Protecting Children in the Era of Technological Advances

States are taking action to regulate social media and protect children in the absence of federal legislation. The focus is on age-appropriate design, a framework originating in the UK, which requires online platforms to prioritize child safety in their designs. California was the first state to pass a privacy law in 2022, mandating safety assessments and design changes for children. Despite legal challenges, other states like Connecticut, Vermont, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, and New Mexico are either introducing or updating bills with age-appropriate design language. State legislators attribute the push to concerns about social media's impact on children's mental health, as Congress struggles to enact a national privacy standard.

At The Institute for Childhood Preparedness, we recognize how much work it is to keep up with today’s evolving online standards while keeping your child care business and children safe from cyber criminals. That is why The Institute for Childhood Preparedness has just launched "Cyber Security for Early Childhood Professionals" – a cutting-edge course to empower educators in protecting their child care business and ensuring online safety for young minds. 

Why is this course crucial? With the increasing influence of technology on children, it's essential for early childhood professionals to understand and implement cybersecurity measures.

In this course, you will learn what cyber security is, learn how to identify cyber threats and assess your risk, learn how to protect personal information, describe leading practices on how to stay safe on social media, discuss the importance of mobile device security, identify leading practices to increase safety and security while browsing the internet, and discuss how you can promote good digital citizenship for parents, children, and colleagues. 

Join the movement to safeguard the digital well-being of our youngest learners! Book a training session today and be at the forefront of creating a secure online environment for children.