always at hand. Britannica offers a subscription-based app (www.britannica.com/, $1.99/month for iPhone or iPad, $4.99/year for Windows) with detailed descriptions, full color images, and all the meticulously fact-checked information lacking from Wikipedia.

Image from Apple

Nextdoor - Facebook for Neighborhoods?

If you live in a Nerdy Neighborhood, you might want to check out the newest web service that’s making a buzz. It’s called “Nextdoor,” and it’s a social network for neighborhoods. Users can advertise garage sales, post community messages, and connect with others in their area. It’s been described as a “Craigslist and LinkedIn hybrid.”

Not too quick to post your home address online? You should be - identity theft is a growing problem. Fortunately, Nextdoor requires address verification, which means that everyone in a Nextdoor neighborhood must enter a PIN sent to their home address. Users outside of a neighborhood have no access to the groups within a neighborhood. As the CEO, Nirav Tolia, told Mashable, it’s “about problem-solving.”

The service also partners with local authorities, which means that neighborhoods can receive emergency alerts relevant to their neighborhood.

Nextdoor has a list of more than 18,000 neighborhoods on the site, and about 75 are added to the list everyday. If you can’t find your neighborhood on the site you are encouraged to put in a request. Once there are enough people interested in a neighborhood, the group is created and the interested users are sent postcards with PINs. However, the group’s status is contingent on enough users joining within a set time. Nextdoor gives a time period for users to invite a certain number of their neighbors to the service - if not enough people join, the neighborhood is removed from Nextdoor. As people join, the trial period is extended until the group finally becomes permanent.

Nextdoor has an iPhone app as well as a recently-released Android app, which allows users to quickly see group posts and messages relevant to their neighborhood.

For now, Nextdoor is only available in the United States, although they plan on expanding into Canada later in 2013 and other countries the following year.

Tech for Students

Tech for Students Reviewed

The best in Technology for Education

If you’re replacing an old, reliable PC that just isn’t cutting it anymore, or you’re outfitting your student with some computing power, the back to school season is a prime time to buy electronics. The wave of shoppers drives down prices as retailers compete for your dollars, so it’s a good time to find a great deal. But with all the choices – desktops, laptops, Ultrabooks and tablets - how do you pick the best device to suit your needs? We’re here to help you choose.

Desktop tower: Even though their popularity is waning, there are benefits to a stationary work station. The lack of mobility is great for younger students. Just set up the family PC in a high traffic area to monitor your kid’s online activities, and you’ll never have to track down the computer under junior’s bed when it’s time to power down at night. They’re also friendlier to clumsy fingers: if Johnny spills his soda on the desk you may have to replace a $20 keyboard, but sticky liquid on a laptop can take the whole system out of commission. They’re more cost effective to upgrade, so the system will likely last you longer than more portable alternatives.

Pick a desktop is you are looking for a family PC and have younger students.

Laptop vs. Ultrabook: The benefits of an all-in-one mobile computer are clear. It takes up less space, can be used anywhere and could accompany your older student to class if necessary (although they’re still a bit big to handle the surface space offered by the typical college classroom desk). While monitors aren’t as large as those that usually accompany a desktop PC, they’re comfortably sized to accommodate the long term use expected to compose a term paper or, say, research the mating habits of alpacas.

While laptops and Ultrabooks are usually lumped into the same category when you’re cruising the electronics store, there are some key differences. Ultrabooks are often referred to as “next generation” laptops. They’re smaller, thinner and similar to a tablet with an attached keyboard and a fully-functional Operating System. While this may all sound good, keep in mind that these systems trade their upgrade capability for lightweight portability. Components are stripped (you won’t find an optical drive) or soldered to the motherboard to reduce weight and size, so the memory and hard drive that you buy it with will need to last you the life of the device.

Pick a laptop for a household with older students that you trust to use the system unattended but where out-of-house travel is likely to be minimal. Laptops are available with larger screens than Ultrabooks, so they can better accommodate multi-taskers who like to split screen multiple applications simultaneously. Also, a laptop is a good pick for students who will be using it for extended periods of time, anyone who needs to connect to a variety of shared peripheral devices like communal printers, or anyone who will need a DVD drive.

Pick an Ultrabook when portability is paramount. If your student will be taking the system to class on a regular basis, travelling with it to offsite study locations, or has an exceptionally small workspace available, an Ultrabook may be the best choice.

Tablet: While tablets are gaining popularity, they are not designed to seamlessly replace a fully-functional computer. Consider them a Smartphone with a larger screen that requires a WiFi signal to work optimally. Tablets typically run a mobile OS which is pared down from the software offered on a laptop or Ultrabook. They don’t offer as many connectivity ports, so many functions (like printing or transferring data) will likely require that you connect over a shared WiFi network. You won’t have a disk drive, so content will have to be downloaded from the device’s affiliated App store, limiting you to software developed for mobile devices.

However, tablets can serve a purpose. If you have a shared family PC and older students that need an additional device to surf the net or check email, or want to stream content from tutoring sites or video chat with their study group, a tablet can be a handy tool. With the addition of a note-taking program and compatible stylus, your student can take notes in class and have them instantly transformed into digital, searchable text, making studying for exams a bit less daunting.

Pick a tablet if you need additional Internet access without a lot of workhorse capability.

If you’re still puzzled about the best device to outfit your student for back to school, drop us a line. We’ll help you narrow down the sea of choices to the computer or mobile device that’s right for you.

