How kid-friendly search engine Kiddle fares with trending topics on social

If you have children old enough to attempt to spell or are well past those years, the Internet and search engines are things you’ve grown accustom to watching as closely as you do when they were running and climbing on playgrounds.

Recently, a new search engine launched which takes a step toward improving Internet safety. The child-friendly search engine, Kiddle, is designed to ease parents’ worry about things their children may be exposed to online, making surfing the web “friendly” for kids. Unlike Google or Bing, Kiddle has editors who manage the top search results a user sees on the page in combination with info it serves up from a tool called Google Safe Search in order to deliver content that is as kid-appropriate as possible.  

It’s worth noting the URL is kiddle.co - not kiddle.com. And though Kiddle’s homepage resembles Google to some degree, the engine is not a product of Google or affiliated in any way, despite early confusion in the press and on social media.

From its robot and outer space-themed homepage to the purpose of the engine, it’s great to see companies like Kiddle and others take steps toward providing safe and age-appropriate environments online for kids. According to research from KidSay, as young as age eight, approximately 40% of boys and girls access the Internet multiple times a day. Data from Pew Research shows this skyrockets to 92% along kids ages 13-17, who go online at least once daily. Among all Internet users, search engines and social networks are the most common sites visited online, with gaming, videos and social networks among the top online activities for kids and teens. With the amount of kids who have connectivity and access to the Internet on desktop or from mobile devices, Internet safety is not only an important topic, but an important reality. Its significance will only continue to increase as tech, mobile and digital services become a greater part of life as we know it.

Teenagers and younger kids are apt to know about or use Kiddle because parents tell them about it or by word of mouth from a friend, so it will be interesting to see if the engine trends and catches kids’ attention. Kiddle’s heaviest usage will be when a parent is sitting alongside their child researching topics for homework or to satisfy their curiosity about a subject like clouds, what our organs look like, anything having to do with Anna and Elsa from Disney’s Frozen, or a kid’s favorite baseball team.

Most pre-teens and teenagers who spend time online, though, have access to social media, which can open the vault for endless curiosity and discovery. In fact, 71% of teens who go online use more than one social media network. So how do Kiddle’s search results fare with trending topics on social media?

We took Kiddle for a test run and for the most part, the filtered results are family-friendly, and in a few cases, blocked. The user will begin to see a commonality of sites content is pulled from - Common Sense Media, Biography and others; visually, they’ll also have an experience similar to that of Google and other search engines. Whether or not the search results are relevant will be subjective to each user or parent, but from our experience, it’s an area with room for improvement by this new company.

Here’s what we saw:

Trending on Twitter: #BestFirstDateQuestions

Kiddle did a good job at not providing examples when searching for #BestFirstDateQuestions, a hashtag trending on Twitter. In fact, “no results” was the response we got. There was one paid ad, however, along the right side of the page was for an urgent care facility in Michigan. The lack of results and subject of the paid ad are the first hints that relevancy may be an issue with the kid-friendly engine -- which might be peace of mind to some, but make others jump ship pretty quickly. Breaking up the hashtag into four words, the top three search results of a search for “Best First Date Questions” delivered: Q&A about the Constitution of the United States, a page about government career advice and managing your career like a first date, and an FAQ about Girl Scout Cookies on girlscouts.org.

At time of press, #BestFirstDateQuestions is the #3 trending topic in the U.S. on Twitter. Relevant results and happy users on Kiddle? You can be the judge.

Trending on Instagram: fashion and #like4like

Two of the top trending themes on Instagram at the time of print are #fashion and #like4like. Unlike an image search on Google that is flooded with modern-day, colorful fashion images, an image search for “fashion” on Kiddle returned a mashup of historic and modern day fashion results, with much of the content coming from the celebrity biography and story site, Bio. Similar to the experience on Google, however, your child isn’t served paid ads while searching images.

As for #like4like? The hashtag has little conversational meaning, other than suggesting if a person likes your post, you have to like theirs back. Given #like4like is the #2 trending hashtag on Instagram, it was worthy of a test on Kiddle. The result? One listing for Goodyear Tires. Underwhelming for someone hoping to learn more about its meaning or discover what’s trending, but on the flip side, peace of mind for parents that Kiddle, unlike other search engines, is not delivering real-time social media feeds in its search results, preventing your child from seeing potentially inappropriate social chatter.
 

