Wednesday, October 12th has come to be known as National Stop Bullying Day. A little brief history for you.

National Stop Bullying Day: How Can You Do Your Part?

Here are 4 ways you can use FamilyKeeper to keep your kids safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Child safety during Coronavirus (COVID-19)

How to keep our kids safe online while giving them the space they need to grow.

Let Your Kids Spread Their Wings, Safely!

How to balance your kids’ need for technology with your need to protect them.

Worried about cyberthreats? Get your kids a digital helmet!

The current dangers of overexposure to YouTube.

The Dangers of YouTube

Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that happens over digital devices like smartphones, computers and tablets.

Cyberbullying - What You Need To Know

The three main indicators of Screen Addiction that you should watch out for

The Dangers of Screen Addiction

When discussing cyberbullying with your children, it’s hugely important to keep the lines of communication open. The more confident youngsters feel in discussing their online activity, the more autonomy it will give them in terms of pushing back against cyberbullies.

How to Help Your Kids Prevent Cyberbullying

With in-app purchases, it is all too easy to rack up the credit card bill by paying for added extras – whether it’s accidentally or on purpose.

Kids vs. In-App Purchases: 6 Tips to Prevent a Surprise Hefty Bill!

Here are a few tips to help you with gifting digital devices this Christmas.

New Phone for Christmas? Here’s How to Keep Your Kids Safe Online

The aim of Safer Internet Day is to make the internet a safer place, for kids in particular, by raising awareness of emerging online issues and current concerns – from cyberbullying to social networking to digital identity.

Safer Internet Day: What Can We Do to Effect Change?

We’ve put together 5 Pillars of Cyberbullying Prevention for parents to easily implement in the fight against cyberbullying.

5 Tips for Parents to Help Stop Cyberbullying

These five tips aim to help parents manage the unwitting dangers of screen time in a practical and purposeful way.

5 Simple Tips to Manage Kids’ Screen Time

Here are 7 apps to familiarize yourself with in order to best understand what kids may be viewing, how we can find safer ways to monitor them, and how to open up those conversations with your child surrounding if, how and when they should use certain apps.

The Dark Side of our Favorite Apps: 7 Most Dangerous Apps for Kids and Teens

International Stand Up to Bullying Day is a semi-annual event to raise public awareness around bullying in all its forms.

Don't Be a Bystander: It's International Stand Up to Bullying Day!

We’ve delved into the heart of social media use to find the 5 most prominent dangers that we need to be aware of.

The Dark Side of Social Media: 5 Dangers to Be Wary Of

The word ‘games’ implies fun – but some of these popular online experiences, even those aimed at kids, contain worrying content. Here's what you should be looking out for.

7 Alarming Online Games to Watch Out For

This International Children’s Book Day, whether your child is holding a tablet or a physical book, it’s time to explore the world of children’s literature.

International Children’s Book Day: Switch Off Screens and Curl Up with a Good Book!

Our job is to keep you and your family cyber safe – so this year, enjoy our top tips for a stress-free Easter!

3 Tips to Keep Your Loved Ones Cyber Safe this Easter!

Over 40% of teenagers have reported experiencing loneliness as a result of social media – an astonishing figure considering that ‘social’ implies togetherness.

40% of Teenagers Experience Loneliness. Help Protect Them With These 3 Steps

Social media platforms, chatrooms, WhatsApp and text messaging, online gaming – the advent of web-based connections is affecting our ability to form face-to-face relationships with people.

Too Much Screen Time? Risks, Dangers, and What We Can Do to Help

As adults, we may have trained ourselves to function on less sleep – but try reasoning with an overtired toddler or a moody teenager and you may well be on a mission to lessen screen time, and create a more serene bedtime experience for your family!

Put Those Screens Away! 4 Ways To Make Bedtime Easier

National Missing Children’s Day serves as a reminder that we should continue our efforts to reunite missing children with their families.