Use Pinterest for Back to School

Use Pinterest for Back to School Tips

While it may seem like summer vacation just started (or perhaps for some, it feels like it will never end), the time to get the kids geared up and ready to head back to school is right around the corner. Pinterest can help take some of the guess work out of getting your little (or not so little) ones back to school. Here’s how to track down some of the most useful board highlighting gear, fashion, lunch inspiration and tips to help your students have a great year.

First, some tips on searching Pinterest. The huge variety of “pinners” and a relatively limited search tool means that it can be challenging to find exactly what you’re looking for using Pinterest’s site search. The search term you enter will have to appear in the description of the pin (if you’re searching pins) or the name of the board (if you’re searching boards). I like to search boards first using general terms like “back to school” or “school lunch” before searching for specific pins. The results returned when searching for boards will show you the image the pinner has chosen as their board cover image, as well as the most recent three things they’ve added to the board. This will let you scan through quickly for images that you find relevant, attractive or intriguing and then click through to see the rest of the links they’ve collected.


You could search by general category under Kids or Education to see the most recent and popular posts that have been categorized by the poster, but I find that overwhelming. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to sort results further. I would find it much easier if I could search by a term and then sort by most popular or most re-pinned so as to find a good starting point of material but, alas, it is not an option. This can make cruising Pinterest a bit overwhelming, so I’ve tracked down some gems to get you started.

Encourage a love of learning. I am one of the over 450,000 people that love the links and information gathered by former teacher Allison McDonald of “No Time for Flashcards” (http://pinterest.com/noflashcards/). From boards dedicated to gear, after school activities, and setting up a study area, to countless projects and games to help your budding scholar get ready for the year to come, there’s something here for any parent with a kid under ten. Not only will you bring your A-game to back to school, you’ll find tools to help your son or daughter get the most out of their learning time, whether it’s at school or at home.

Master the art of lunch. If your kids complain that they can’t stand the thought of yet another peanut butter and jelly sandwich with apple side dish, check out the easy but amazingly creative lunch ideas at the “Easy Lunch Box Lunches” page (http://pinterest.com/easylunchboxes/easy-lunch-box-lunches/). Centering on the bento-box craze, links give you a huge variety of options to meet any dietary needs, from gluten or lactose free to catering to picky eaters. Creative presentation encourages little ones to try new veggies or wraps, particularly when themed to their interests (think, pirate booty box or butterfly extravaganza). It may sound too time consuming, but you’ll be surprised at what you can pull off quickly and easily with a few sandwich or vegetable shape cutting tools and some reusable packaging. It’s even eco-friendly so your kids won’t harass you about wasting plastic bags – win!

Cater to your fashionista. For any parent who finds themselves wandering aimlessly around the clothes section in August, only to return home with a bag of outfits that elicit an “aw, mom, really?” reaction, save yourself some headaches by cruising the style profile boards compiled by Zulily (http://pinterest.com/zulily/), an online “daily deals site for moms.” From “Classic Cutie” to “Mister Hipster,” boards are dedicated to a variety of styles and tastes. Sit your little fashion-forward offspring down and have tem tell you which kinds of outfits appeal to them.

Older style mavens may have better luck with the custom outfits posted to Polyvore’s page (http://pinterest.com/polyvore/). Scroll through their “Top Products” board together so that you can get on the same page before heading out to shop, or follow the links to Polyvore’s main site to have your teen put together some dream outfits with the site’s “Create” feature. Choose from a huge selection of tops, bottoms and accessories to build complete outfits. Not only will you get a chance to preview the digs your kids think are cool, you’ll have the opportunity to talk about anything that may not be school appropriate before you get to the store.

 

How Your Teen is Hiding Online

What your Teen is Hiding Online: Part 2

According to a study commissioned by Internet Technology specialist McAfee, “The Digital Divide: How the Online Behavior of Teens is Getting Past Parents,” more than half of teens feel confident that they know how to hide what they do online and 71% have actually done something to hide their online behavior - a frightening statistic for parents struggling to keep up with the technology that their teens use every day. Yet half of teens polled said they’d change their online behaviors if they knew their parents were watching. Here’s how to learn if your kid is hiding something with the help of technology and what to do if they are.


The first step to determining if your teen is trying to cover their tracks is to learn the most common methods used to hide online activity. One red flag is if she quickly minimizes the browser window when you approach or rapidly changes pages when you come close (nearly half of teens polled cop to this). It’s helpful if you keep the family computer in a public area so that you can keep a more active eye on Internet browsing, or just ask her to pull back up what she was looking at.

Openly communicating about what sites you feel should be off-limits and what amount of privacy you’re comfortable extending to your child is imperative to setting expectations. This is a good opportunity to discuss why furtive browsing makes you uncomfortable.

More than half of teens polled cleared the browser history after going somewhere online that they didn’t want their parents to know about. This one’s pretty obvious – if you check the “History” option under your browser’s settings, there should be a lengthy list showing every page visited in recent days/weeks. An empty list tells you that steps were taken to intentionally hide online activity.

The easiest answer is to ask your teen why they felt it was necessary to hide where they went online. Begin the dialog about what sites you feel are unacceptable and why. If your kid felt it was necessary to clear the site from the browser history, they probably know they shouldn’t be going there.

Another method for hiding online activity is to use an un-monitored, internet-enabled mobile device (21% of teens polled say they’ve done it). From Smartphones to iPods to tablets, it seems just about everything can access the Internet these days, and mobile devices are particularly difficult for parents to keep tabs on.

