As families prepare for winter break and gift exchanges, let’s help them plan responsibly for technology gift giving with the following tips:

• Enabling parental controls on devices is a good cautionary step to help guide children online.
• Learning more about apps and games before downloading or purchasing empowers adults to make informed decisions as to what their child may be exposed to online.
• Incorporating ongoing discussions about online activity is a must to keep the lines of communication open.

Let’s help make this winter break a safe and fun time!

Today’s tweens and teens still play the classic game of truth or dare. However, recent digital safety conversations with students have revealed that some have upped the ante by taking the game online. A movie released over the summer called Nerve may have peaked additional interest in the game through its portrayal of a high school student who becomes involved in an online game of truth or dare.

Therefore, it’s an opportune time to discuss the risks of playing online. Obvious risks include the involvement of unknown participants, dares posed without regard to a person’s character or integrity and the ability to record and reveal online dares and “truths” to anyone, including large audiences.