A Wake-Up Call to Reclaim Our Humanity In the last two decades, social media has reshaped how we think, feel, and connect. It has also unwittingly prepared us for the next seismic technological shift: artificial intelligence (AI). But this preparation has been more cautionary than celebratory. Social media has not just been a tool but […]
How Social Media Prepared Us for AI Read More »
Australia’s bold step to ban social media for under-16s has stirred global conversations. On the surface, this legislation aims to shield young people from the growing risks of the online world. But as we applaud efforts to protect children, we must confront a deeper question: why aren’t we educating our youth to navigate this digital
Australia to Ban Social Media for Under-16s: What Does This Mean for South Africa? Read More »
Debating the 2024 buzzword that has set digital parenting alight A screen-free childhood is the buzzword of the last few months in child online safety. In his recent book, The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt offers a bold proposal: delay children’s exposure to smartphones until high school and restrict social media access until at least age
Is a Screen-Free Childhood Realistic? Read More »
Introduction Smartphones and social media have become inescapable parts of our children’s lives. But as their screen time increases, so do concerns about the impact on their mental health. According to experts like Professor Jonathan Haidt, social media is a significant contributor to rising levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness in teens. The evidence is
Can kids have a screen-free childhood? Really? Read More »
World Password Day is observed on May 4 this year, and it is a day when people are reminded of the importance of strong passwords in protecting their online accounts. With the increase in cybercrime, it has become essential to secure our digital lives, and the first step towards achieving this is by having strong
World Password Day 2023 Read More »
South Africa’s children are the second most likely in the world to be exposed to risky content, including violent or sexual content, second only to Thailand. This is according to the DQ Institute’s 2020 Child Online Safety Index (COSI) which helps nations better understand their children’s online safety status The COSI also notes that South African children are
Online Safety Index highlights SA kids’ vulnerability Read More »
Do you know what LMIRL stands for in a WhatsApp or text? How about WTTP? Or PIR? The answers are “Let’s Meet In Real Life’ ‘Want To Trade Pictures?’ and ‘Parent in Room’. Smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, PCs and laptops, LTE, 5G, and WiFi have meant explosive access to the internet, especially for kids, who
Media literacy. DTRT. Read More »
More time online, less education, a problem for SA’s teens Safer Internet Day is being celebrated in South Africa on Tuesday, February 9th, with the theme of bringing various stakeholders ‘Together For A Better Internet’. Humanity is at its most advanced point of access to smart technology, data, games, apps and social media platforms, which has
Safer Internet Day 2021: Learners struggling during the pandemic Read More »
Suicide goes viral on social media Thursday, September 10th, is World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) around the world, organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), and co-sponsor World Health Organisation (WHO). This year, however, we find ourselves within a different context, trying to emerge from various levels of lockdown and re-establish society and
A suicide goes viral on social media: Suicide Prevention Day Read More »
Founder of MySociaLife, Dean McCoubrey recently had an interview with author and educator, Josh Ochs from SmartSocial.com in Los Angeles 🙂 We at MySociaLife, have watched Josh for years, and he is pure class, a superb ‘app safety’ reviewer, and his sweet spot is on helping kids to be safe and smart (just like MySociaLife)
Wondering how to keep your kids safe and smart online? Read More »