Even more challenging, there are ways to hide apps, photos, videos, messages and phone calls by using apps or the hide option coded into Android. Many of these applications have names like Vault or Locker (for example, Vault, AppLock and PhotoLocker), so if you see an app on your child’s mobile device with this sort of name, open it. In many cases, the app will prompt you to enter a password to access content hidden in the folder. Even more difficult to identify, Hide it Pro (http://hideitpro.com/, free for Android or iPhone) appears on the phone under the name “Audio Manager.” When you open the app, it looks like a simple audio management tool, but pressing and holding the title bar will cause the password prompt to appear to unlock hidden content.

If you find your teen has hidden content on their mobile device, ask him or her to unlock the app or folder and show you what they’ve chosen to hide. Talk to your child about why they feel they need to hide things on their phone. Maybe they have photos or videos they want to keep private that may not necessarily be inappropriate, or don’t want friends reading their texts. If you do find that they’re storing inappropriate content or apps, it’s time to have a frank discussion about the dangers of sharing private images or information with others.

It’s best to establish your expectations for online activity early. When you hand your child his first internet-enabled device, discuss your plans for keeping an eye on where he goes and why you feel it’s an important step to keeping him safe. Consider enabling restrictions so that installing an app requires you to enter a passcode to unlock the function, allowing you ultimate oversight over the apps your child can use.

While there are some great parental monitoring software tools available (NetNanny and SpectorPro are some of our favorites), talk with your teen first. Just knowing you are actively involved may be enough to keep your kid off the “wrong side” of the web.

Summer Computer Protection for and from the Kids

Summer Computer Protection From the Kids

Summer is the season for computer mayhem.  The kids are home from school, often unsupervised, and boredom does not bode well for you system's health and welfare.  Your endlessly-curious teenager will inevitably find a million add-ons, applications and potentially shifty files to download onto your system while you're at work.  Before chaos ensues, here are some quick tips to protect your computer from having "too much fun" this season.


Anti-virus/ anti-malware software is an absolute must.  Make sure the software is current by configuring it to automatically update itself when new versions are released.  Set it up to scan your system routinely.  You may want to have it run more frequently during the summer months.  For Windows users, I recommend Microsoft Security Essentials (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-download).  It's free, easy to use and install, and helps protect your computer against viruses, spyware and other malicious software.  It supports Windows 7, Vista and XP.

While Mac users are less likely to encounter viruses or malware, it's still a good idea to have some protection.  Avast Free Antivirus for Mac (http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-75451160.html?tag=dropDownForm;productListing;pop) provides anti-virus shields on your filing system, email and the Internet by scanning the pages you attempt to navigate to.  It supports Safari, Firefox and Chrome browsers.

Create separate user accounts for each member of the family.  Aesthetically, it allows everyone to have a sense of individuality with customized backgrounds, desktop icons and folders.  It also gives kids some privacy by keeping prying siblings out of each other’s “business.”  From a practical standpoint, if the administrator account is the default user account on the machine, spyware and malicious software can potentially get administrative rights over your computer.  When you visit a website that is infected, you may be prompted to "allow" a program to run.  Clicking "yes" can allow malicious software to run rampant.  Separate user accounts may help keep it contained.

Every operating system is slightly different, but here's a link for creating separate accounts for Windows 2000, Windows XP and Mac OS X: http://support.hubris.net/knowledge_base/018.html.  Make sure Mom and Dad are able to access the accounts of everyone in the household.  Peruse the restrictions options to limit the ability of users so they can’t install or remove programs.

Use parental control software.  Programs like NetNanny (www.netnanny.com) can help you keep control of your system.  You can use them to set time limits on Internet usage and control the video games your kids are able to play.  You can establish permission restrictions so they can't download and play potentially dangerous programs.  Parental control programs also monitor many sorts of social contacts to protect your kids from dangerous individuals and monitor who they're interacting with.  If you want to be in the loop when you’re away from home, enter your email or text info so that it can send you notifications of which sites were blocked from your kids and why.

Windows users also have access to Family Safety.  If it's not already installed on your computer it can be easily downloaded from Microsoft's website (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/windows7/protecting-your-kids-with-family-safety#section_1).  Once you've set up user profiles for every member of your family, tailor their allowed computer activities and Internet access to their individual needs.  Control categories of websites they can view, put time restrictions on computer usage, specify the times of day they're able to use the computer and receive activity reports detailing what they’re up to while you're away.  The Family Safety Website allows you to manage settings from anywhere and the changes apply to every computer you've set the Family Safety Filter on.  Best of all, it's free.

Finally, don't discount the importance of talking to your kids about your expectations.  Automated monitoring can only go so far.  Let them know you don't want them downloading anything to the computer without your permission and/or supervision.  Talk to them about where they should and shouldn't be surfing on the web.  Set limits regarding screen time that includes all devices they have access to.  This way, you can hopefully avoid any nasty surprises.

Worst case scenario: add your favorite computer repair professional to speed dial and pre-book your September tune-up before all the other desperate parents clog up the schedule.

Xbox One Controversy Has Begun

Xbox One Controversy Starts Over Internet Connectivity

by Andrea Eldridge

On May 21, 2013, Microsoft revealed details of their highly anticipated new game console, the Xbox One, scheduled to be available for sale near the end of the year.  The first major hardware overhaul for the Xbox in over seven years, gamers have been eagerly awaiting details since rumors of the new console began to circulate last year.  Yet in the end, it’s what Microsoft isn’t saying that has many gamers up in arms.


