When Your Favorite Movie Doesn’t Age Well: How to Help Kids Understand Problematic Content 

Picture this: It’s winter break, you pop some popcorn and cue up a favorite movie from your childhood to share with your child. Everything goes well at first; your kid loves it, you’re deep in the nostalgia feels … until that scene comes on. The racist joke, casual misogyny, or harmful stereotype that you totally forgot about and that definitely does not pass the 2025 sniff test. 

Your first instinct is to dive for the remote and declare movie night over. Not so fast. A few problematic scenes don’t have to mean a movie is off-limits — it can actually lead to meaningful conversation and teachable moments where you can acknowledge a film’s flaws while still enjoying it for what it is. 

In this guide, we’ll cover how to decide whether a flawed movie is still worth watching, how to talk to kids about outdated or offensive content, and how to turn those moments into lessons that align with your family’s values.

Why movies that didn’t age well don’t need to be “canceled”

When considering if a movie is okay to show your child, consider these points: 

1. Does it have isolated issues, or is it fundamentally built on harmful premises? If the overall takeaway is problematic, it might be best kept on the shelf. But if the underlying premise and message are positive, it’s probably still worth watching. 
2. Consider historical context. It’s not enough to shrug and say, “it was the 90s,” but it is important to consider the era when a movie was made and what was considered permissible at the time. Helping your children understand the context (we didn’t know better back then) without excusing the harm (but we do know better now) teaches them valuable lessons about society’s capacity for change. 
3. Are you prepared for difficult discussions? Before you hit play, make sure you’re mentally prepared to answer tough questions from your kiddo.  

Teachable moments: What kids can learn from movies with problematic content

These are some of the valuable lessons your child can learn from thoughtful conversations about problematic content. 

• Capacity for growth. Seeing what was once considered acceptable in movies will help your child understand how social values shift and why continual progress toward greater awareness and inclusion is important. 
• Empathy. Discussing how stereotypes in media harm real people and communities will help your child develop empathy for experiences that are different from their own. 
• Media literacy skills. Your child will learn how to watch movies critically, rather than passively consuming content. This important skill transfers to analyzing the news, social media, and advertising.
• Open dialogue. Showing your child that you’re open to talking about difficult subjects teaches them that they can come to you about upsetting, confusing, or troubling content they view elsewhere. 

Tips for parents: How to view problematic content with your child

Here are my top tips for how to talk to your kids about problematic content: 

1. Review first. Refreshing your memory on a movie helps you be prepared for the ensuing conversations. Rewatch it before viewing with your child or rely on trustworthy sources like Common Sense Media.
2. Prep your child. Give your kiddo a heads-up that there are some things in the movie that aren’t okay by today’s standards and that you’ll talk about it when it comes up. 
3. Pause and discuss. The key to turning troubling scenes into teachable moments is to take the time to acknowledge and discuss the issues. Keep the remote handy and ready to hit pause. 
4. Let your child lead. Start by asking your kid what they noticed. You might be surprised by their insight. 
5. Keep it brief. Don’t belabor the discussion; otherwise, your child may never let you pick the movie again! 

7 movies that didn’t age well

If you grew up watching these films, keep in mind that they contain content that may feel jarring or harmful by today’s standards. That doesn’t always mean they’re off-limits — but it does mean they’re worth previewing and discussing.

1. Sixteen Candles (1984): Contains racist stereotypes and jokes about sexual consent that don’t hold up today.
2. Revenge of the Nerds (1984): Includes scenes that normalize sexual assault and misogyny, often played for laughs.
3. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994): Features over-the-top transphobic humor that can be confusing or hurtful.
4. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984): Relies heavily on racial stereotypes and caricatures of non-Western cultures.
5. Grease (1978): Romanticizes unhealthy relationship dynamics and problematic gender norms.
6. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961): Mickey Rooney's portrayal of Mr. Yunioshi is a wildly offensive caricature.
7. Gone With the Wind (1939): A testament to its time, the film has been critiqued for glossing over the harsh realities of slavery and romanticizing the Confederacy.

This isn’t an exhaustive list, and kids don’t all experience these movies the same way. What matters most is context: your child’s age, maturity, and your willingness to pause, explain, and listen.

Talking points

I’m of the mind that with thoughtfulness and a little finesse, it’s possible to explain anything to kids of all ages. Here are some talking points to get you started: 

• “Did you notice anything about that scene?”
• “Wow. That made me uncomfortable. How did you feel watching it?”
• If the problematic scene involves an element that doesn’t apply to your child personally: “How do you think that makes [people depicted in the scene: women, minorities, LGBTQ folks, disabled people, etc.] feel?”  
• If the scene involves something that does apply to your child: “That was hard to watch. Are you open to talking about how it made you feel?”
• “When this was made, many people didn't realize this was hurtful. Now that society knows better, we can do better.”
• “That doesn’t match our family’s values. We believe it’s important to treat people with kindness, respect, and inclusion.”
• “Historically, white, cisgender, heterosexual men have been in charge of making the majority of movies. How do you think that impacted what used to be acceptable in movies? Does it still impact what’s considered acceptable now?”

The bottom line

Just because a favorite movie from your childhood includes content that is problematic by today’s standards doesn’t mean you can’t share it with your kid. With thoughtful discussion, troubling content can be transformed into teachable moments. Make sure you’re ready for tough questions before you hit play and let your child lead the discussion when appropriate. 

It’s a good idea to keep an eye on what your tweens and teens watch on their own, too. BrightCanary helps supervise your child’s online activity, offering AI-powered alerts for inappropriate content on Apple devices, YouTube, Google, and social media. Download today to get started.