Keeping Our Children Safe – The No. 1 Priority Of All Parents

We’ve rounded up 5 top apps that provide educational value this summer – so that you can get stuff done, your children can be happily occupied, and they learn a little something too!

Can Screen Time be Beneficial? 5 Apps with Educational Value

How do you set the boundaries when your child receives a phone? And how do you keep your kids safe from online harm? Never fear - we've got you covered!

Back to School, Back to Routine. Why Do I Need A Parental Control App?

Lead gaming app Roblox is an online platform where games can be both made and played by users. With so many varied games on offer, there are games on the platform that aren’t remotely child-friendly or appropriate for all ages.

Worried About Sexual Roblox Content? 5 Games to Look Out For

Which are the latest dangerous crazes that have emerged from social media?

Online Threats To Be Aware Of: 3 Dangerous TikTok Challenges

Wednesday, October 12th has come to be known as National Stop Bullying Day.

FamilyKeeper has rounded up the top apps to help you and your kids enhance Thanksgiving.

Top Apps To Enhance This Year’s Thanksgiving With Your Kids

Cyberbullying can affect a victim’s self-esteem, self-confidence, social behavior, school work, self-worth, and self-awareness, and lead to extremities such as self-harm and in the worst cases, even suicide.

Cyberbullying on Social Media: When Does It Become Violent?

There are more new apps than ever exploding onto the scene. We’ve rounded up the top 3 new apps that parents ought to know about.

Three Popular Apps in 2023 That Parents Should Know About

There are some inherent risks that parents and guardians should be aware of when it comes to their kids and Discord's safety.

Is Discord Safe For Kids? Everything You Need To Know

There are so many popular apps for kids in 2023, but there are several genres of mobile apps that parents should be concerned about. So which popular apps should you consider blocking?

Dangerous Apps To Block: How To Block Apps And Why

Gacha Games are a relatively new genre of online gaming, whose popularity is on the rise.

What are Gacha Games and who plays them? Everything you need to know

"Sneaky link" is a slang term that refers to a secret or discreet meeting between two people who are romantically interested in each other.

Sneaky Link: The What, Who, How, and Why of This Online Slang

It’s August and it’s summer – yet Back to School signs are everywhere as kids and parents alike get ready to brave the new school year.

Backpack? Check. Pencil case? Check. Lunchbox? Check. New school shirt? Check. Everyone is starting a new school class – with some kids even beginning a brand new school. And as we all know, with kids wanting to fit in, along with parents wanting to keep kids safe, and just the general fact that we are in 2022 – giving your child a phone has become part of the back-to-school prep.

Giving your child a phone is a big consideration. Are they old enough? Are they responsible enough? You may have decided they need one for the school journey, or maybe they’ve reached an appropriate age, or maybe it’s simply peer pressure. It’s difficult these days with class Whatsapp groups being so popular – kids have genuine FOMO (fear of missing out) if they don’t also have a phone to call their own.

But how do you set the boundaries when your child receives a phone? And how do you keep your kids safe from online harm?

Never fear – we’ve got you covered! 

When you reach that milestone of handing your child a phone, utilizing a parental control app such as FamilyKeeper adds an important layer of protection for parents and kids. Now we know what you’re thinking: it’s all very well adding blockers and parental controls to the tablet my 6-year-old messes around with at home – but what happens when my teenager decides Mom and Dad are invading their privacy? 

Let’s take a look at the important reasons why you should be using parental control apps – and how to deal with any objections your kids may raise. 

## Geolocation

Parts of the world are safe; parts of the world are not so safe. It’s our job to protect our children. Maybe your kid takes the bus to school? Perhaps they’re meeting friends to go to the mall or to a park? As parents, our main aim is to keep our children safe, and knowing where your kids are is a part of that.