With its new console, Microsoft aims to give users a more complete media experience.  It communicates with cable and satellite, allowing users to watch live TV on their Xbox.  At first this seemed a little strange – you use your gaming console to play games, right?  Actually, Xbox 360 users currently stream movies (though apps like Netflix or Amazon Prime) and TV (thorough apps like Hulu and HBO Go), they just can’t access content stored on their DVR or see live TV without navigating out of the Xbox console and to their cable or satellite menus.  The Xbox One eliminates this, allowing users to access TV and even watch their favorite shows waiting for a game to load or to be matched in a multiplayer game.

The Xbox One will ship with a Kinect sensor and the voice and motion control features were heavily touted in Microsoft’s live press demos.  The idea is that with its integration with your home theater, you can control your entertainment experience without a remote and without ever leaving the Xbox One interface.  Simply speak to turn on and navigate to games, Internet, TV, etc.  Facial recognition will automatically load your saved content so you can pick up where you left off.

However, there were some finer details that Microsoft has been less clear about.  They announced that game play will be tied to your online profile.  When you buy a game and load it in your Xbox, the game will be installed on your device and you’ll register with your Xbox Live profile, making the disk no longer necessary for game play.  If you take your disk to a friend’s house, you can install the content on his/her Xbox and log in with your Xbox Live profile to play.  How about when you’re done with the game and want to hand the disk off to your buddy?  No dice.  Your friend will be prompted to pay “a fee” (the amount remains undisclosed) to register and play, even if the game is loaded on their console.

Microsoft’s Larry Hryb has since clarified that they do plan to allow gamers to “trade in and resell games at retail,” presumably through partnerships with large second hand game distributors such as GameStop (and its affiliates).  Yet concerns linger for gamers who rent titles through services such as Gamefly or Blockbuster, or those who prefer to sell or trade games directly between friends and family.

Many are upset by rumors that the console will require near constant access to the Internet to enable gameplay.  While Microsoft has yet to clearly confirm or deny, one can assume that playing a game – even one you’ve installed on your hard drive – may require online authentication of your Xbox Live profile to play.  This will make gaming more challenging for users without stable broadband Internet.

Hot on Microsoft’s heels, Sony held a press conference on May 20^th to announce sparse details of its anticipated new console, the PS4.  While showing only the controller, they have not disclosed any information about the hardware or what it will be capable of.  Perhaps Sony will use the controversy stirred up by Xbox One to fine tune the details of its own device.

Get the Most out of Travel Booking Websites - Part 2

Tips for Using Travel Booking Websites - Part 2

by Andrea Eldridge

Over the last few weeks we’ve been exploring online tools to plan a great summer vacation.  From finding the best deals to doing Disney to cruising, the Internet offers a wealth of resources to get you where you want to go with fewer headaches.  Now that we’ve covered deciding where and when to go, we wrap up our travel series with sites that can help stretch your travel dollars.

Twitter (https://twitter.com/) has become the place for travel companies to announce insider sales that seem too good to be true.  Followers receive first-dibs on fare cuts before they hit the web, most often for last-minute getaways.  For example, Spirit Airlines (@SpiritAirlines) recently offered tickets from Washington, D.C. to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for $54 each way.  JetBlue (@JetBlueCheeps) is known to offer noteworthy deals on its airfare.  Hotel specialist Quickbook (@Quickbook) informs followers of discounts on hotel stays in major cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago.  Follow your favorite airline or hotel to get first crack at special offers.


Wondering if the best time to book your getaway is now or if you should wait a few weeks?  Nothing saps the glee from finally booking your trip like seeing the price drop significantly a week later.  Bing (www.bing.com/travel) search results include a "price predictor" that tells you whether the price is likely to increase, stay the same, or decrease depending on how fares are trending.  Keep in mind that the hotel "rate indicator," which tells you whether a rate you've been quoted is typical for the hotel, is limited to certain cities in the U.S.

After hours of scouring the net for the best flight deal, there are few things more frustrating than discovering that the flight that saves you $40 adds six hours to your travel time.  Hipmunk (www.hipmunk.com) searches return a list of air and train travel options by cost, duration, departure and arrival times, showing results on a quick-scan graph.  But we love the included "agony factor."  Hipmunk sorts trips so the best options for both price and your sanity appear at the top of the list, moving the most painful flights (like red-eyes and those with multiple or long layovers) to the bottom.

Car rental prices fluctuate constantly, but who has the time to keep searching for deals in the weeks leading up to your trip?  Reserve your rental through AutoSlash (www.autoslash.com) and they'll continuously check prices after you book.  If the price drops, your rental will be automatically re-booked for free, with the confirmation details sent to your email.  Sometimes you can even garner a free upgrade from a smaller to a larger car.

If you're trying to decide whether to fly or drive, or determine if it’s worth it to drive farther to an airport with a cheaper flight, AAA can help.  Before you try to calculate the combination of distance + fuel costs + number of people driving (and possibly hurt your brain with the higher math), check out their "cost to drive" calculator at http://fuelcostcalculator.aaa.com/.  Simply enter the starting and ending cities and some details about your car, and it'll do the math for you.

A few notes about bundle deals and consolidators:

Shop each component separately so you can price compare with the combined price.  Some hotels and airlines save the best deals for those who book directly with their site and making changes to reservations can be easier than when you’ve booked through a third party.

Some airlines (like Southwest) don't list their tickets with the big bundle sites like Travelocity and Orbitz, so make sure you check “discount airlines” separately.

Don't forget to include those pesky baggage fees when comparing prices.  The $100 you save on a cheap ticket may be outweighed by the charge for checking bags.

