Practical, jargon-free guidance to protect your family from scams, predators, cyberbullying, and privacy risks, plus simple rules kids can actually remember.
Quick first steps for the most common situations. Each one links to the full guide.
Stop the call or chat. Don't send money, gift cards, or crypto, no matter how urgent it sounds. Verify by calling the person or company back on a number you already know.
Full scam guide →
Don't confront the account yourself. Screenshot the conversation, don't delete anything, and report it through the platform and the links below.
Full grooming guide →
Don't pay. Don't send more images. Don't delete the messages. Block the account after saving evidence, then tell a trusted adult.
Full sextortion guide →
Screenshot before anything gets deleted. Use the platform's block and report tools. Stay calm when your kid tells you, that matters more than acting fast.
Full bullying guide →
Change that account's password from a different device, turn on two-factor authentication, and check for unfamiliar devices on your router.
Full network guide →
Don't engage with whoever posted it. Save evidence, then use the reporting tools in the AI risks guide to get it removed.
Full AI risks guide →Bad actors target parents and kids alike, often through the very same devices.
Fake emails, texts, and calls that trick family members into handing over passwords, card numbers, or gift cards.
Strangers using games, chats, and social apps to build trust with children and isolate them from parents.
How it starts & how to prevent it →
Harassment, exclusion, or humiliation carried out over messaging apps, group chats, and social media.
Warning signs & response steps →
Weak Wi-Fi, reused passwords, and unpatched apps that give attackers a way into your whole home network.
Lock down your network →Six habits that meaningfully reduce risk. You don't need a technical background for any of them.
Eight of the most common scams families run into, mocked up so you can see exactly what the red flags look like, plus who's most often targeted and a link to learn more.
A fake email posing as a bank, retailer, or service (PayPal, Amazon, your bank) claims there's a problem with your account and pushes you to "verify" by clicking a link.
A text pretending to be a delivery service, bank, or government agency asks you to click a link and pay a small "fee" to release a package.
A browser popup claims your computer is infected and instructs you to call a number immediately, aiming to get remote access or payment.
A caller pretends to be a grandchild or relative "in trouble," often using a cloned voice, and pressures the victim to send money quietly and fast.
A new online "match" builds an intense, fast-moving relationship, then invents a crisis and asks for money, often through gift cards or crypto.
A message claims you've won a prize you never entered, then asks for a "small fee" or card details before you can "claim" it.
A slick trading app or a new online "friend" walks you through guaranteed, fast returns on crypto, then blocks withdrawals until you deposit more. This is the single costliest scam category by dollars lost.
An unsolicited text or DM offers easy pay for simple online tasks. Early "payouts" build trust, then a real job never appears, or you're asked to pay for a starter kit you'll never get back.
Forward phishing emails to reportphishing@apwg.org, forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM), and file a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or IC3.gov.
Grooming rarely happens in one dramatic moment. It's usually a slow, deliberate process, and knowing the pattern is the best defense.
Most grooming begins in a completely ordinary place: the public chat inside a game kids already play. From there, contact is deliberately moved somewhere parents can't see.
Livestreaming skips every safety net a recorded post has: there's no edit, no delay, and no moderation before it airs.
Researchers and law enforcement describe grooming as a predictable sequence. Recognizing any single stage is a chance to intervene.
An adult identifies a child, often through a public profile, game username, or livestream, and starts friendly, low-pressure contact.
Compliments, in-game gifts, and attentive listening create a bond. The child starts to see them as a real friend.
The predator positions themselves as the one person who "really gets" the child. This works especially well with kids who feel lonely, misunderstood, or bored.
Conversation moves to a private, disappearing-message app. The child is encouraged, directly or subtly, to keep the friendship secret from parents.
Sexual topics or content are introduced gradually to normalize them, testing how the child reacts and how far things can go.
Guilt, threats, or shared secrets (including sextortion, which is threatening to share images already sent) are used to keep the child silent and compliant.
No app replaces conversation, but monitoring tools can flag risky contact you'd otherwise miss. FamilyShield doesn't receive compensation from any of these. Check each provider's site for current features before choosing one.
AI monitoring across texts, email, and 30+ social/gaming apps that flags grooming language, sextortion attempts, and self-harm risk, then alerts parents instead of showing every message.
bark.us →
Screen time, web filtering, app-level alerts (including WhatsApp), and location/geofencing in one family dashboard.
qustodio.com →
Monitors 200+ games and social platforms for grooming and cyberbullying signals, with parent alerts and identity theft protection bundled in.
aura.com →
Free, and built into Android/Google accounts: manage app approvals, screen time, and device location for a child's Google account.
families.google.com/familylink →
Built into iPhone/iPad. Uses on-device detection to warn kids about nudity in Messages, AirDrop, and FaceTime, with optional alerts for younger children's accounts.
support.apple.com →
Screen time limits, content filtering, and activity reports that work across Windows PCs and Xbox, free with a Microsoft account.
microsoft.com/family-safety →If you believe a child is being groomed or exploited, don't delete evidence. Report to the NCMEC CyberTipline at report.cybertip.org, or call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).
AI has made it cheap and easy to fake a photo, a voice, or a relationship. Three specific risks are worth knowing about.
