Published by Valerie Leuchtmann

Source references: NTIA, UN, CISA, Psychology Today (2024–2025) 

A Safer Digital World Starts at Home

Today’s children and teens live in an always-connected world, learning, socializing, and exploring online. These digital spaces can be inspiring and educational, but they also carry real risks to children’s mental health, safety, and privacy.

As parents, educators, and community advocates, understanding those risks, and knowing how to respond, is the first step toward empowerment.

What the Research Tells Us

1. Mental Health & Overuse

According to the U.S. Task Force on Kids Online Health & Safety (NTIA, 2024), excessive screen time, social comparison, and exposure to harmful content can lead to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

• 95% of teens and 40% of children ages 8–12 use social media regularly.

• Algorithms often promote emotionally charged or harmful content to keep users engaged.

2. Data Privacy & Manipulative Design

Children’s personal data is collected and used to shape what they see online. Some platforms rely on “dark patterns” or persuasive design to keep children scrolling, even when the experience becomes unhealthy.

NTIA’s recommendations call for privacy-by-default settings and limits on manipulative features like endless feeds and targeted advertising.

3. Exploitation & Harmful Content

The United Nations warns that children face increasing exposure to explicit, violent, or exploitative material online.

Emerging threats include:

• AI-driven grooming tactics using realistic chatbots or deepfakes

• Targeted exploitation through gaming, messaging, and live-streaming platforms

4. Overreliance on AI in Education

As Psychology Today explains, AI tools can enhance learning but may also limit independent thinking and creativity if overused.

Children who rely on AI for answers may struggle with problem-solving, discernment, and critical reasoning.

5. Cybersecurity Threats

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) reminds families that devices, apps, and accounts can expose kids to phishing, hacking, and identity theft.

Protecting children also means protecting their data, from social platforms, games, and educational tools.

What Parents and Schools Can Do

For Parents & Guardians

• Start conversations early - Talk regularly about what your child sees and does online. Make it safe for them to share concerns.

• Use parental tools transparently - Explain what filters or controls do and why they’re in place.

• Teach digital literacy - Help kids question what they see online and recognize manipulative or AI-generated content.

• Model balance - Show healthy device habits and time limits yourself.

• Ask your child's school administrators what content filtering applications are they using? Who is monitoring 'red flags'? What training do they have regarding K-12 aged children? What are the policies regarding oversight in the suspicion of elicit content sharing by minors? 

• Explicitly request parental communication anytime a staff member is reading through your child's device history or documents on their device or saved in their 'cloud'.

For Schools & Districts

• Integrate digital safety and AI literacy into curricula.

• Avoid heavy surveillance tools without transparency or consent.

• Offer parent workshops on online risks and device settings.

• Ensure IT and educational staff are trained in student data privacy practices.

• Keep board policy's and administrative regulations up to date and in alignment with acceptable use policy's.

For Tech Departments

• Design with “safety and privacy by default.”

• Limit exploitative features (like auto-play and engagement tracking).

• Be transparent with parents and educators about data collection.

• Cooperate with child-safety researchers and parental oversight.

It Takes a Community

As the NTIA report emphasizes, protecting children online requires a whole-of-society approach, families, schools, governments, and tech companies working together.

With awareness, collaboration, and responsible technology design, we can create safer digital spaces where children learn, connect, and grow, without sacrificing their well-being or privacy.

 Learn More

• NTIA Kids Online Health & Safety Report (2024)

• CISA: Keeping Children Safe Online

• UN: Child and Youth Safety Online

• Psychology Today: The Hidden Dangers of AI in Education

EmpowerED End User

Building safer, smarter, and more transparent digital environments for K-12 education.

www.empoweredeu.org