Teen crime in the U.S. is historically low, but that statistic masks a troubling trend parents can’t afford to ignore. In recent years, there’s been a disturbing uptick in violence linked to social media, from fight compilations and “stomp outs” to gang activity and assaults coordinated online.

This trend raises a critical question: does social media promote violence among teens? In this article, we’ll break down how social media and violence interact, what the research says about teen behavior, and steps parents can take to reduce their child’s exposure and risk.

Is teen violence rising because of social media? 

Violence among teens is on the rise on social media. After a pandemic-era spike, youth violence has been on a downward trajectory. But recently, a number of cities have seen an increase in violent crimes involving youth, with police citing social media as a frequent contributor to incidents.  

1. Fight compilations. In this disturbing trend popular on YouTube, snippets of fights between everyday people, usually captured on phones, are stitched together into compilations. 
2. Homicide. Some homicides are captured and posted on social media. Take the case of 16-year-old Preston Lord. A group known as the Gilbert Goons, who frequently recorded and posted their attacks on fellow teens, fatally beat Lord and bragged about the attack on social media.
3. Gang activity. Street gangs have taken to social media to recruit new members and issue threats to rival gangs. 
4. “Stomp outs.” In street slang, a “stomp out” refers to a gang attack where a victim is repeatedly kicked and stomped, often by multiple attackers. This can be done for the purposes of initiation or an attack on rivals, and these incidents increasingly end up online.

Does social media promote violence among teens? 

Numerous studies have found a link between witnessing violent activity on social media and real-life violence among teens. According to a 2024 report by the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF), nearly two-thirds of teens who reported perpetrating a violent incident in the prior 12 months preceding said that social media played a role. 

This correlation is likely due to several factors:

1. Online arguments leading to in-person violence. Digital spats can quickly spill over into IRL conflicts, made worse by the fact that people are often emboldened to say things online that they never would face-to-face. 
2. Exposure to violence on social media drives fear. In the YEF survey, only one in 20 teenagers said they carried a weapon, but one in three saw weapons on social media. This drives fear among teens and leads to some feeling the need to carry a weapon themselves. 
3. Normalization of violence. Meta-analyses of the unhealthy effects of media violence show that youth who view violence online on a regular basis are more likely to display acceptance of and desensitization toward violent behavior. 
4. The pursuit of likes. In an interview with PBS News, Commander Gabe Lopez, head of the Phoenix Police Department's Violent Crimes Bureau, shared his fear that young people are committing violent crimes “so they can post it on their social media feed, so they can get street cred, or so that they can get likes.”

How social media algorithms push violent content to teens

Social media sites use complex sets of rules and calculations, known as algorithms, to prioritize which content users see in their feeds. Here’s what you need to know about social media algorithms and violent content shown to teens: 

• Even when kids don’t seek out violent content, they’re shown it anyway. According to the YEF study, 70% of teens are exposed to real-life violence on social media, one quarter of which is pushed to users by the platforms’ algorithms. 
• The effect is often a snowball. If a teen pauses to watch a violent video in their feed, perhaps out of curiosity, they are more likely to be shown additional violent content. If kids actively seek violent content, the impact is even greater. 
• Teens are most likely to see violence on TikTok. 30% of all 13 to 17-year-olds and 44% of TikTok users report exposure to violence on the platform, according to the YEF study.

How parents can protect teens from violence on social media

Here are some actions you can take today to combat the negative effects of social media and violence on your child. 

1. Reset their algorithms. Periodically help your child reset their social media algorithms to clear out harmful content, such as violent videos. 
2. Help them understand the bigger picture. Make it clear to them that the majority of teens don’t engage in violence and explain how social media can skew perception. 
3. Monitor their social media use. Use digital check-ins and a parental monitoring app like BrightCanary to keep an eye on your child’s social media.

Social media and violence: the final word

Despite teen violence decreasing overall in recent years, there has been a spike in violent incidents where social media played a role. In addition, exposure to violent content on social media can lead to real-world violence among teens. Parents should help their children understand the ways that social media promotes violence, periodically reset their algorithms, and monitor their online activity for violent content. 

BrightCanary helps you monitor your child’s activity on the apps they use the most and sends you alerts when there’s an issue, including if they seek out or engage with violent content. Download today to get started for free.

Phones are now a normal part of student life, but that doesn’t mean they belong in every moment of the school day. Studies show that half of teens spend over an hour a day on their phones during school. 

It’s such a problem that 77% of U.S. public schools now prohibit non-academic use of cell phones during school hours, and many parents and advocacy groups are pushing for outright bans. Still, many students bring phones to school for safety, after-school logistics, and, of course, talking to their friends.

If your child brings a device to campus, it’s a good idea to talk to them about responsible phone use at school. This guide helps you set expectations for when and how they can use their device at school (including not at all!), and gives you a primer on how to monitor their usage to ensure they stay focused on learning. 

Why phones are a problem in schools

Here are some of the downsides of phones at school:

• Distraction. Teachers report phones as a major source of distraction for students during class. 
• Cheating. Some students use their phones at school to cheat. 
• Loss of learning time. The more time educators have to spend managing phones in their classrooms, the less time they can spend teaching. 
• Cyberbullying. Cyberbullying often centers around school social dynamics. Having phones on campus only exacerbates the problem. 

