IN THE NEWS
News Worth Knowing 🔥
🚨 Hackers Are Targeting Teen Accounts for Extortion | The FBI warns that criminals are hacking social media accounts—including minors'—to steal private images for extortion or resale, with teen boys a frequent target. Strong, unique passwords and locked-down accounts are the first line of defense. Source: FBI IC3
⚖️ Meta Back in Court Over Teen Safety | 29 states allege Meta's platforms were designed to keep teens engaged longer, even as Meta expands default 13+ settings for teen accounts. Source: NPR
📵 Phone Bans Keep Spreading in Schools | 38 states now restrict phones in K-12 schools, but a policy doesn't teach focus or judgment. Those habits still get strengthened at home, with consistent expectations. Source: Ballotpedia
REALITY CHECK
This School Year, the Oversharing Risk Might Be Your Account 🔒
Your child’s first-day photo is meant to capture a memory: the backpack, the big smile, the little chalkboard sign: First Day of 4th Grade, Mrs. Lopez's class.
But on a public social media profile, that same photo can reveal a lot more than you intended. Your child's name, school, grade, and daily routine can become easy-to-access information for anyone scrolling by.
One truth that many parents don’t realize is that the biggest privacy risk may not be your child’s social media account—it may be your own!
A public Facebook or Instagram profile can provide strangers with a surprisingly detailed picture of your family.
The About Me section may reveal where you live or work. Location tags can reveal where you spend your time. Friends and family connections can show who your child knows and trusts. Those old posts you forgot about? They’re still out there, providing details like your child’s birthday and what school they attend.
Fortunately, you don't need to delete your social media or stop sharing family moments. You just need a 5-minute privacy check!
A few quick privacy changes can make a big difference:
Make Your Account Private. Switch Facebook and Instagram to private/friends-only for both your profile and your child’s profile.
Audit the About Me section. Hide your workplace, hometown, family connections, birthday, and other personal information from public view.
Skip location tags. Turn off geotagging and avoid sharing your child’s school or regular routines in captions. If you’re going to post, do it after you’ve left a location!
Check old posts. Set past public posts to friends-only in one bulk action.
Pay attention to the background. Take a second look at photos before sharing them. School signs, uniforms, and addresses can reveal more than you realize.
Just five minutes could help protect your family’s personal information!
Want the platform-by-platform walkthrough? Our on-demand resources show you exactly where these privacy settings live on Facebook, Instagram, and more…
MORE THAN SCREEN TIME
Prevention Resources 🫂
Some conversations go deeper than privacy settings. Our CharacterEd curriculum includes lessons on suicide prevention, vaping, and violence prevention—ready to use with students and families. If your child needs someone right now, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24/7 (call or text 988).
GET INVOLVED
Join the Educator Advisory Council 🙌
The 2026–2027 Educator Advisory Council launches in September. Last year's council helped build our Admin Dashboard, expand instructional resources, and reorganize the platform. If you'd like to share what you're seeing in your school and shape what we build, we'd love your voice.
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