We're happy to announce that George Garrick joined SocialShield this week as our new CEO. George has led other successful tech companies including TapJoy, Jingle Networks, Wine.com, PlaceWare and Flycast Communications. We sat down with our new CEO and father of three teenagers to hear his thoughts on the challenges and opportunities that technology presents to parents in….read more

A few recent news stories may have parents reconsidering the importance of monitoring their kids online, if they don't already do so. Online chats and Facebook posts have provided recent evidence to crimes that teens then committed immediately following those online activities. And while not every post or status update foreshadows illegal activities or arrests, it's crucial for parents to….read more

Last week we looked at imbee, a social networking site targeted directly at kids aged 8-14. This week we checked out Everloop, another "Facebook for tweens" for 8 to 13-year-olds. Marketed towards kids as "a place where WE can connect," Everloop promises users "no mean people, no party crashers, and no grown-ups allowed." However, similar to imbee,….read more

While Facebook has proven to be the most used social networking site, there have been various other initiatives that try to either compete with or re-create the successful social networking tactics of Facebook. MySpace serves as a good example of a Facebook competitor, while "kids only" imbee is an example of a site that's re-creating the Facebook concept.….read more

I often learn a lot from presenting to students at different schools. I get the opportunity to not only work with them but also learn about their favorite online activities, websites and interests. The more I hear about specific sites or activities mentioned, the better I can understand what will be the next big thing.….read more

The iPhone application Yobongo just launched on Monday and allows for realtime chat with other people in a user's particular vicinity at any given time. Created by Caleb Easton, Yobongo essentially provides the ability to join chat rooms through one's phone. You can see what others are talking about and join ….read more

The Consumer Electronics Association recently hosted its annual tech trade show (the Consumer Electronics Show), revealing new products such as tablets and 4G phones. While these are typical gadgets revealed at the CES, a newer and more specific target this year was "tech moms." The Kids@Play and MommyTech….read more

Chances are your kids probably asked for some kind of techy gift this past holiday season. A Neilsen survey discovered that kids as young as 6 asked for iPads more than anything last month, and other popular gift requests included computers, iPod Touches, and smartphones. While all impressive and useful gifts,….read more

SocialShield recently conducted an extensive survey of over 800 parents with teens who use social networking sites. We asked questions focusing on parental attitudes and concerns about social networks, and found that parents are generally very wary of their kids' online activity. They acknowledged that there are growing issues they're concerned about, including cyberbullying.….read more

Even star athletes get bullied. The most recent victim is Kyle Brotzman, the Boise State kicker now infamous for his two missed field goals this past weekend. Despite setting school records and helping the Broncos achieve an almost undefeated season, Brotzman has become the target of cruel Facebook….read more