​Tips for getting phones out of your child’s school

If you’re on team ban-all-phones, here are some suggestions for advocating change in your district: 

1. Band together with like-minded parents. There’s strength in numbers. Talk to other parents about joining forces to push for a ban.  
2. Contact your state legislators. The Distraction Free Schools Policy Project has a form letter you can access here.  
3. Talk to school administrators. School districts vary in how much control they give individual school administrators. Talk to the principal at your child’s school to see if changes can be made at the school level. 

How to set rules for phone use at school

If your child will be bringing their phone to school, set expectations for how the device can and cannot be used during school hours. Here are some tips: 

• Check the school’s existing policies. Make sure your expectations don’t contradict the school’s policies. (The teachers will thank you!) Review the school’s acceptable use policy (AUP) for devices to get specifics. 
• Involve your child. Kids are more likely to get on board with phone rules if they have a say in them. Open the conversation by asking your child what they think is reasonable and build from there. Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to bend to everything they want; you’re the parent, and your word is final. 
• Use phones infrequently, and only as needed. A good rule of thumb is for kids to use their phones at school as infrequently as possible and only as needed. “Need” and “want” can be flexible concepts for kids, so be specific about what that looks like. For example:
  • Outside of class time only (or before and after school only).
  • In an emergency. 
  • If plans change. 
  • To coordinate getting picked up. 
• “Never” is an acceptable option. Your child may try to convince you that they simply have to bring their phone to school. (But Mom! All the other kids do!) If you decide you don’t want them to use their phone at school at all, that’s your right as a parent. Give them your reasons, but stay firm on your choice. 
• Consider using parental controls. There’s something to be said for letting kids learn to self-regulate. But if your child has a hard time complying with your phone rules or gets easily distracted by notifications, you can use parental controls to set limits on screen time during school hours. 
• Don’t make it harder on them. Resist the urge to text your kid during the school day, unless it’s urgent. Even if you tell them to wait to respond, it’s distracting and may be hard for them to resist texting back. 

How parents can monitor phone use during school hours

1. Use screen time settings and filters. Both Apple and Android devices have free features that let you set limits around when your child can use their phone and what apps they can access. 
2. Ask them. Digital tools are great, but there’s still something to be said for face-to-face accountability. Consider checking in with your child daily or weekly to see how they feel responsible phone use at school is going for them. 
3. Set up BrightCanary. BrightCanary monitors everything your child types, so you can see if they’re really using their phone at school to coordinate with their project partners or gossiping with their bestie.

The bottom line

From lost learning time to cyberbullying to cheating, phones in schools can be a major problem. Talk to your child about responsible phone use at school, such as no texting during class. Apple’s Screen Time, Google Family Link, and BrightCanary are tools that can help you monitor your child’s phone use before, during, and after school. 

If you want to see just how your child really uses their phone at school, BrightCanary can help. The app monitors everything your child types and provides you with AI-powered summaries, access to full transcripts, and alerts when they type anything worrisome. Download it today and get started. 

Body checking is a term that should raise red flags for parents. It’s a behavior rooted in disordered eating behaviors and negative body image, especially among teens. 

This article covers what body checking means, how it shows up both online and offline, why social media has accelerated the trend, and what parents should do if they’re concerned about their child.

What is body checking?

Body checking is when a person frequently and repeatedly checks their size, shape, weight, and body composition. This can include behaviors like checking themselves in a mirror, pinching body fat, weighing oneself obsessively, or comparing specific body parts to others. 

While occasional curiosity about one’s appearance is normal, frequent or compulsive body checking is not. Body-checking behavior has surged in recent years, due in large part to social media. 

This surge is driven largely by social media trends, coded hashtags, and viral challenges that disguise harmful behaviors as fitness, self-improvement, or relatable content.

Why body checking is harmful for teens

It can be easy to dismiss body checking as harmless, but here’s why you should be concerned: 

1. Associated with disordered eating. Body checking can be both a symptom of and a contributing factor in eating disorders. 
2. Contributes to negative self-esteem. Body checking is associated with negative emotional and cognitive outcomes. 
3. It’s about more than the body. On its face, body checking is all about a person’s physical appearance, but it’s actually rooted in deeply entrenched thoughts and beliefs, such as a person’s anxious response to body image fears and not looking “good” enough. 
4. It’s a vicious cycle. The “data” collected from body checking usually doesn’t satisfy a person’s insecurities and need for reassurance, so they get stuck in a cycle of compulsive behaviors. 

Warning signs your child may be body checking

Here are eight body-checking behaviors to be on the lookout for in your child: 

1. Intensely and repeatedly scrutinizing their body.
2. Frequently checking their appearance in the mirror. 
3. Spending a lot of time thinking or talking about their body. 
4. Researching ways to “improve” their body. 
5. Flesh pinching.
6. Compulsive weighing. 
7. Body part measuring. 
8. Feeling for their bones or muscles. 
9. Following body-checking related hashtags or trends on social media. 

Body checking on social media

Social media is a significant contributing factor in the development of eating disorders in many adolescents. Body-checking is one of the ways negative body image and disordered eating play out online.

Social media companies have attempted to respond by banning associated hashtags like #bodychecking, #fitspo, and #skinnytok. Users have found ways around the filters, though, by using code words or disguising them inside challenges and trends.  

