Protecting Kids Online in the AI Era: The Path Forward (2026)

 

This paper is intended for policymakers, parents and caregivers, journalists, industry stakeholders, and all advocates concerned with what has become one of the greatest challenges of our time: balancing the benefits of advanced technology while the well-being of all children. It assesses key policy and legal debates around kids' online safety over the last five years, provides a framework for understanding their contours, and outlines critical steps that governments and advocates should take now. The solutions are at hand to protect children's safety and the continued growth of technology. The path forward requires bold leadership and vigilance among those who know the status quo is unacceptable.

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/featured-content/files/common-sense-media-protecting-kids-online-in-the-ai-era-the-path-forward.pdf

School Counseling Professional Development

 Dr. Russell Sabella offers workshops, presentations,  webinars, keynotes, and other speaking engagements.

Professional development may last from one hour to the span of a course or institute. Download a catalog that details various topics including:

• Artificial Intelligence in School Counseling
• Data Boot Camp for Counselors (also available online)
• School Counselor Side Hustle
• Solution Focused Brief Counseling and Parent/Teacher Consultation
• Technology Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts Boot Camps
• … and more!

https://schoolcounselor.com/professional-development/

From Social Media to School Halls: Understanding and Preventing Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying involves an imbalance of physical or emotional power and an intent to cause harm, like traditional bullying, and is not limited to the school day or school grounds. 

(Image credit: Getty Images)

 What is Cyberbullying? | Tech & Learning

https://www.techlearning.com/how-to/what-is-cyberbullying

Teens’ Experiences on TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat

Teens largely turn to TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat for fun and connection. But experiences around messaging, screen time and cyberbullying vary. And what teens say about how these sites impact their mental health

1. Unique Platform Roles

Teens use social apps for distinct purposes: TikTok dominates for entertainment and product reviews, Snapchat is the hub for close personal relationships, and Instagram serves as the primary way to follow interests and celebrities.

2. Snapchat’s High Engagement

Snapchat leads in active daily use, with 57% of teens messaging others and 30% posting original content every day. It remains the top choice for real-time, peer-to-peer connection compared to other major platforms.

3. TikTok’s Disruption Potential

TikTok users report the most difficulty with digital boundaries. Approximately 30% feel they spend too much time on the app, and it is significantly more likely to interfere with sleep and productivity than its competitors.

4. Positive Mental Health Leanings

While roughly 60% of teens say social media has no impact on their mental health, those who do report an effect lean positive. Specifically, nearly half of users say Snapchat helps strengthen their friendships.

5. The Parent-Teen Disconnect

A notable gap exists regarding screen time perceptions: only 28% of teen TikTok users feel they are on the app too much, compared to 44% of parents who believe their teen’s usage is excessive.

Read the full report: 

Teens’ Experiences on TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat | Pew Research Center https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/04/15/teens-experiences-on-tiktok-instagram-and-snapchat/

Roblox Introduces New Age-Based Accounts and Expanded Parental Controls for Users Under 16

Roblox is rolling out some big changes to keep younger players safer! Starting in June, they’re introducing new age-based accounts: Roblox Kids for ages 5–8 and Roblox Select for ages 9–15. These accounts will automatically limit content to age-appropriate games and set stricter communication defaults. Parents are also getting more granular controls, including the ability to approve specific games or block others entirely. It’s a major step toward making the platform a better environment for families and younger creators alike. Check out the full update from Roblox CEO David Baszucki here.

Bullying and Cyberbullying Offending Among US Youth: The Influence of Six Parenting Dimensions

 

Abstract

Bullying and cyberbullying prevention remain a major priority for schools, communities, and families, and research is clear that positive, constructive parenting practices can play a key preventive role. The current work explores six dimensions of parenting (warmth, structure, autonomy support, rejection, chaos, and coercion), and their specific relationship to school and online bullying. Using survey data from a nationally representative sample of 1474 English-speaking 12- to 17-year-old US youth, we found that students whose parent(s) exhibit warmth, structure, and autonomy support are less likely to have engaged in bullying or cyberbullying offending, while those with parental relations marked by rejection, chaos, and coercion are more likely to have participated in both forms of peer aggression. Implications for developing stronger parent-child relationships through improved parenting practices as a mechanism for bullying prevention are discussed.

Highlights

• Approximately 21% of US youth have bullied someone else at school in at least one or more ways in the last 30 days.
• Approximately 5% of US youth have bullied someone else online in at least one or more ways in the last 30 days.
• Positive parenting in the form of warmth, structure, and autonomy/support were linked to lower bullying and cyberbullying.
• Negative parenting in the form of rejection, chaos, and coercion were associated with higher levels of bullying and cyberbullying.
• Parental influence has a stronger impact on cyberbullying as compared to traditional bullying.

Bullying and Cyberbullying Offending Among US Youth: The Influence of Six Parenting Dimensions | Journal of Child and Family Studies | Springer Nature Link https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10826-021-02208-7

Vicarious supervision: Preventing cyberbullying through positive parent-child relationships

     Patchin, J. W., & Hinduja, S. (2026). Vicarious supervision: Preventing cyberbullying through positive parent-child relationships. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 102140. 