Trending on Facebook: Amy Schumer

A search on Kiddle for Amy Schumer returned carefully-chosen results, focusing on her bio and a few interviews. Paid ads Kiddle pulls through its integrated Google tool include Amazon to watch her stand-up shows, and places to buy show tickets or pre-order her book. Over on Google, however, the same search serves up the comedian’s website, social accounts, social mentions, mainstream articles and more.

Trending on Snapchat: One Direction

They move hearts, they break hearts, one of them even left the band. Parents of teens and pre-teens are no stranger British-Irish boy band One Direction. And if your teen uses Snapchat, chances are they’ve seen their snaps or stories. Among lists of celebs to follow on Snapchat, One Direction is often in the top 10. Rest assured, if your kid is entering hearth-throb age and searches for One Direction on Kiddle, they’ll find a few articles and mostly biographical information bio.com and kid-friendly sites. (And not surprisingly, a paid ad to download One Direction’s music from Google Play).

Other searches that might surface to the top of a teenager’s curiosity: how to kiss, Justin Bieber (uncensored), beer, and the TV show popular with teens, Pretty Little Liars

Kiddle passed our test in an attempt to trick its child-friendly search results with teen-crazed searches. Searching for “how to kiss?” You’ll get an “Oops, try again.” “Kissing” serves up content from PBS Kids featuring Clifford the Big Red Dog, even a little science about the illness, mono. Probably a few disappointed users in the crowd. Get past the first few results, however, and a link for free kissing (computer) games for girls curiously makes its way into the results.   

Kids searching for Justin Bieber will find his bio, some photos, a Nickelodeon video from the Halo Awards and even more from PBS Kids. If they search for the “other” Justin Bieber balcony photos snapped by the paparazzi from a 2015 vacation, have no fear, that “Oops, try again” screen is back.

If they’re curious about beer, they’ll get more results searching for “the history of beer” than they do for the word “beer” alone; however, time to time a paid ad for beer certification appears on the right. And to check out their favorite stars from Pretty Little Liars or read what happened on the most recent episode, once again, Kiddle keeps it safe and serves up light-hearted content with kid-friendly reviews and music from the show.

Final Thoughts

We weren’t successful in breaking Kiddle, and if your child is looking for the most recent photo or trend that “broke the Internet,” chances are they won’t find it on Kiddle either. The experienced searcher or determined student might be frustrated by its limited search results with sometimes questionable relevancy. It also seems Kiddle has little control over the paid ads that appear on the right side of the page. In most most cases the ads weren’t inappropriate, but in general they were not kid-friendly or even computer-friendly at times. Therefore, it’s a good idea for parents to continue to supervise online activity and where kids click.

The Internet is a valuable resource for information and entertainment to be enjoyed while practicing Internet safety. Until more companies like Kiddle innovate to create appealing age-appropriate forums or take steps to ensure a safer environment for kids online, the biggest responsibility starts at home. Like healthy habits or fitness, digital responsibility is a lifestyle important to educate kids about starting at a young age, and for parents to lead by example with throughout their teenage years.

Parent of Teens? Bookmark these sites

The teenage years are busy ones for parents - especially if there are siblings in the house. If you've ever found yourself in need of a dose of inspiration for a gift, meal or activity; up for good laugh, or simply wanting quick info to help with decision making, chances are the Internet or social media have been your saving grace.

What’s out there to help a busy parent of a teenager with all of the above and more? Check out this list of fun online resources we’ve found and get up to speed on sites that can save you time - or become new places where you spend your time!

For shopping, gift ideas, decorating and more: 

CoolMomPicks - It’s worth the venture off of Pinterest to hop over to this site. There’s a bit of something for everyone on Cool Mom Picks. It's a good place to hit for ideas, shopping or plain fun reading. This shopping blog for parents features products, concepts and styles that stand out and are sure to please. It's also covers categories such good, DIY, beauty, tips & tricks, and more. Everything you need to stay current and discover cool ideas for you and your kids.