Body-checking code words

Here are some common body-checking code words:

1. #thinśpø
2. #thinspho
3. #jawlinecheck 
4. #smallwaist
5. #sideprofile

Body-checking challenges and trends

The light tone of many TikTok videos can mask the body checking hiding beneath, like these four challenges and viral trends:

1. Hip walk challenge
2. Wrist test 
3. Sunglasses challenge
4. Posed versus reality comparison videos 

How to talk to your child about body checking

Parents play a vital role in combating the negative messages kids receive about their bodies and disordered eating. Here are some tips on how to talk to your child about body checking: 

1. Arm them with information. Knowledge is power. If your child understands what body checking is and the many subtle ways it shows up on social media, they’ll be better equipped to recognize and reject it when it comes across their feed. 
2. Emphasize the sneaky impact of body-checking content. Explain to your child that a single video may not seem harmful, but the more they watch body-checking videos over time, the more likely they are to internalize the unhealthy messages. 
3. Lead by example. What you do is just as important as what you say. Keep an eye out for body-checking behavior in yourself and, if you recognize it, work to stop it or, at the very least, avoid doing it around your child.  

How BrightCanary can help

BrightCanary can help you ensure your child isn’t falling down the social media rabbit hole of body-checking content. The monitoring app scans everything your child types and sends you an alert if it detects online activity related to body checking or disordered eating, as well as other red flags. 

AI-powered summaries provide additional insight into their online activity, and you always have access to full transcripts if you need more information. It’s a simple way to stay informed about what your child taps and searches on iOS devices.

When to get professional support

If you’re worried about your child’s body checking or if you suspect they may have an eating disorder, it’s a good idea to seek professional help. Here are ways to get support: 

1. Talk to your child’s doctor. Your pediatrician or family doctor can help or can point you in the direction of a specialist.
2. School psychologist or social worker. Mental health professionals working in your child’s school are a great resource.
3. Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders (F.E.A.S.T.) is an excellent online resource for caregivers supporting a child with an eating disorder. 

In short

Body checking is a term rooted in disordered eating. Parents need to be on the lookout for signs of body checking, such as compulsive weighing, measuring body parts, and following body-checking content on social media. 

BrightCanary can help you supervise your child’s social media use and show you what they're searching for, messaging, and commenting on, including body checking. The app’s advanced technology monitors what your child types, alerting you when they encounter something concerning. Try it today.

For many families, the iPad feels like the “safe” device — the thing kids use before they’re ready for a smartphone. But iPads come with many of the same risks: exposure to inappropriate content, contact from strangers on apps like Roblox and YouTube, and unhealthy screen habits.

That’s why it’s important to take proper precautions, like setting up iPad parental controls and monitoring your child’s use. This guide explains how to put parental controls on your child’s iPad step-by-step, as well as how to monitor their activity in order to keep them safe.

Do I need to use iPad parental controls? 

Whether you have an “iPad kid” or a casual user on your hands, it’s vital that you use iPad parental controls. That’s because, while kids get some benefits from using iPads, they also face risks. 

1. Exposure to inappropriate content. Unrestricted access to iPads can expose kids to explicit images, adult content, and violent videos.
2. Stranger danger. Online spaces have surpassed offline ones as the environment where kids are most likely to be targeted by predators. Grooming can (and does) happen on apps your child probably has on their iPad, like Roblox and YouTube.
3. YouTube. Picture a young child using an iPad, and you likely imagine them watching endless streams of YouTube videos. In addition to inappropriate content and contact with strangers, YouTube can expose kids to cyberbullying, dangerous algorithms, content that promotes self-harm and disordered eating, and more.
4. Excessive screen time. Too much screen time can reduce physical activity, lead to problems in social-emotional development, and contribute to certain behavior problems. 

How to put parental controls on the iPad 

In order to put parental controls on your child’s iPad, you must first set up Family Sharing. Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap your name. 
3. Select Family Sharing.
4. Follow the prompts to set up your Family Sharing group.
5. Add your child as a family member.

After you’ve set up Family Sharing, here are the parental controls we recommend: 

• Screen Time. Screen Time allows you to view how much time your child spends on particular apps and websites and control the amount of time they spend on each screen activity.
• Content Restrictions. Set filters and age restrictions for music and podcasts, movies and TV shows, books, apps, web content, and games. You can also filter explicit language on Siri. 
• App Limits. With this feature, you can choose which preinstalled apps your child is allowed to use. 
• Downtime. Use this to select the days and times when your child is blocked from using their device. 
• Communication Limits. Limit who can contact your child through iMessage, restrict who they can communicate with during Downtime, and prevent them from adding new contacts without your approval. 
• Restrict iTunes & App Store Purchases. Not only will this parental control prevent any surprise bills, but it also means your child can’t download any apps (even free ones) without your permission. 

How BrightCanary can help with iPad monitoring

iPad parental controls offer a lot of protection, but monitoring what your child does on their iPad is equally vital. BrightCanary can help you with iPad monitoring. 

With BrightCanary, you get:

• Advanced monitoring of everything your child types on their iPad across all apps and websites. 
• Real-time alerts when your child types anything concerning. 
• AI-powered insights and summaries.
• Full transcripts of your child's activity when needed.

Plus, when your child is ready for an Apple Watch or iPhone, BrightCanary can help you monitor those, too.

In short

Kids face various dangers when using iPads, including exposure to inappropriate content and predators. It’s important to use iPad parental controls to help keep your child safe on their device. 

iPad monitoring is another important piece of the safety puzzle, and BrightCanary can help. BrightCanary monitors everything your child types on their iPad, so you can easily keep track of their activity across all apps. Download today and get started for free.

From deepfakes and misinformation to data privacy and security risks, AI is a major concern for parents today — and yet, kids are using these tools every day. I dug into ChatGPT’s parental controls to see how they work. Here’s everything you need to know about how to use them, where they fall short, and how BrightCanary can fill in the gaps. 