Abstract

As youth face various Internet-based risks while interacting online, parents need theoretically grounded, evidence-based insights on strategies to prevent their child(ren) from participating in inappropriate behaviors. An approach that can facilitate better decision-making online, rooted in social bond and attachment theory, is a concept we term vicarious supervision. This perspective emphasizes the parent-child relationships in the prevention of online misbehaviors. In particular, we argue that youth who are strongly attached to their parents will be more likely to believe that their parents know what they are doing online and as a result be less likely to misbehave online. Using a nationally-representative sample of 2500 middle and high school students between the ages of 12- and 17-years-old in the United States, we examined whether those who: (1) were strongly attached to their parents, (2) perceived their parents as knowing what they are doing online, and (3) considered how their parents would feel about their online activities, would be less likely to participate in cyberbullying. Results indicated that positive parent-child attachment did reduce a child's likelihood of participating in cyberbullying. Moreover, children who considered how their parents would feel about their online behaviors were less likely to cyberbully others. Implications for cyberbullying prevention and future research on these parent relationship concepts are discussed.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1359178926000157

Safer Internet Day from ConnectSafely

Safer Internet Day aims to not only create a safer internet but also a better internet, where everyone is empowered to use technology responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively.

Safer Internet Day | Safer Internet Day USA https://safer.connectsafely.org/

Teach Digital Citizenship: Free lessons and activities

 

Teach Digital Citizenship: Free lessons and activities that help students build essential digital habits and skills.

https://www.commonsense.org/education?lid=q88wpo0ec9dz

Kindness 101 with Steve Hartman Web Series

Kindness 101 with Steve Hartman Web Series | CBS Evening News - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLotzEBRQdc0f3PrQlYhNyDjIHF8bhOlpn

Poll shows most teens oppose classroom cellphone bans | K-12 Dive

Poll shows most teens oppose classroom cellphone bans | K-12 Dive

About 38 states have laws or policies on K-12 classroom or school cellphone usage, according to Ballotpedia. About 29 states have policies banning or limiting cellphones in classrooms.

https://www.k12dive.com/news/most-teens-oppose-classroom-school-cellphone-bans/809624/

The power of productive struggle

This flyer from the Brookings Institution provides parents and caregivers with practical strategies to help children aged 10–14 develop resilience and persistence when using generative AI tools. It emphasizes that while AI can offer quick answers, it often leads to “easy button” thinking that can undermine a child’s willingness to work through difficult problems. To counter this, the guide encourages families to set goals for AI use, treat AI mistakes as learning opportunities, and celebrate the process of learning rather than just the final output.

https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Brookings_Persistence-Through-Challenges-A_Flyer_DIGITAL.pdf

YouTube is adding new parental controls

 YouTube is adding new parental controls that let you set daily time limits or block access entirely for kids watching Shorts on supervised accounts.

YouTube Safety Update: New Parental Controls for Teens - YouTube Blog
https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/updates-youtube-supervised-accounts-teens/

The rise of deepfake cyberbullying

The rise of deepfake cyberbullying poses a growing problem for schools - ABC News 
Schools are facing a growing problem of students using artificial intelligence to transform innocent images of classmates into sexually explicit deepfakes. The fallout from the spread of the manipulated photos and videos can create a nightmare for the victims.

The challenge for schools was highlighted this fall when AI-generated nude images swept through a Louisiana middle school. Two boys ultimately were charged, but not before one of the victims was expelled for starting a fight with a boy she accused of creating the images of her and her friends.

Read more:
https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/rise-deepfake-cyberbullying-poses-growing-problem-schools-128611470

Common Sense Media: The 2025 Rewind

This year, parents came to Common Sense Media looking for something more than just “good movies for kids” or “age-appropriate content.” You were searching for stories that teach integrity. Movies that model empathy. Shows that demonstrate what good teamwork really looks like. 

Best Family Movies, Shows & Books of 2025 | Common Sense Media https://www.commonsensemedia.org/best-of-2025

OpenAI’s Teen Safety Blueprint, and What AI Platforms Should Do Next

Read the full article:

OpenAI’s Teen Safety Blueprint, and What AI Platforms Should Do Next -
https://cyberbullying.org/open-ai-teen-safety-blueprint-takeaways

Australian social media ban aims to 'save teens from predatory algorithms'.

Australia is implementing a new law to prevent children under the age of 16 from having social media accounts, with enforcement beginning on December 10, 2025. The government's Communications Minister, Anika Wells, has been a leading advocate for the legislation, arguing it will protect young people from the harmful content and addictive algorithms found on social media platforms. 

Australian social media ban aims to 'save teens from predatory algorithms'. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Gdsfz_te1Q4 

More information here: Communications Minister Anika Wells speaks about the social media ban at Press Club | ABC NEWS - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DCZAZy9jO4

What's Happening in Boys' Digital Worlds

A new study from Common Sense Media just dropped some eye-opening findings about how adolescent boys are navigating masculinity online. As a researcher and a parent of two adolescent boys, I have a personal stake in helping boys understand that there are multiple ways to be a man, not just a narrow version promoted in social media feeds and gaming communities. Some of the findings about what's happening with boys in digital spaces confirmed my own observations, and others surprised me. But it all has implications for your classroom too, where you may see impacts from a wide range of influencers. 

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research/boys-in-the-digital-wild-online-culture-identity-and-well-being

Digital Citizenship Week is October 20–24, 2025

Digital Citizenship Week | Common Sense Education

Each year during the third full week of October, Common Sense Media leads Digital Citizenship Week, an annual campaign to promote a healthy, balanced, and positive approach to media and tech use among young people.

https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship-week?lid=xnrtg83sig0m

Movies with Positive Role Models for Boys | Common Sense Media

Boys deserve more from their movies than narrow or biased representations. These films offer examples of kindness, compassion, selflessness, courage, and sensitivity—all things that are good for everyone to see, but especially for boys, who too often are bombarded with messages that prioritize the importance of being protectors, extremely fit, and financially successful. Inspire the kids in your life with these fun, family-friendly films that portray healthy masculinity. For other worthy role models, try these TV shows and books.

Read more: 

Movies with Positive Role Models for Boys | Common Sense Media https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/movies-with-positive-role-models-for-boys