It’s understandable that from a kid’s perspective, they won’t want you to feel that you are invading their privacy – that’s why it’s so important for you to explain your concerns to your child. Unfortunately, the world isn’t a safe place and it’s also an enormous place! Thankfully, geofencing and location trackers enable a parent and child to decide together which areas are safe. Your child can have their own input into the discussions, as you set the “safe zones”.

A parental control app like FamilyKeeper gives that element of security to know that family members are in safe territories – but you can decide where, and how far that is, together, before you set the controls.

## Cyberbullying

Just think about this for a second – have you ever received a message that’s made your heart sink? Have you perhaps sent messages to someone that may have been unkind? Has anyone ever sent something that’s made you cringe, or been embarrassed, or that you think was inappropriate for social media? These are the kinds of questions that can be asked of both generations – there’s a very high chance that both parent and child can empathize with these situations.

Cyberbullying is on the rise, and the last thing anyone wants is for their kid to either be a victim or, in fact, the bully. It’s so easy to become a troll these days or to get away with writing something to someone that you wouldn’t even think of saying to their face.

Unfortunately, it’s also ridiculously easy for a kid to be so upset by an online comment about them, that they will hide it from their parents instead of asking for help and advice. This then triggers a vicious cycle of awful cyber behavior, that may be kept under the radar until something explosive happens.`

By all means, your kid should be able to enjoy social media, messaging friends, and adding posts, reels, videos, and comments. Adding the FamilyKeeper app and deciding on trigger words simply protects against anyone feeling emotionally hurt or vulnerable. With FamilyKeeper, you and your child can decide together which words should be added to the “keyword” list so that you’ll be alerted if inappropriate or offensive language is being used.

## The Family Schedule

We all know realistically that it’s unhealthy for your mind, body and soul to spend too much time glued to a device. Kids and adults alike these days are hooked on screens – but too much screen time can cause disruptive sleep patterns, and antisocial behavior, as people forget how to interact face-to-face. 

It’s also ridiculously easy to lose track of time when using a screen – we’ve all heard ‘Just one more episode!”, “Just one more level!”, or “Just five more minutes!”  Parents don’t want their kids to feel that they can’t manage or organize their own schedule but we all, adults included, know how easy it is to lose track of time while staring at a screen, and forget that there is a real-world out there with face-to-face interaction, physical activity and good ol’ fresh air.

A parental control app like FamilyKeeper can utilize screen time controls, which can help you decide together how much screen time is healthy for your family, when bedtime should be, and just generally plan a healthier weekly schedule. You can effectively plan your day / week / month so that real life doesn’t pass you by while you are staring at a device.

There’s no shame in wanting to keep your family safe – and the best parental control apps are a great way to do so. You wouldn’t let a driver out on the roads without driving lessons first, would you? Parental control apps like FamilyKeeper provide your kid with the tools they need to navigate their online environment safely – it’s the training wheels that will guide them through their early experiences of handling a phone responsibly, how to treat others (and be treated) with respect on social media, and managing their screen time effectively.

So before the back-to-school rush really gets going, take the time to open up the channels of communication with your child – both sides should feel they are being heard while bearing in mind that the key goal of the best parental control apps is to keep kids safe from harm.

For more information and to start your free 7-day trial: www.familykeeper.reasonlabs.com. 

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With so many apps available that provide entertainment or educational value, it can be challenging to sift through which apps are as innocent as they look and are actually safe apps for kids, and which apps can pose online dangers or risks for your kids, and should really be added to your dangerous apps list.

There are so many popular apps for kids in 2023, but there are several genres of mobile apps that parents should be concerned about. Now that we have a “block apps” feature at our disposal on the FamilyKeeper parental control app, it’s important to take a look at which popular apps are unsafe apps for kids and should really be on the dangerous apps list - and also [how to block apps on iPhones](https://familykeeper.reasonlabs.com/ios_app), and [how to block apps on Android](https://familykeeper.reasonlabs.com/android_app) smartphones. 

So which popular apps should you consider blocking?