Flights by low-cost foreign airlines such as EasyJet (based in the UK) don't show up on Expedia either.  Book a ticket to a hub like Paris or Rome on a major carrier, then use Skyscanner (www.skyscanner.com) or Momondo (www.momondo.com) to reserve the low-fare airline to a smaller city abroad.  You can save a bundle flying like the locals.

If you’re buying airline tickets for the whole family, consider purchasing tickets individually.  When you buy tickets together, the airline reservation system sells everyone in your party the same highest price tickets, even if there are individual tickets available for less.  If you end up seated separately you may be able to call ahead to consolidate seats or rearrange seating when you get to the airport.

Happy trails!

The Next Xbox: Xbox One

Microsoft's Xbox One Introduces Impressive Technology

Microsoft today announced the release of the newest version of the flagship video game console, the Xbox. The new version is christened the Xbox One, and it boasts the usual regimen of hardware upgrades along with a fair measure of new features that send the game back to their competition, the Sony Playstation 4 and the Nintendo Wii U.


Microsoft's singularity-focused approach to the Xbox One featured advanced computer systems including artificial intelligence and better cloud connectivity. In addition, the Kinect sensor can now track 3D rotations and users' heartbeats. The Xbox One uses the upgraded sensor to personalize your gestures, meaning it learns how you use it and responds. If you don't want to even have to move to use your Xbox, the Xbox One has natural-language voice commands to switch from watching the new Halo television series to playing the new Halo game. The design of the Xbox One dashboard also features Microsoft's Metro interface, introduced in Windows 8.

After shelving their Zune brand, Microsoft has also re-purposed the Xbox One to be a full-featured home entertainment center, including Skype calls and DVR functionality. Users can use the Xbox One to make phone calls while watching television or playing video games, and can use the device's 500 gigabyte hard drive to store their favorite TV shows.

One somewhat embarrassing announcement was the addition of a Blu-Ray drive, after the Microsoft-backed HD-DVD failure of a few years ago. However, the Xbox One promises to rely less on optical disks for games and more for cloud storage and retrieval.

The new controller features an upgraded rumble system, which allows for more precise tactile feedback when players are affected in the video games.

In addition, video game nerds were excited to learn that Microsoft is producing a live-action Halo Television show created by Steven Spielberg.

Image from Microsoft

Cyberbullying Infographic: The Facts & Statistics About Online Bullying

We've covered cyberbullying in previous articles, but it can be difficult to slog through technical talk on the subject. Here are some numbers and facts that make the subject easy to comprehend, as hard as it may be to understand. Learn what you can do to protect your child from bullies.

Smart Mobile Games for Kids to Download

Smart Mobile Games for Kids

Anyone stuck in line at the grocery store with a cranky toddler can’t deny the sweet nirvana to be had by simply handing over your Smartphone or iPod Touch.  But what happens when you discover that little Sammy has been playing Angry Birds Star Wars instead of practicing early reading skills with Bob Books?  Luckily, many games that aren’t classified as educational can impart some great skills, all in the course of fun.  Here are some of the surprising skills my son has picked up from games he really shouldn’t have been playing.


First things first: before you hand off your mobile device, protect it from the all-too-fast fingers of your little one.  Despite your inevitable distraction in the checkout aisle, don’t allow your kid to play completely unattended and do ensure they don’t launch something inappropriate for their age.  Besides the obvious benefits of a sturdy case, don’t forget to activate some parental restrictions.  If nothing else, turn off in-app purchases so you don’t end up with a nasty surprise on your next credit card bill.  Turn off WiFi and/or put your phone in airplane mode to quickly limit exploring and buying.

For more on how to activate parental restrictions on tablets, see our previous article: http://www.callnerds.com/parental-tablet-control-press/.  The process for activating restrictions on an iPhone is similar to the process described for iPads.

Real Racing 2 by EA Mobile (iOS $4.99, Android $5.88): My 4 year old actually knows how to use a steering wheel thanks to this game.  You hold the handheld device like a steering wheel and tilt it right to turn right, left to turn left.  Eliminating button controls makes it realistic enough that my little guy has been able to translate his gaming practice into real life steering skills.  He’s learned the importance of subtle movements over sharp jerks.  Surprisingly, this has translated into an uncanny ability to get around in a Hot Wheels Jeep.  He can steer around obstacles without batting an eye and perform a three point turn with more precision than I can.

Disclaimer: The most recent version, Real Racing 3, is plagued by incessant prompts to spend money on in-app game upgrades and will actually disable gameplay if you don’t.

Scribblenauts Remix by Warner Bros. (iOS and Android, $.99): While I expected my kid to practice spelling with the many reading and phonic apps I’ve installed, none were as motivating as a game that has little to do with spelling skills.  You type in words to make things appear in the cartoon world on the screen, either to play with or to complete challenges.  For example, the main cartoon character may appear on screen with a tree and a star at the top of the tree.  The goal is to get the star.  Players can summon a chainsaw to take the tree down, a ladder to climb the tree, a jetpack to fly up to the star… you get the idea.

It’s the creative possibilities linked with the necessity that you spell a word to get the desired thing to appear that really got my little guy working on sounding out words.  While “dragon” became a quick addition to his word arsenal, he also had to learn modifiers to make it just right (such as “big black flying dragon”).

Disclaimer: this game is open-ended in its allowance of creativity which can lead to cartoon violence, particularly when your kid starts spelling gun, sword and ninja.

Angry Birds by Rovio Entertainment (many versions for all mobile OS):  The flying birds and mocking pigs seem mindless and silly, but there’s actually some fundamental physics skills being formed when you launch those Angry Birds. Most notably, users are unwittingly learning the basic physics of trajectory, momentum and gravity.  My kid quickly grasped that what goes up will come down, but where depends on how hard and high you throw it.  I’ve seen him work out similar dynamics when tossing a ball.  Thankfully no pigs are harmed in the process when it’s done out of game.