Report and remove non-consensual or AI-generated intimate images at takeitdown.ncmec.org. The federal TAKE IT DOWN Act now requires platforms to remove valid reports within 48 hours.
One of the fastest-growing crimes against teens. It moves fast, and it relies on shame keeping kids silent. Speed and calm matter more than anything else here.
Someone (often posing as a peer) builds trust quickly, gets a teen to send an explicit image, or fakes one with AI, then threatens to share it with friends, family, or classmates unless paid, usually in gift cards or crypto. It can escalate from first contact to threats within hours.
Don't pay, don't send more images, and don't negotiate. Paying almost never makes the threats stop.
Screenshot the messages, the profile, and the payment request before blocking. Investigators need this.
Use the platform's report tool, then block. Don't post about it publicly while it's active.
This is the hardest step and the most important one. Nobody is in trouble for being targeted.
See the region-specific reporting links below, and remove the image from circulation if one exists.
Report to the NCMEC CyberTipline at report.cybertip.org, remove images at takeitdown.ncmec.org, and contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. In a mental health crisis, call or text 988 (US).
Nearly half of US teens say they've experienced cyberbullying. It often looks different from what parents expect, and how you respond in the first hour matters.
Counterintuitively, many bullied kids reduce their online presence rather than increase it.
More detailed guidance: stopbullying.gov covers what cyberbullying is, prevention, how to report it, and a parent guide.
A weak router password or an unpatched smart device can give an attacker a way into every phone, laptop, and camera on your home network.
Cameras, baby monitors, and smart locks are the most commonly exploited devices in a home network, mainly because so few people ever touch their default settings.
A standalone firewall box that sits on your network for device-level monitoring, ad/tracker blocking, and parental controls. It's a one-time purchase, with no subscription required.
firewalla.com →
Combines a network firewall with antivirus protection for every connected device, including smart-home gadgets that can't run their own security software.
bitdefender.com/box →
An add-on for eero mesh Wi-Fi systems that adds threat blocking, ad blocking, and content filtering directly into your existing router setup.
eero.com/eero-secure →Official step-by-step guidance: CISA: Securing Your Home Wi-Fi
Pediatric guidance has shifted away from strict minute limits toward a simpler question: is a screen adding to your child's day, or quietly crowding something else out?
These are general starting points from pediatric guidance, not hard rules. Every kid and every family is different.
Avoid screens except video-chatting with family. At this age, a screen can't replace real back-and-forth interaction.
Around 1 hour a day of high-quality, age-appropriate content is a reasonable ceiling, watched together when you can. Less is still better.
There's no single "magic number" anymore. The focus shifts to whether screens are crowding out sleep, physical activity, homework, or in-person time, with limits set as a family.
Shift from strict limits toward guided independence: talk about what they're watching, who they're talking to, and how it makes them feel, and revisit the agreement as they grow.
In 2026 the American Academy of Pediatrics moved from counting minutes to a "5 C's" framework, Child, Content, Calm, Crowding Out, and Communication, that looks at the quality and context of screen use rather than the clock.
In-app purchases are one of the most common screen-time surprises: a $0.99 upgrade can turn into hundreds of dollars in a single sitting.
Built into iPhone and iPad. Set app-specific limits, downtime schedules, and content restrictions, with weekly reports you can review together.
support.apple.com →
Free for Android and Google accounts. Set daily limits, app-specific timers, and a remote bedtime lock for a child's device.
families.google.com/familylink →
Screen time schedules and app/game limits that sync across Windows PCs and Xbox, free with a Microsoft account.
microsoft.com/family-safety →Full guidance: the AAP's 5 C's framework at aap.org, and the free Family Media Plan tool at healthychildren.org.
Privacy risk isn't just hackers. It's data brokers, app permissions, and oversharing, quietly building a profile on everyone in your house.
Most privacy advice targets outside threats. This one's about a habit inside the house: what parents post about their own kids.
A free, open-source password manager that generates and stores unique passwords across every family member's devices.
bitwarden.com →
A paid password manager with family/shared vaults, so parents and kids can securely share select logins without texting passwords.
1password.com →
A subscription service that finds your family's information on data broker sites and files ongoing removal requests on your behalf.
joindeleteme.com →Official guidance: consumer.ftc.gov has articles on protecting your child from identity theft and on credit freezes and fraud alerts.
Play through 6 quick missions. Pick the safest choice in each scenario to earn a badge, then collect them all to win your Safety Certificate!
Type your name for your Family Safety Certificate.
has completed all 6 FamilyShield Safety Missions
Work through this together this week. Most steps take under a minute.
Free, official organizations that support families with online safety and reporting. Links update below based on the country you selected at the top of the page.
Report suspected child exploitation, grooming, or exploitative images online.
report.cybertip.org →
Age-appropriate videos and lessons to teach kids online safety basics.
netsmartz.org →
Plain-language safety and privacy guides for specific apps kids actually use.
connectsafely.org →
Official guidance on kids' privacy, parental controls, and spotting scams.
consumer.ftc.gov →
Age-based reviews of apps, games, and shows, plus digital citizenship guides.
commonsensemedia.org →Call 911. To report internet crime or fraud, file a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.