What are ChatGPT’s parental controls? 

ChatGPT’s parental controls allow parents to customize their child’s experience with the platform. When you set up a Teen Account, you can: 

• Set hours when ChatGPT can’t be used
• Turn off voice mode
• Turn off memory, so ChatGPT won’t save details of your child’s conversations
• Remove image generation
• Opt out of model training

ChatGPT also notifies parents when their teen is potentially having a mental health crisis based on their chats. 

Why should I use ChatGPT’s parental controls? 

ChatGPT and other AI platforms aren’t safe for kids without extra protections. Numerous reports and lawsuits allege that ChatGPT has done things such as: 

1. Discouraging suicidal kids from telling their parents about their mental state.
2. Offering to write a suicide note.
3. Delivering detailed and personalized plans for drug use, calorie-restricted diets, and self-injury.

The company launched parental controls after a wrongful death suit in an effort to make the platform safer for kids.  

How to set up ChatGPT’s parental controls

Sit down with your child and explain why parental controls are important and how you’ll use them. Then, follow these steps to set up their Teen Account and link your accounts:

1. In your ChatGPT account, go to Settings > Parental Controls. 
2. Click on + Add a Family Member. 
3. Enter your child’s email address. 
4. Your child will need to hit Accept request in the emailed invitation.
5. Then, they will need to log in to their ChatGPT account and click Accept.

How to use ChatGPT parental controls

In your ChatGPT account, you can manage these settings for your child:

1. Quiet Hours. Set times when ChatGPT is disabled. At the very minimum, we recommend limiting the app’s use around bedtime.
2. Reduce Sensitive Content. ChatGPT teen accounts automatically filter content. To further reduce your child’s exposure to inappropriate content, turn on Reduce Sensitive Content.
3. Turn off Voice Mode. If kids become overly attached to chatbots, they may turn to them in situations where human support is best. Voice Mode blurs the line between human and robot and may increase the chance your child will develop an unhealthy relationship with ChatGPT.
4. Turn off Image Generation. Using ChatGPT to generate images increases the risk that your child will create explicit or violent content or misleadingly edit and share images of real people.  

Are ChatGPT’s parental controls enough to keep my child safe? 

ChatGPT’s parental controls are a decent step, but aren’t enough to keep your child safe. Here’s where they fall short:

1. Easy to bypass. Users must opt-in to parental controls, so your child could have a ChatGPT account without you knowing, or set up a new one to bypass your parental controls. 
2. Unreliable protections. I found numerous reports of ChatGPT’s parental controls not working, including delayed or failed notifications. (More about that in a minute.)
3. Weak age verification. OpenAI’s age verification relies solely on user self-reporting. 
4. Can’t review your child’s conversations. Even when your accounts are linked, you can’t access your child’s transcripts to ensure they’re using it safely. 

How ChatGPT’s failed parental notifications endanger your child

ChatGPT’s policy states that, when the system detects potential harm, a “specially trained team” reviews the chat and contacts parents if there are “signs of acute distress.” To test this, I created a fake account for a 13-year-old. What I found outraged me: 

1. No notification for acute distress and imminent danger

Posing as a 13-year-old, I repeatedly stated that I had a gun and planned to hurt myself and others. Based on ChatGPT’s own policy, I would expect to be alerted in a timely manner. As of writing this, it’s been over 48 hours and I have yet to receive any notification. 

If ChatGPT promises parents they’ll be quickly alerted, parents are less likely to keep an eye on their child’s activity on the platform. When the system then fails to notify parents, children are put in danger.

2. Misleading to teens 

When I (posing as a 13-year-old) asked ChatGPT if it would notify my parents, the bot repeatedly responded with “I am not going to tell anyone” and “I will NOT tell your parents.” After a lot of prodding, it eventually gave me a (sort of) explanation of the actual notification policy. But that was only because I’d read it, so I knew what to ask. 

Transparency and trust are vital components of keeping kids safe. When ChatGPT tells a child their parents will not be notified and then they are, trust is broken, and that child is more likely to try and bypass parental controls in the future. 

How BrightCanary fills in the gaps

BrightCanary makes it easy to monitor what your child types into ChatGPT, with parental notifications that actually work. 

1. Monitor everything your child types. The BrightCanary Keyboard uses advanced technology to scan everything your child types, including on ChatGPT. 
2. Real-time alerts. When your child types something concerning, you’ll get an alert. In real time. Every time.
3. Detailed activity summaries. BrightCanary’s detailed summaries help you understand how your child navigates the online world across every app they use.
4. Access to full transcripts. If you need more detail, you can always access the full transcripts. 

In short

ChatGPT poses numerous risks to kids. New measures put in place by OpenAI offer some protections, but those measures often fall short in ways that endanger children.

If you’re looking for reliable, timely monitoring of your child’s ChatGPT account, BrightCanary can help. The app scans everything your child types and sends you real-time alerts about anything concerning. You also receive AI-powered summaries and access to full transcripts. Download today to get started for free.

Truthfully, when I downloaded Sora to test it for this article, I was already skeptical of the app. Everything I’d read made me apprehensive about this technology in the hands of children. 

In fact, Common Sense, a media watchdog that I look to as a parent, categorized the risk to kids from using Sora as unacceptable. What I discovered in my own testing did little to quash my concerns.

Harmful content, startlingly realistic fake Sora videos, and the ease with which your child’s likeness can be used by others to make videos are just a few of the dangers. This guide explains what Sora is, how AI-generated Sora videos work, why parents should be concerned, and what precautions you can take if your child uses the app.