## Dangerous Apps List - Unsafe Apps for Kids

### Social Media Apps

Social media apps are basically synonymous with having a smartphone, so it’s important to understand where the problems lie. Social media apps, as adults will know, are useful and fun up to a point. However, there’s a fine line where they move from enhancing your life to becoming a narcissistic whirlwind of ‘Look at me!’ and ‘Is my life interesting enough?’, followed by the other body image, self-worth, and ‘Like / Love’ [dopamine hit](https://www.jeffersonhealth.org/your-health/living-well/the-addictiveness-of-social-media-how-teens-get-hooked) problems that can cause screen time addiction.

For impressionable young people, social media apps like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, can be dangerous as they can expose children and teens to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and online predators. It’s important that parents understand how these social media apps work, what they entail, and whether their children are old enough to have accounts.

### Dating Apps

There are many dating apps available these days. The most popular and well-known dating apps are, amongst others, Tinder, Bumble, and Grindr. However, these apps are specifically designed for adults, and although each may have its own safeguards - for example, Bumble allows the female to have control over when contact is initiated - each and any of these dating apps can expose children and teens to inappropriate content, online grooming, and sexual exploitation.

Due to the nature of meeting unknown contacts over dating apps, these apps are deemed unsafe apps for kids.

### Gaming Apps

Many gaming apps are addictive and time-consuming, leading to decreased productivity, social isolation, and sleep deprivation. Additionally, some gaming apps may expose children and teens to violent or graphic content. For example, Roblox is notorious for inadvertently [exposing children to sexual content](https://familykeeper.reasonlabs.com/blog/worried-about-sexual-roblox-content-5-games-to-look-out-for). Fortnite is a popular multiplayer game that involves shooting and fighting with intense graphics. And Call of Duty has released a mobile version of the popular first-person shooter game, which also involves realistic depictions of violence and is rated for ages 17+. 

It's important for parents to review the content and ratings of any gaming app before allowing their children to download and play it.  

### Anonymous Chat Apps

Anonymous apps like Whisper and Anonymous Chat allow users to post anonymously, which can lead to cyberbullying, harassment, and online grooming - and are therefore unsafe apps for kids. By definition, we can’t ever know for sure who is behind an unknown profile, so apps like these are extremely dangerous for naive young users. Recently, many apps have come under fire from governing bodies, educational institutions, and the parenting community for not doing enough to protect young users.

For example, TikTok has recently faced criticism for not doing enough to shield teens from inappropriate content. In response, TikTok has added a [new feature](https://www.reuters.com/technology/tiktok-develop-parental-control-tool-block-certain-videos-2023-03-01/), whereby teens will need to enter a passcode to continue using the app past the one-hour time limit. Additionally, parents will be able to block videos that contain specific words or hashtags. Similarly, Instagram’s new ‘[Quiet Mode](https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/19/instagrams-new-quiet-mode-helps-you-take-a-break-from-the-app/)’ will allow users to manage their screen time, take a break and switch off.

While it’s good to know that companies themselves are taking some responsibility to lessen the negative effects of app use, ultimately, it’s the parents of young users who have their child’s best interests at heart. Now that we’ve discussed which apps are unsafe apps for kids, we can examine how to block apps that don’t make the safety cut - and also see whether there is an app to block apps that can handle this safety measure.

## FamilyKeeper - The App To Block Apps

All parents should know how to block apps on iPhones and how to block apps on Android phones. It is important for parents to monitor their children's mobile app usage and take steps to ensure that they are not exposed to inappropriate content or online predators.  FamilyKeeper is a great app to block apps as it allows parents to decide which apps to block or unblock at any time. FamilyKeeper can also help parents limit screen time, and monitor their children's online activity.