For new dinner ideas with easy-to-follow recipes: 

Tasty - Buzzfeed’s Tasty is a field of dreams for any parent wanting to switch up the dinner menu routine. Or breakfast. Or dessert. (There’s even a section for comfort foods.) Viewed by millions, Tasty features fast and friendly videos of food ideas and easy-to-follow recipes. They are everywhere on social media, so chances are your teen has already experienced a craving after a seeing a video or two. Trying out these recipes is a great way to get your teen away from screen time and do something productive in the kitchen. They’re simple enough for the novice chef to have a go at helping with dinner prep or baking a new dessert to try. For some extra fun, check out Proper Tasty, the company’s Facebook channel for the British crowd in search of comfort recipes and delights.

For monitoring your kid’s social media activity and tips/education about digital responsibility and online safety: 

DijiWise - DijiWise is an app coming to market that gives parents a real-time view into their child's activity on social media networks such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. It takes the wonder and mystery out of what your kids are doing online or in apps on their phone, and gives you peace of mind while prompting conversations when needed. The company’s website also features Parent Central, a hub for content and resources for parents - especially parents of teens - to help navigate the notion of “digital parenting,” provide insights into apps and social networks popular with kids, encourage education about online safety and responsibility, or simply discover fun and informational topics about all things parenting.

For beginning the college search: 

Peterson’s - Choosing a college or university is one of the most important choices a teenager can make. The Internet is a natural gateway for parents and students beginning the college search, but can quickly become overwhelming with the amount of choices and information. Peterson’s is a well-organized website that is a good starting point to identify schools for undergrad, graduate, or online programs. It has a database of more than 50,000 accredited schools and 5,000 scholarships, which simplifies exploring schools and might even inspire careers or opportunities. The site’s information about college prep and entry exams may also be of interest to your high school student.

For finding an online community of like-minded parents experiencing the same things you (or who can help prepare you for things to come!): 

CafeMom - There’s something to be gained from a community of parents who are “in this together” that you’re less apt to find from Instagram posts and Facebook comments. CafeMom is the meeting place for moms, new and experienced. The site features fresh lifestyle and parenting articles, as well as hubs for videos and seeking or sharing advice. A popular function of Cafe Mom is its online community, with groups and conversations that appeal to any parent. Check it out, you might discover that the Tween Titan or Moms of Tweens groups are a good fit for you.

Are today’s youth really THAT bad?

by Cindy Kerber Spellman

Nearly anywhere you turn, it’s easy to stumble upon articles and discussions questioning our culture and analyzing generations. Especially debate about today’s youth. They’re overweight. They’re sedentary. They’re entitled. They’re rude. A similar conversation was overheard between two parents in the bleachers at a soccer game recently.

But is this new generation really that bad? Am I really raising two heartless, selfish monsters? If you believe everything you read, I am. And so is everyone else.

The Miami Herald recently ran a story reporting on a book by family physician and psychologist Dr. Leonard Sax. In it, he “urges parents to reorder life for the sake of kids.” The article headline , “Why kids today are out of shape, disrespectful, and in charge,” makes a broad sweeping statement that would lead you to believe we have a major problem on our hands.

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Yet before you dismiss it or go to the extreme and worry that the sky is falling, give thought to its message - do we have our priorities (and maybe our habits) aligned and in order to properly raise our children and set them up for independence and success?

In his book, "The Collapse of Parenting: How We Hurt Our Kids When We Treat Them Like Grown-Ups," Dr. Sax makes compelling arguments that prompt us as parents to look inward at how we parent, the things we say, and how those actions shape the behavior we see from our children.

“Families are facing a crisis of authority,” the article recounts.

Headlines today have a fascinating impact on shaping reality and sentiment. Today’s narrative may be that kids are disrespectful and arrogant; tomorrow’s headlines could make us believe the compassion of today’s youth are saving the world. It’s easy to cast stones and make sweeping statements about a generation, but I’d like to believe people really aren’t that bad and that our world is filled with incredible kids -- and parents. In fact, I know first hand it is.