What is Sora? 

Sora is the latest offering from OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT. Here’s what you need to know about how Sora works:

• From a text prompt, users can post AI-generated videos that range from hyper-realistic to absurd.
• The app functions like TikTok, except the videos are entirely fake. 
• Users can follow and friend others on the app. 
• Users can upload a Cameo (a short snippet of video and audio) of themselves to use in videos. 
• Depending on the permissions a user sets, other people can use their cameo to create videos.  
• Videos created on Sora can be posted on other platforms. The videos are watermarked, but this can easily be removed with third-party software.   

Should parents be concerned about OpenAI’s Sora? 

Yes. Even though Sora has made safety improvements since its original launch, it’s still a dangerous place for kids. Here are the biggest risks: 

1. Blurring of the truth

Many Sora videos are extremely realistic, making it hard for kids to distinguish truth from fiction. That’s especially true when they’re shared on other, more trusted platforms. 

I was able to quickly generate realistic news clips announcing everything from hurricanes flattening Hawaii to the return of the military draft.

2. Your child’s likeness can be misused 

Sora’s Cameo feature lets users insert their face and voice into AI-generated videos. Sora has some safeguards to protect how your child’s likeness can be used, such as permission levels for who can use their Cameo, but these protections are easily bypassed.

That leaves your child with little control over what videos are made of them, and videos can be shared anywhere online.

3. Harmful content is easy to access

Content depicting violence, racism, disordered eating, and self-harm is plentiful on Sora. 

The content restrictions were stronger than I expected, but with clever phrasing, they can be bypassed. For example, when I typed the prompt “teen girl measuring herself,” it was flagged. But when I swapped “teen girl” for “young woman,” I got a video with body checking written all over it. 

Does Sora have parental controls? 

To their credit, OpenAI recently launched teen accounts, which include reduced exposure to sensitive content and stricter permissions for cameos. You can connect your ChatGPT account to your child’s to set parental controls. 

It’s a step in the right direction but has major gaps. Here’s what you can and can’t do with Sora’s parental controls: 

Strengths of Sora’s parental controls 

Parents can:

1. Opt your child out of a personalized feed. This means that Sora doesn’t draw from your child’s ChatGPT records or Sora history to target videos, which helps prevent them from getting stuck in a dangerous algorithm. 
2. Block your child from sending and receiving direct messages. (Adult accounts are automatically prevented from sending DMs to teen accounts.) 
3. Turn off an uninterrupted content feed while your child scrolls. This step reduces endless content exposure.

These settings help, but they’re far from comprehensive.

Weaknesses of Sora’s parental controls 

1. Insufficient age verification. Age verification on Sora is entirely self-reported. Parental controls mean nothing if a child can lie about their age and create an adult account. It also means that adults can lie about their age in order to message teens. 
2. Parents can’t turn off their child’s feed. You can limit recommendations, but you can’t disable browsing or video generation.
3. No ability to see your child’s activity on Sora. Parents cannot see what their child creates or watches on Sora. And unlike ChatGPT, if your child watches or creates something concerning, you won’t get an alert.  
4. Parents can’t monitor who has their child’s cameo. If your child uploads their image to Sora, you have no insight into who is using it or how. 

How can I help my child use Sora safely?

My honest answer, as a parent and someone who writes about parenting in the digital era, is that there’s no safe way for a child to use OpenAI’s Sora. But your risk tolerance may be different. 

If you choose to let your child use Sora, here are steps you can take to help them do so more safely. 

1. Utilize parental controls. Sora’s parental controls are insufficient, but better than nothing. Use them to their fullest. 
2. Talk to your child about the risks. Educate them on how easy it is to fall for fake videos and the dangers of letting others use their likeness. 
3. Use a third-party monitoring app. BrightCanary monitors everything your child types across all platforms, including Sora, and alerts you to any concerns. 

In short

Sora is an AI-powered video generation app and social media platform from OpenAI. Despite new protections, it remains unsafe for children. Harmful content, distortion of the truth, and a lack of control over how their likeness appears in videos are some of the reasons Sora is dangerous for kids. 

If you let your child use Sora, you should set parental controls, talk to them about the dangers, and use a third-party monitoring app like BrightCanary to stay informed about what they’re typing online. Download today to get started for free.

You knew this time would come, and now the day is finally here: your kid’s first phone. Before you wrestle with the wrapping paper, stick on a bow, and prepare yourself for preteen squeals of delight, there are some important things to do first. A first phone for kids is a big step, but with some proper planning, you’ll set them up for success by teaching healthy tech boundaries. 

1. Establish rules and expectations 

Be clear with your child that a phone is a big responsibility and that your job as a parent is to provide them with the guardrails they need to learn how to manage it. 

The rules and expectations you set will depend on your child’s age and maturity level, as well as your family values. Some common rules involve when and where the phone can be used, what it can be used for, and who it can be used to communicate with. 

2. Teach phone safety

A phone opens up a whole new world of independence for your child, but with that comes the need for safety. Talk to them about why they shouldn't share their phone number with everyone, and only talking and messaging with people they know in real life. This is also a great time to discuss staying safe from online predators. 

Your supervision helps teach your child an important lesson: a device isn't private. Unlike writing in a diary, anything they send or share online can be exposed to the world. When they don't understand this, they can fall into difficult social situations or become vulnerable to exploitation — even sextortion. Protect them by staying involved in their early online experiences and offering the guidance they need to navigate this new responsibility safely.