World of Goo by 2D Boy (iOS and Android, $4.99): While it may have you hooked with its addictive, open-ended gameplay, this beautifully rendered game will make your kid think creatively to overcome challenges.  Use squirmy, chatty globs of goo to construct structures, bridges, cannonballs, and much more, all the while learning about basic engineering and structural integrity.

Even “platform” games that seem mindless like Mega Run, Jetpack Joyride, Ham Run, and Wind-Up Knight are great for reflexes – they require the player to jump or tilt the screen at just the right time to avoid obstacles, or reason through the right series of moves to achieve an objective.  It also takes tenacity and perseverance to keep trying when met with defeat time and again.

So before you beat yourself up about using your mobile sanity-saver on your next car trip, know that even the more “mindless” games are often helping to develop some surprising skills.

 

Teen Facebook Usage Declining

Facebook Usage Declining Among Teens

If you use Facebook to keep tabs on what your kids are doing, you may need to resort to more traditional methods…like talking. A report released by Piper Jaffray shows that while Facebook is still the most popular social network for teens, its usage has declined steeply in the last year –by nine percent.


This comes as no surprise in the web world – after all Myspace, once the king of social networking, turned into a wasteland after the hype had worn off. In addition, the site’s popularity has driven everyone to it – including those people that teens may have joined the site to escape from. Whereas the site used to be a haven for young people to congregate, the site has become ubiquitous and it’s hard to find any semblance of privacy. And with many more of the older population boarding the site, teens may be opting not to just ignore the friend requests from their friend’s mom, but to abandon the site altogether.

According to the Jaffray study, teens are moving to a greater number of more highly specialized social sites like Instagram, Reddit, and Twitter. These services focus less on promoting personal details and more on chronicling life events. Twitter for example allows teens to briefly express their emotions or thoughts, and Instagram allows them to capture their life in photos, without all the “other stuff” Facebook comes with. Reddit is a popular site for sharing memes, interacting with celebrities, and discussing news relevant to the users’ interests.

Also according to the study were some interesting facts about teen internet usage: almost 80% of all teenagers shop online – spending almost a fifth of their money on the internet. Three quarters of them prefer online shopping over store-based shopping, a trend which will bring significant economic effects as the generation gains more buying power.

And in order to access this vast web, nearly 91% of teens will buy smartphones for their next wireless device – 60% will buy an iPhone and 21% an Android.

With all this activity happening with the younger generation, it can be hard for parents to keep up. It can be overwhelming to keep up with all the different websites. So perhaps instead of trying to stalk our kids on every website they have a login for, we parents should just spend more time getting to know them – that’s a method that’s sure to work regardless of the social networks they frequent!

Read the Facts about Facebook Bullying

Some Facts about Facebook Bullying and Social Network Abuse

Cyberbullying is a topic on the minds of most parents with Internet-using youngsters.  That’s just about all parents, by the way - 95% of all teens age 12-17 are now online.  But online harassment doesn’t just affect kids and teens.  A recent study in the UK found that 8 out of 10 workers surveyed at several UK universities had been harassed online in the last six months (most commonly being humiliated, ignored or gossiped about online).  Many researchers suggest a link between the relative anonymity of comments posted online as well as the lack of social cues inherent in non-visual communication with a rise in cyberbullying on social media networks.


According to research compiled by the non-profit organization Pew Internet (http://pewinternet.org), participation in social media networks like Facebook and Twitter is greater than ever.  A whopping 80% of internet users aged 12-17, 83% of internet-using young adults (age 18-29) and 77% of internet users age 30-49 use social networking sites.  While the majority of social media users report that “people are mostly kind” on social media (85% of social network using adults and 69% of teens aged 12-17), more teens report unfriendly experiences.  When polled by Pew Internet Project researchers, 5% of adults reported people are mostly unkind vs. 20% of teens.

Among social media using teens, 88% have seen someone be mean or cruel to another person on a social media site.  Of those, 90% of teens who witnessed online cruelty say they have ignored it, 35% reporting that they do so frequently.

Many studies have shown that anonymity increases the likelihood that people will behave badly.  A famous 1950s experiment by Yale professor Robert Milgram instructed study participants deliver supposedly increasingly painful electric shocks to “students” (actually actors) when they answered memory questions incorrectly.  The study was meant to show that everyday people can be influenced to bad behavior when instructed to do so by someone in a position of authority.  What it also showed is that those that couldn’t see victims were more likely to give potentially lethal doses of electric shock.

 

This science can be applied to online interactions.  Even people who know each other are more inclined to be rude, hurtful or thoughtless when they aren’t face-to-face.  In an interview with Health magazine, Lenox Hill Hospital’s clinical psychologist Alan Manevitz, M.D. explained, “There’s a freedom of speech without a fear of consequences.” (http://news.health.com/2012/08/02/troll-psychology-mean-internet/).  It doesn’t help that humans usually respond to visual cues like body language, gestures and facial expressions as well as tone of voice when placing comments in context.  This can lead to online comments being read and interpreted as more aggressive or threatening than intended and cause recipients to respond in kind.

One in four teens reports they are “cell-mostly” internet users, using a phone to access the internet more often than a standard computer.  Internet use on mobile handheld devices increases the likelihood your teen may become involved in cyberbullying.  When there was only one portal to the internet – the family computer – it was easier for parents to monitor their kid’s online activities.  Not only could parents more readily observe where their kid was spending his time online, they could watch for signs their child was being harassed and more easily ensure that their teen wasn’t participating in treating others poorly.  Mobile devices allow teens to be more often online unsupervised.