No one is truly ‘taught’ how to parent. We’re thrown into it when our children are born, and what we know about parenting we learn from our own parents, our own childhoods, trial and error, talking with friends, chats with pediatricians, workshops at places of worship, or reading up on our own. It’s safe to say we all want good things for our children and do the very best we can. At end of the day, knowledge is power, and the more informed we are, the better position we’re in to make choices - especially as parents. Dr. Sax’s book may be a worthy read so that parents have a better sense of self awareness about how our habits and actions affect our children.

Some of the biggest differences in generations between our grandparents, our parents, ourselves, and our children, are the distractions and time demands in our connected worlds at home and at work. With this “noise,” parents are often multitasking and expect kids to entertain themselves alone or with friends for short or long periods of time -- often from a very young age --  while we’re on our iPads, on a call, wrapping up work, driving carpools or taking care of housework. This habit creates independence in our children. A good thing, right? Yet, how many times have onlookers or we, as parents, been surprised when that child, no matter how young or old, expresses themselves, shows confidence or voices their wants? It’s often interpreted as strong-headed, bossy, or disrespectful, when in fact, the child is simply exhibiting the independence we’ve imposed on them from a very young age.

It made me think about my little monsters. They’re young, deliberate with their actions and words, and not afraid to speak their minds. Maybe as a working mom, our schedules and the things we do have made them that way. They’re also incredibly compassionate, sensitive, silly and bright. I’d like to think my husband and I have played a role in that, too.

Headlines should no longer define a generation - parents should. That job is on us. Perhaps Maya Angelou said it best when she said, “Do the best you can. And when you know better, do better.”

5 Ways Monitoring Your Kids' Social Media Activity Helps At Home

ADOBE STOCK PHOTO CREDIT

If you’ve ever been at the crossroads of wanting to let your kids spread their wings and wanting to stay in the know and watch out for their best interests - especially with online and social media activity - you’re not alone. Teenagers want more freedom and privacy, and overall, we want them to have their independence. (We were kids once, and sometimes we forget that in our parenting moments!) Online activity and social media usage, however, make what one might mean by “privacy” a different beast and a bit more complicated.

If you or your teen are stuck at the crossroads of accepting that giving you access to view their social media activity is okay, then here are five things to consider on how monitoring social media activity can help at home:

It builds trust and respect - in each other

When you and your child establish that you can view their social media and come to an understanding of the expectations, your child sees that you trust them. It makes it easier for them to be themselves while using social and digital media responsibly. As a parent, it helps remove the guessing game and wonder as you observe their interactions, and your trust in their choices and behaviors will continue to grow.

Less stress for both of you

Having access to technology and the privilege of using social media comes with responsibility, which makes understanding digital responsibility important for teens and adults. Being on the same page will mean less stress for both of you. If your child knows mom or dad are watching their social media usage, they’ll be more apt to think twice about what they are posting, which will help keep their social profiles clean. And if any activity sways from the ground rules you’ve established, they’ll learn through conversations or consequences the valuable lesson of accountability.

It strengthens your relationship when you interact with each other on social

Social media is how today’s youth keep in touch with people - and not just friends. It’s another way kids interact with their parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and even grandparents. With busy school and work schedules, happy birthday posts, #TBTs, videos, shout outs of appreciation, and tagging funny shares that remind you of each other or that you think each other would like to see are great things that keep relationships strong.

Both of you are more at ease with your child’s circle of friends

Next time your child has friends over or are going out with people, you’ll be more familiar with who is coming into your home and have a stronger sense of the people they hang out with. Since you’ll be familiar with their friends through social media, your child might feel more comfortable mentioning conversations, arguments or situations going on with their friends that you might otherwise not know about.

Creates a safe environment for your child - online and at home

When you’re in touch with their online activity and have a foundation of trust established, you can step in when you see red flags or determine whether your child is truly interacting with someone they know.Your child will know you have their back and are there for them when something goes wrong.

DijiWise Quiz: Do You Understand Teen Slang?

That OOTD is on fleek. Lol, look at what my bae said. Mupload that! 

Can you talk like a teen? We asked parents to guess what words like "bae" and "on fleek" mean, and they came up with some hilarious answers. Since understanding what our teens are saying helps us understand them better as a whole, we put together a fun quiz to help you figure out popular words and acronyms teens use.