简体中文
EnglishWhat is ConnectSafely and what kind of information does it provide?
Updated
ConnectSafely is a nonprofit resource site that helps parents, teens, and educators navigate online safety and digital literacy. It publishes plain-language guides, news explainers, and practical advice on topics such as generative AI, parental controls, online scams, sports betting, and age verification. It is a good starting point if you want to understand a digital-safety issue and decide what to do next, rather than a technical or legal reference.
Who the site is for
The homepage content is organized around family and youth audiences:
- Parents looking for guidance on controls, AI, and scam risks
- Teens and young adults facing issues like sports betting and online recruitment scams
- Educators and other adults who support young people online
Articles are written for a general audience, so you can read them without a technical background.
What topics it covers
The homepage lists current guides and explainers, which shows the site's range:
| Topic | Example content on the site |
|---|---|
| Generative AI | Parent and Teen Guide to Generative AI; How to Spot AI Mistakes |
| Parental controls | Family Guide to Parental Controls — when to use them and whether to tell kids |
| Scams | From Insurance to Elections, How Scammers Exploit Current Events; Scams Targeting Student-Athletes |
| Platform policy and safety | What the Meta Settlement Means for Parents & Teens |
| Age verification | Age Assurance is Coming to the Internet |
| Gambling and betting | What Teens and Young Adults Should Know About Sports Betting; Prediction Markets: Gambling by Another Name |
The mix is deliberate: some pieces are evergreen how-to guides, while others respond to news events and explain what they mean for families.
What kind of information you get
Content generally falls into three formats:
- Guides that walk through a topic and offer practical steps, such as the parental-controls guide
- Explainers that break down a new technology or policy change, such as the generative AI guide or the Meta settlement piece
- Risk awareness articles that describe how specific scams work and what to watch for, such as fake recruitment profiles targeting student-athletes
The emphasis is on understanding and prevention. Articles tend to explain the risk, describe how it shows up in practice, and suggest what families can do.
How to use the site
- Start with the topic that matches your concern — for example, a parent setting up controls can go straight to the parental-controls guide.
- Read the news explainers when something changes — settlement, policy, or platform updates are covered with a family-impact angle.
- Use the guides as conversation starters — several pieces are framed as parent-teen material, which makes them easy to read together.
- Check dates on news pieces — the homepage shows publication dates, and policy-related articles reflect the situation at the time of writing.
What to keep in mind
ConnectSafely is an awareness and education resource, not a tool provider. It does not offer its own parental-control software, and its articles describe risks and approaches rather than prescribing one product. For step-by-step configuration of a specific device or app, you will still need that platform's own documentation. Use ConnectSafely to understand the issue and decide what matters for your family, then go to the relevant platform for the actual settings.