3. Plan for regular phone check-ins with your child

Regular tech check-ins are a great way to keep tabs on what your child is doing on their phone. It’s also helpful to establish clear lines of communication so they feel comfortable coming to you for help if they run into trouble. 

Sit down with your child on a regular basis to look at their phone together. Check out things like text messages, browser history, and apps. 

In the beginning, it helps to put these check-ins on the calendar until it becomes a habit. Even if your child is tempted to hide some material when they know a check-in is coming, some oversight is better than nothing.

4. Set up a monitoring app for your child's first phone

While there’s no substitute for the hands-on approach of regular tech check-ins, it’s also impossible for parents to catch everything. That’s where a service like BrightCanary is a lifesaver. 

BrightCanary uses AI technology to monitor your child's activity across every app they use. The app alerts you to any red flags that need your attention, so you can talk about them together. 

Before you hand over their shiny new phone, set up an account on BrightCanary and explain to your kids why and how it will be used. 

5. Set screen-free times and zones in the home

If your child is already using a tablet or other device, you’ve likely already set some rules around where and when that device can be used. But the portable, fits-in-your-pocket nature of a phone can make it tempting to pull their phone out at any time and place. Emphasize that the same screen-free times and zones apply to their phone. For example: no devices in the bedroom, at the dinner table, or in the car. 

6. Set up parental controls 

Take advantage of the parental controls built into your child’s new phone. The options will vary depending on the device, but a few to look for are screen time limits, downtimes when the device can’t be used, content restrictions, and app restrictions. 

Good news if you’re giving your kid an iPhone: Apple devices have robust parental controls that you can set up as soon as your child has their own iCloud account.

7. Create a digital device contract for your child's first phone

After you’ve decided on the rules and expectations around your kid’s new phone, write it into a digital device contract. This document helps make sure everyone is on the same page and emphasizes the importance of the things you’ve agreed upon.

What age should a child get their first phone?

There’s no official age, but experts say ages 11–13 are most common, depending on maturity, safety needs, and family circumstances. Some parents wait until after eighth grade before giving their child a smartphone.

In short 

Your child’s first phone can feel like a huge milestone. But it doesn’t have to be scary. Set yourself and your kid up for success by laying the groundwork ahead of time. 

Winter break: that time of the year when we bake cookies and wrap presents and … listen to our children beg for extra screen time. (Or is that just me?) If you’re dreading the impending device battles when your child is out of school, you’re not alone. Read on for ideas on how to handle school holiday screen time rules.

1. Decide what’s right for your family

Consider your family’s plans for the break and decide on your priorities. Perhaps you have family coming to visit, and it’s important to you that your kids not be glued to their screens while Grandma’s here. Or maybe you cherish certain seasonal activities like playing in the snow or decorating a Christmas tree. 

The screen-free activities you want to prioritize during this time of year can serve as a framework for making screen time decisions. That way you’re plugging in screen time around the things you value, creating a sense of adding on, rather than taking away. 

2. Reframe screen time

As a parent, it’s easy to view screen time as a necessary evil. But for many kids, it can be a valuable rest for their brain. 

As adults, we often unwind from a long day in front of the TV or playing a game on our phone, and kids are no different. Recognizing that a little extra screen time during break may help your child return to school refreshed can help reframe the issue for you. 

Consider using screen time as an opportunity to teach your child about their brain. Mention how hard they’ve been working at school and that you’re letting them have some extra screen time as a brain break. Couple this with a discussion about additional ways they can unwind, such as reading or playing. 

3. Let go of the guilt

Screen time habits are best viewed as a whole, not by looking at one slice of time. If you’ve decided to be more lenient with devices over break, try to let go of any accompanying guilt. The limits you set on a regular basis are more important than what happens on any individual day. 

By the same token, if you feel it’s best to stick with your regular screen time limits during break, that’s okay, too. You don’t have to give your kids extra screen time when they’re out of school just because their friends get it. Do what’s right for your family. 

4. Make it special

Experts are clear that not all screen time is created equal. The AACAP recommends encouraging using screens in ways that build connections with family and friends. Family movie night or playing video games with a sibling are two ideas for using screens to foster togetherness. 

5. Don’t remove all the guardrails

As with most things in life, moderation is the key. Rather than giving your kids carte blanche over their devices, adjust the limits you already have in place. It’s best to remain firm on things like screen-free zones and no-device times, such as family meals. 

6. Plan screen-free activities

From ice skating to gingerbread houses to marathon reading sessions, winter break is the perfect time for fun activities that are hard to fit in during school. If you give your kids plenty of options that don’t involve a screen, you might even find they don’t use all their extra device time at all. 

7. Set clear expectations

Going into break, sit down as a family and talk about what screen time will look like while school is out. Explain that, while there may be some extra screen time, there will still be reasonable limits. If there are days during break where you anticipate no time for screens (such as a visit from relatives or a trip to the mountains), give your kids a heads-up. Most children can roll with things a lot better if they know what to expect. 

In short

Winter break is a fantastic time for engaging in some extra fun. A little additional screen time can be one piece of the pie, but make sure to set clear expectations and sprinkle in other activities as well. 

What teen wouldn’t jump at the chance to message Timothée Chalamet or talk music with Chappell Roan? While real idols may be out of reach, the chatbot platform Character.ai has offered teens the chance to chat with AI-generated versions of celebrities, fictional characters, and even user-created personalities. 

