Our children are considered “digital natives,” they have been born into and are being raised in the digital world. Today’s kids are using technology for communication, education and fun. Kids can also easily gain access to parts of the tech world that may be dangerous or simply inappropriate.
Kiddle the so-called Google for kids
A new website called Kiddle.co has launched promising a child-friendly search engine for kids browsing the internet, however many seem to be confused as a number of news outlets have reported the search engine site is an official Google spin-off looking to cater to young internet users. Kiddle has no association with Google – and does not claim to. It uses a Google Custom Search bar embedded within the website much like Safe Search kids. If you don’t want to set your own computers search engine to Safe Mode, Kiddle is a great alternative for “safer” browsing.
What is Kiddle and how does it work?
Certain content is filtered and a number of explicit terms and celebrities are blocked. According to the Kiddle About page…
If your child does search for something that the site deems inappropriate, the child will receive a message, “Oops, looks like your query contained some bad words. Please try again!” You can also add words to the Kiddle keyword block form and add sites to the site blocking form.
As with anything, Kiddle is not 100% safe and most of what Kiddle does can be accomplished with your computer and Google settings. However, Kiddle is a start and a move in the right direction.
Have frequent and ongoing discussions about online safety.
Talk to your children often and early about the dangers of technology and appropriate behavior online. The answer is smart parenting and open communication. Knowledge is power, if parents are informed, the use of technology will be a much safer experience for all. Unfortunately, we have a very long way to go when it comes to safety in our digital world. While we can’t keep our children 100% safe from the evils of technology, there are resources and tools to help us protect our tech savvy kids. Learn the best way to keep kids safe here.
My kids use KidRex.org and KidzSearch.com at school and home. Will take a look at kiddle.
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