There’s also a certain “pack mentality” to social media interactions.  A surprising 21% of social media-using teens admitted to joining in when they witnessed online cruelty.  All of this can make Facebook and Twitter a potentially dangerous place for those with shaky self-esteem (you know, just about every teenager) or frankly anyone without a very thick skin.

Luckily, the structure of Facebook at least ties comments to a poster’s profile which removes some of the anonymity.  Publicly acknowledging harassment is often all it takes to cause a bully or someone making unkind comments to back off.  The psychological drive behind a bully is often a desire to feel power over a potential victim.  Politely but firmly telling them to back off is an important first step.

However, before you respond with anger to a comment or status update posted online, take a breather.  Try to imagine yourself in a room with the person and what it would feel like to say it to their face.  If that scenario makes you uncomfortable, better wait until you’re calm and reply with grace.

Finally, I know we’ve said it before (ok, a lot), but talk to your kids about their social media experiences.  Set rules about when they can use social media and under what terms, make sure that they limit their interactions to only close friends and family, and monitor their account privacy settings to ensure that they don’t get in over their heads.

If you or someone you know is struggling with online and/or social network harassment, drop me a note for more tips to combat cyberbullying.

Options on the Internet for Kids

Finding Media and Apps on the Internet for Kids

My two kids can't keep their hands off Daddy's iPad, so it's important that I find age appropriate applications, movies and TV shows that I consider to be educational, or at least a valuable use of their time.  While I love recommendations from other parents with kids the same age, I also have a couple resources at my disposal to track down the gems in the sea of available media.

Common Sense Media (www.commonsensemedia.org) provides ratings for every category of media: books, movies, TV shows, games, applications, websites and music.  But it's more than just a simple ratings website.  Their rating system is based upon recommendations from child development experts nationwide who provide criteria for what content and activities are suited for each age range.  Their ratings are multi-layered, giving you guidelines for age-appropriate content while also evaluating the "messages" provided by the game and whether or not the application or website has a good "learning potential" for your child.


Browse by the type of media you're trying to find (such as "movie reviews"), or keep up to date with what's hot with their "New This Week" and "Editor's Picks" features.  Reviews are sorted by age range, and you can click on multiple ages simultaneously if you have a couple different ages in your household.  They even have a section for children with special-needs or learning-differences.  Lastly, suggestions are provided for parents to enhance the media experience, explaining how to explore, discuss and enjoy the content, even providing sample questions to get your kids talking about lessons and themes.

OK (www.ok.com) covers all-things movies.  Movies are rated by users, so the data is pooled into the rating system that then gives an age range (OK for 6+, for example) and also a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down," denoting if the movie is worth your time.  Users post detailed movie reviews, much like you see when you use Netflix, but they're generally family-oriented reviews that contain details to help you decide if the movie is right for your family.

Search for movies based on MPAA rating (G, PG, etc.), where the movie is available for viewing (Theater, Redbox, Netflix Streaming or Netflix DVD) and look for the genre you're interested in.  Connect through Facebook to share when you rate movies or write your own reviews.  Follow other reviewers that share your taste and standards, allowing you to build a community of movie reviewers to suit your own family.

Cool Mom Tech (www.coolmomtech.com) provides reviews and recommendations for tech and applications.  Their tagline: "We're not techies who parent, we're moms who use tech in our everyday lives."  Follow them on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest, or simply click on "Best Kids' Apps" and you're greeted with pages of suggestions laid out in a blog-like fashion with pictures and links to more detailed reviews.

Mashable (www.mashable.com) has a nice weekly feature called "Top 5 Apps for Kids This Week," found under Lifestyle --> Family & Parenting.  Ratings are given for ease of use, educational benefits and entertainment value of the application, and age appropriateness levels are given as well.  Keep in mind some of their recommended applications are not free.

Children's Technology Review (www.childrenstech.com) has been studying children's interactive media products since 1985.  They provide ratings on products and applications in a similar way to Consumer Reports - extensive road testing and set criteria is used to evaluate each product they review.  Like Consumer Reports, it's a fee-for-service: $30 per year for a monthly PDF newsletter emailed to you.  Each issue contains about 50 reviews of tech toys, websites, apps, video games and more.

Every child is different and learns at a different pace, so not all rating systems will be perfect.  They're intended as a guideline to help you in your decision-making with regards to what content your kids are exposed to.  Ultimately, you know your child best and you will be the best determinant of what he/she is ready for.  Remember, always screen content before you hand over the iPad or turn on the TV.

Claim Parental Tablet Control Before It's Too Late

Parental Tablet Control: What you need to know

If the family computer has been getting a lot of miles on it lately - perhaps you have one or more youngster in the house clamoring for screen time - you may be in the market for a second PC to share the load.  Some parents may consider a tablet PC because of its cheaper price tag, but handing an un-monitored internet-connected device to your child has risks.  Luckily, there are parental controls you can easily activate to protect your child from the wild west of the internet.

Restrict the YouTube App: Even watching their favorite Muppets song on YouTube can be dangerous.  From the "suggestions" of additional content to explore, to the profanity that pops up in user comments, there's stuff there that you just don't want young ones to see.  Also, you obviously don't want your kids to simply search YouTube and watch whatever results from their search.  That's where Safety Mode comes in.  Activate it by toggling "Safety: On" at the bottom of the YouTube screen – log in to lock it in this mode.  Not only is content restricted, but comments under videos are screened and restricted for profanity, allowing for a safer YouTube surfing experience for your kids.


