When was the last time you took a close look at the Suggested Friends provided on your Facebook account? I'm often surprised by some of the recommendations I get and wonder: how does Facebook make these? I have looked over some of the suggested names and see that there are some with whom I have a connection based off of….read more

Technology has opened up so many doors for both us and our children to better communicate, research, learn and socialize. But does technology also make our kids grow up faster? The internet certainly has given us great access to information, but of course not all of that information is suitable for children. There was a time before Google and social….read more

We are quickly approaching the holidays and many parents may be thinking about giving their child their first cell phone or smartphone. I often get asked: "What is the right age to buy my child a cell phone?" The bottom line is that no one knows your child more than you do so you have to consider a….read more

A popular request I often get from parents is: "how do I talk to my kids about online safety?" When it comes to kids and teens navigating the web, inevitable mistakes will be made. Kids lack the impulse control for good judgment, meaning we have to be vigilant in our efforts to keep our children safe. Parents who get involved….read more

One of the best things about being a police officer specializing in online safety and Internet crimes is some of the stories I hear and have even been witness too. I wanted to share one particular incident involving a young girl who was a victim of cyberbullying on Facebook. The girl and her parents contacted their local police department about….read more

There have been a number of articles written about Facebook and how it affects relationships, both on- and offline. A big topic is how social networks - and subsequent sexting or inappropriate messaging - have been linked to divorce. While we haven't seen a significant increase or decrease in divorce over the past few years, a large number of divorce….read more

If you are like me, you can relate when I say that email and text messaging aren't always the best forms of communication. Have you ever been frustrated when you send an email, only to find that the recipient responds asking a question that you just answered in the previous email? I often feel that people don't fully read their….read more

If you have a child with ADHD, you know how difficult social interactions can be for them. My son has ADHD and I know firsthand about the challenging and awkward times he's had in social situations. If raising a teen today isn't hard enough, throw into the mix not being able to control impulses and the inability to recognize non-verbal….read more

In a recent article I read, a Facebook scammer made off with $57,000 over the last few years by obtaining personal information from his neighbors' Facebook accounts. The thief, Iain Wood, would gain as much information as possible about each neighbor by friending them on Facebook and then spending over 18 hours a day learning about their personal….read more

Do you lock your doors at night? Do you buckle up when you get into a car? Do you look both ways before you cross the street? Do you avoid talking to strangers? If you said "yes" to any of these, then you are like most people in that you care about your personal safety. There are probably even more safety….read more