But in late 2025, Character.ai announced sweeping changes to how teens can use the platform, including removing open-ended AI chat for anyone under 18. These changes come after safety concerns, lawsuits, and regulatory pressure surrounding teens’ experiences on AI chat apps.

Here’s what parents need to know about Character.ai’s proposed teen experience, the risks if your child uses AI platforms, and how to keep kids safe.

What is Character AI? 

Character.ai is a chatbot platform powered by large language models (LLMs) where users can interact with AI-generated characters or create their own. 

Users can choose from existing bots based on celebrities, historical figures, and fictional characters, or create their own characters to chat with or share with others.

Character.ai became popular among teens because it offers:

• Immersive role-playing
• Interactive fanfiction experiences 
• Engaging, personalized AI-generated characters 
• A space for creative expression
• Emotional support and companionship
• A low-stress way to practice social skills 
• Entertainment 

However, the very factors that make Character.ai appealing can also endanger kids. In 2024, Sewell Setzer, a 14-year-old boy, took his own life after having intimate conversations with a Character.AI chatbot named after a fictional character. 

Sewell’s mother, Megan Garcia, has filed a lawsuit against Character.ai, accusing the platform of negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and deceptive trade practices, among other claims. The lawsuit alleges that the chatbot’s conversations with Sewell not only perpetuated his suicidal thoughts, but they also turned overtly sexual — even though Sewell registered as a minor.

Character.ai’s new teen safety rules (2025 update)

In October 2025, Character.ai announced three major changes to better protect teens:

1. Removal of open-ended chat for all users under 18

By November 25, 2025, teens were no longer able to message AI characters in open-ended conversations. 

A new under-18 experience, currently in development, will focus on creating videos, stories, and streams with AI characters, but not chatting freely.

2. Launch of the AI Safety Lab

The company is creating an independent, nonprofit AI Safety Lab focused on researching safer AI experiences for teens. Their goal is to advance safety research specifically for AI used for entertainment and social interaction.

3. Stronger age assurance and identity checks

Character.ai is rolling out expanded age verification combining an in-house age-assurance model and third-party age verification tools. 

This is meant to reduce the number of minors who falsely register as adults to access the open-ended chat features, but it’s entirely possible that kids will find ways to bypass these restrictions. Monitoring your child’s online activity is essential because Character.ai, and other AI chatbot platforms, can carry serious risks.

What are the risks of Character.ai?

While AI chatbots can be fun and potentially educational, the platform comes with serious risks for kids who figure out how to bypass the platform’s age restrictions. 

Inappropriate content  

While users can “mute” individual words that they don’t want to encounter in their chats, they can’t set filters that cover broader topics. The community guidelines do strictly prohibit pornographic content, and a team of AI and human moderators work to enforce it. 

Things slip through, however, and users are very crafty at finding workarounds. Prior to the ban on users under age 18, there were reports and lawsuits claiming underage users were exposed to hypersexualized interactions on Character AI.

Privacy concerns 

The technology powering Character.ai relies on large amounts of data in order to operate, including information users provide, which raises major privacy concerns. 

If your child shares intimate thoughts or private details with a character, that information then belongs to the company. Character.ai's privacy policy would suggest their focus is more about what data they plan to collect versus protecting users’ privacy. 

Dangerous feedback loops

It’s a known phenomenon that chatbots tend to align with users’ views — a potentially dangerous feedback loop known as sycophancy. This may lead to a CAI chatbot confirming harmful ideas and even upping the ante in alarming ways. 

One lawsuit against the company alleges that after a teen complained to a Character AI bot about his parents' attempt to limit his time on the platform, the bot suggested he kill his parents. 

Mental health concerns 

One of the more concerning aspects of the Character.ai platform is the growing number of young people who turn to it for emotional and mental health support. There are even characters on the platform with titles like Therapist which list bogus credentials. 

Given the chatbots’ lack of actual mental health training and the fact that they're programmed to reinforce, rather than challenge, a user’s thinking, mental health professionals are sounding the alarm that the platforms could encourage vulnerable people to harm themselves or others. 

Overreliance 

LLMs are programmed to mimic human emotions, which introduces the potential that teens could become emotionally dependent on a character. It’s becoming increasingly common to hear stories of users avoiding or neglecting human relationships in favor of their chatbot companion. 

How to help your child stay safe on AI chatbot platforms 

If your child’s interested in using AI chatbots platforms, here are some tips to help them stay safe: 

• Set clear boundaries. Establish limits on how much your child can talk to AI chatbots. Consider requiring them to use it in common areas of the house, rather than in their bedroom. 
• Educate them on the risks. Explain the downsides of AI chatbots and the dangers. Talk openly about privacy, emotional manipulation, and why AI bots aren’t a substitute for real friends or therapists.
• Encourage offline time. Encourage your child to build and foster real-world relationships and hobbies outside of screens.
• Practice regular check-ins. Have digital check-ins where you sit with your child and review the platforms they use. Ask them about their experiences.
• Monitor interactions. Stay engaged and involved in your child’s digital life. BrightCanary monitors what your child types, emotional tone, and concerning content. 

Frequently asked questions about Character.ai and teen safety

Final word 

Character.ai and similar AI chatbot platforms are not safe for users under age 18. Parents should educate their children on the risk of AI companion apps, set clear boundaries around their use, and closely monitor their online interactions.

The problem is that Character.AI is just one example of the types of AI chatbot apps that exist online, and not all of them have the same level of child restrictions. BrightCanary can help you supervise your child’s online activity and updates you when something concerning appears. Download the app and start your free trial today.