Note: if you disable Safari but don’t disable the ability to install apps, your child can simply install an alternate browser such as Chrome to gain unhindered access to the internet.

The bad news is that there's no option to establish specific user profiles, so if you put restrictions in place for your toddler, then want to use the device for yourself, you'll need to remove the limitations every time.  This means you have to remember to turn them back on before you set the iPad down.  As any busy parent can attest, this is a sure path to failed parental control.

Also, I've found that if you restrict applications to 4+ (for example), some applications are completely unavailable, like Netflix, which you may want to allow.

Kindle Fire users with small children should consider FreeTime Unlimited, a subscription service available for $5/month ($3 for Amazon Prime members).  Kids have unlimited access to age-appropriate content such as books, games, movies and TV shows from Disney, Sesame Street, PBS Kids and Nickelodeon.  You can establish screen time limits, even for specific activities.  For example, you can allow unlimited reading time, but limit game play to 30 minutes a day.

Individual profiles for each user allow you to personalize access by who is logged in. This is a definite advantage if you’re planning to share the tablet between family members.  Not only will it mean that your 3-year-old's games aren't clogging up your screen when you log into your profile, it lets adults access age restricted functions without having to disable parental controls.

Barnes and Noble's Nook has integrated parental controls right out of the box.  It supports up to six user profiles and each can be customized for web access limitations and in-app purchasing with separate viewing libraries for each user.  When you set up a profile for a child (enter their age in their profile), by default the store is open but is limited to kid-friendly apps and requires a password before purchase.  You can change this in the settings if you want stricter controls.

Set your own surfing standards with K9 Web Protection (www.k9webprotection.com, free, available for iOS and Android).  It’s a child friendly browser that categorizes webpage content, allowing parents to block specific inappropriate material such as pornography, violence, drugs and gambling while protecting against phishing and malware.  It has enhanced anti-tampering guards and reports to monitor web activities.  You can even set time restrictions, so you can block web access when homework is supposed to be done.

The great thing about a tablet is that you can easily put it away when it’s time to disconnect.  Your best parental control is you!

 

 

Curtail Teen Computer Use

Teen Computer Use: Understanding and Managing

Clearly, many teens and tweens spend a lot of time in front of their computers and texting on cell phones -- and much of that time is spent social networking. But is it that all bad? Surveys show the answer to that question is… no.

Common Sense Media in a recent study found that in over 1000 teens, 13 to 17 had a pretty healthy perspective on social media.  “Teens are aware of the dangers of excessive usage and the online potential of cruelty. However, most young adults say social media and technology positively affects their social and mental well-being. Social media helps teens communicate easily with friends. Surveyed teens also believe social networks help them to be more outgoing, confident and less depressed."


Set limits on Overall Screen time:  I think that it’s important to set family limits on overall screen and electronics time. I have found that many parents forget about the handheld gadgets when thinking of “screen time,” limiting TV or computer time but not cell or iPad use, for example. As parents it’s our job to help our kids set healthy habits for electronics use and that starts by establishing when it’s acceptable to use electronics, regardless of how many email accounts, social media profiles, video games or chat groups they participate in. I think that your teen can decide what they want to use their “connected time” for (within reason, of course) and the number of electronic activities they participate in shouldn’t increase overall daily time limitations.

If, for example, the house rule is no more than two hours a day spent with leisure electronics activities, your teen’s choice to spend those two hours playing Wii is theirs to make – it just means they won’t have time to update their Facebook status about it. Some parents have found success with a system to earn additional screen time through chore completion, reading or physical activities which would allow a kid that got carried away and used up their time to “buy” a few extra minutes.

Clear Choices, not just “House Rules:” It’s important that teenagers be given the reasons behind your choices, not just arbitrary rules. Reducing distractions to improve school work and allow family together time are great reasons to limit overall electronics use.

 

Be Specific:  Make your family rules device-specific and control the device so you don’t have to spend as much energy policing behavior. “No texting when doing homework” will be easier to enforce if you make it a habit to collect cell phones and internet-connected devices when everyone walks in the door. Once homework is done, phones can be handed back under the parameters you are comfortable with. Everyone puts their electronics away and the TV turns off at meal times and for the last hour before bed, for example.

As for the in between homework done and dinner time, or on the weekend when there’s no homework to do? It’s ok to have different limits on different days, so long as you’re consistent. If you make usage rules on the fly you’re going to get push-back every time you try to get your kid to disconnect.

Set the Example:  Set family rules that even the adults abide by. If you say “no phones at dinner,” but then pick up yours to check a text it sends the wrong message. Use your own challenges to highlight why you are using tools like parental controls to help them stay focused. Did you lose an hour trolling Pinterest when you should have been working? Admit to your lapses and let them know that you’re working to reduce tech distractions in your day as well.

Control if Necessary:  Parental control software like Netnanny allows you to limit access to specific sites by setting time restrictions, both to limit when the sites can be accessed (say, only 5-6pm and 7-8pm) and setting a total limit on computer time for each child. It can be challenging to limit distractions when kids are using the computer for their homework. These types of tools work in conjunction with parental oversight to keep your kids on track and focused on their studies.

I also really like the Mikko Que (http://www.insightmediaintl.com/) as it allows parents to set personal limits on all devices (TV, gaming consoles, etc). When the time’s up, Mikko will physically disable the device so your kids can’t argue or cheat their way around your limits.