### How To Block Apps On Phones

To learn how to block apps on phones using the FamilyKeeper parental control app, follow these steps:

1. Open the FamilyKeeper app on the parent device.
2. Go to the "Control" section in the app.
3. Click on the "App Blocker" option.
4. You will see a list of all the apps installed on your child's device. Select the app that you want to block.
5. Once you have selected the app, you will see the option to either "Block" the app. If you choose to block the app, your child will not be able to access it at all. 
6. After making your selection, click on the "Save" button.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 for any other apps that you want to block.

### How To Block Apps At Certain Times 

If you don’t want to block a particular app completely, but you want to be able to block apps at certain times - for example, maybe you want to turn off Instagram at night so your child isn’t disturbed or distracted by so many pinging messages, or you want to discourage endless scrolling - follow these steps:

1. Open the FamilyKeeper app on the parent device.
2. Go to the "Control" section in the app.
3. Click on the "App Blocker" option.
4. You will see a list of all the apps installed on your child's device. Select the app you want to add a time limit to. 
5. Once you have selected the app, you will see the option to "Time Limit" the app.  If you choose to time limit the app, your child will only be able to use the app for a certain amount of time each day.
6. After making your selection, click on the "Save" button.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 for any other apps to which you would like to add screen time limits.

At FamilyKeeper, our commitment to keeping kids cyber safe is our highest priority. However, we encourage parents to use their good judgment when it comes to blocking or limiting apps on their child’s phones. It goes without saying that inappropriate apps should be blocked for younger users. 

Teens are a different story. Once your child reaches an age where they feel they are responsible to use certain apps, and also want some of their own privacy, we encourage you to talk to your child about how, why, and when they use particular apps. And if an app really does seem dangerous and your child shouldn’t be using it, it’s worthwhile taking the time to explain the risks to your child.

For more information on different features of the FamilyKeeper app, including blocking unknown contacts, geolocation tools, and alerts when inappropriate language is detected, visit us at [https://familykeeper.reasonlabs.com/](https://familykeeper.reasonlabs.com/) or download the app from [Google Play Store](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.reasonlabs.familykeeper.parentalcontrol.parents) or the [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/familykeeper-parental-control/id1637350511). 


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It’s almost impossible these days to keep up with what games are popular online - never mind how to play them! Aside from anything else, it’s extraordinary to see how easily the younger generation picks up online game rules, techniques, and maneuvers while their parents are left scratching their heads at what seems like an impossible game to decipher.

Gacha Games are a relatively new genre of online gaming, whose popularity is on the rise. But what is gacha, who is playing gacha games, and what are the risks? Here’s everything you need to know:

## Gacha games - “gacha” meaning

“Gacha” comes from the Japanese word “[gachapon](https://www.google.com/search?q=gachapon+meaning&oq=gachapon+meaning&aqs=chrome.0.0i512j0i390i650l5.9889j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)” - an onomatopoeic term connecting the sound "gacha” for the hand-cranking action of a toy-vending machine, and "pon" for the toy capsule landing in the collection tray. 

“Gacha games” are a type of mobile game that involve players spending in-game currency or real money to obtain random virtual items, characters, equipment, or units through a virtual lottery or “vending machine”, often in the form of randomized rewards known as "gacha pulls" or "loot boxes." These items may be used to enhance gameplay and further progress in the game by buying chances to get better or rarer items, or simply for collection purposes. 

## What is a gacha game?

Gacha games typically have a strong emphasis on social features, such as multiplayer modes or player rankings, and may offer regular events or updates to keep players engaged. While gacha games are popular and lucrative, they have also been criticized for their addictive nature, predatory monetization practices, and potential for encouraging gambling behavior.

## Who plays gacha games?

Gacha games are played by a wide range of people of different ages and backgrounds. Gacha games are particularly popular among gamers who enjoy collecting and customizing characters, as gacha games often involve collecting virtual items and characters through randomized draws. 

In general, gacha games are popular among gamers who enjoy mobile gaming, as they are often designed to be played on smartphones and tablets. However, gacha games can also be played on other platforms, such as PC and consoles.

## Why is gacha popular?

Gacha games have become increasingly popular in recent years and many games of this type use anime or manga-style graphics and storytelling. Players can use their collections of virtual items to battle other players, progress through the game's story, or simply collect and show off their favorite characters.

What makes gacha popular though? There are probably several reasons we can attribute to the growth in popularity of gacha games:
- **Accessibility**: Gacha games can be easily downloaded and played on mobile devices. Additionally, gacha games’ variety of characters and items that can be randomly obtained creates a sense of excitement and anticipation for players.
- **Sociability**: Another factor contributing to the popularity of gacha games is the social aspect of the games. Many gacha games form strong communities of players who can share information, strategies, and experiences with each other.
- **Engagement**: Gacha games are also very engaging, as they offer regular updates and events which can keep players motivated to continue playing. These updates and events may introduce new characters, items, and storylines, which can offer a sense of freshness and variety to the game.

## Gacha Games Mobile - Android and iOS

As mentioned above, because gacha games can be played on your mobile phone, this makes them easily accessible and can offer regular new and evolving content.

Some of the most popular gacha games for mobile play on the market include some legendary favorites - Pokémon Masters, Marvel Strike Force, and Nintendo’s Fire Emblem Heroes - as well as some newer creations such as Arknight and Azur Lane. 

## Gacha games - Gacha Life

One of the most popular gacha games is [Gacha Life](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.lunime.gachalife&hl=en&gl=US&pli=1), a mobile game app developed and published by Lunime. Players can create their own anime-style characters and customize their appearance, outfits, and accessories using a wide variety of clothing items and accessories. The game also features a studio mode where players can create their own scenes, skits, and stories using their customized characters. Users can also interact with other players. 

Gacha Life is not a gacha game in the traditional sense. While the game does feature a gacha system where players can spend in-game currency to obtain randomized items such as clothing, hairstyles, and accessories, the focus of the game is not on collecting rare or powerful characters. Rather, the gacha element is a way for players to expand their options for customizing their own characters. In this game, players can earn virtual currency and spend it on "gacha" machines to obtain rare clothing and accessories for their characters.

Gacha Life has gained popularity among young people and has also become a platform for creating and sharing user-generated content, including skits, animations, and music videos featuring Gacha Life characters.

## Are Gacha games dangerous? 

Gacha games have some potential risks and dangers, particularly for vulnerable individuals such as children, teenagers, or individuals with gambling addiction tendencies. So what could make a gacha game dangerous?

Some gacha games have faced criticism for their monetization practices and for promoting gambling-like behavior among players. These games often use randomized mechanics to distribute rewards and offer various forms of in-game purchases, which can lead to addictive behavior or excessive spending.

Players can become emotionally invested in their virtual items and experience distress or depression when they fail to acquire desired items or lose them. Furthermore, some gacha games may feature inappropriate content, such as violence or sexually suggestive imagery, which can be harmful to younger players.

However, it is important to note that not all gacha games are synonymous with being dangerous or harmful. Some gacha games may contain content that is more geared toward children, while others may be more geared toward adult gamers. Some games may offer fair and transparent reward systems, and age-appropriate content, and provide players with a fun and enjoyable experience.

Even so, as with any form of online entertainment or gaming, it is essential to be aware of the potential risks and take appropriate measures to ensure safe and responsible gameplay:

- Parents and guardians should monitor their children's gaming habits, and understand how the gambling aspect of gacha games is utilized to verify if it’s appropriate.
- Speak to your child about using any kind of currency online, whether it’s crypto or other - set clear spending limits and decide depending on their age and level of responsibility what is and isn’t acceptable, both from financial and security perspectives.
- Setting clear screen time limits is also recommended as these kinds of games can prove very addictive.
- Stranger danger can also be a concern, and as such, be aware of any online gaming communities your child may wish to join through gacha games. 


#Parental Control