Our Internet Is Not Our Kids' Internet
Thinking about “what are my kids doing on the Internet?” has to be one of the questions that really keeps parents up at night. Back in our day (insert ironic old timely voice here) we had to fire up the monster block desktop and listen to that weird dial-up tone for a few minutes to even get on the Internet. Then if your mom wanted to make a phone call at the same time you had to disconnect and sit there for basically an eternity while you waited to get back on. Now kids can just pull a phone out and be connected to literally anything, anywhere, in seconds. Not to mention the stuff they have free access to online now is a whole lot scarier than downloading a virus off LimeWire.
A New Approach to Kids’ Online Safety
Sometimes letting your kids use the Internet feels like someone set up a daycare inside a biker bar; you drop your kids off and tell them not to leave the daycare area or who knows what they’ll be exposed to. And then you spend the next hour thinking “uhhh, was that a good idea?” It would probably make a bit more sense to put the daycare somewhere safer, right? Somewhere you feel like you can just drop them off, go run your errands for an hour, and not have to worry.
At Genie, we’re leading that change by creating that safe, fun space designed specifically for kids. We’re not building a daycare (sorry), but we are building The Internet for Kids.
Sounds great, sure, but how are we actually going to do that?
Working With You to Keep Your Kids Safe
First, we’re empowering parents by keeping them in the loop about what their kids are actually doing on the Internet and who they’re talking to. No one knows your kids better than you. We want to give you the best information we can about potential online concerns, so you can make the best decisions you can for your children. This includes knowing who your kids are talking to and what they are talking about. Ultimately you are the best person to decide if something is concerning and what should be done about it. Genie’s here to help you protect them from issues big and small, with tech built by parents for kids.
Stranger Danger and Data
Secondly, we’re going to keep unwanted adults off our platform. Parents and caregivers only. There aren’t any rogue accounts, predators, or bullies messaging kids out of the blue. In fact, we have it set up so that even other parents can’t privately chat with kids other than their own family. We all hear about all the serious stuff on the news everyday, and we work tirelessly to ensure none of those people make it onto Genie. This also includes the less serious stuff too. I know I don't want advertisers bombarding my kids with ads tailored to them trying to convince them they NEED that new toy.
You can rest assured knowing your child’s data won’t go anywhere or be used for anything bad. We’re not selling shiny plastic to your kid, or trying to trick them into downloading a new avatar outfit for $2.99. More than that, we will never sell your child’s data to people who are doing that. Genie also knows what addresses, phone numbers, and birthdays look like, and can prevent those from being shared. We know once information gets on the Internet you can’t get it back; so we built tools to keep it from ever getting out there.
The Tools You Need (and not the ones you don’t)
Next, we’re keeping content age-appropriate on Genie. This includes everything from language to jokes to sexual content. We’re even taking it a bit further - Genie is designed to remain apolitical and areligious. While Genie is designed to be empathetic and accepting of all views, it won’t try to persuade or convince your kids that something you told them is wrong. We don’t judge any parent for teaching their kids to what they choose to. But that’s the point; it’s up to you to do that, not us.
Genie isn’t here to judge anyone’s personal beliefs, and it’s also not here to replace parents, friends, or anyone else in your child’s journey. Genie is a tool your kids can use to learn more about the world and learn how to exist on the Internet safely and responsibly while having fun. It’s also a tool for you to use to help keep your kids safe. While you’re doing the never-ending to-do list of a parent Genie keeps watch, so you can feel a little better about not being able to constantly look over your kid’s shoulder to make sure they’re safe online.
Building The Internet for Kids
Ok, we just talked a lot about safety… We’re parents too, we spend a LOT of time thinking about this stuff, so you can worry about it a little less. But being a kid isn’t just about being safe, it’s also about having fun, connecting with your friends, and learning about what all is out there in the world. At Genie, we’re building plenty of ways for your kids to safely connect and explore the wonders of the Internet. Whether that’s video chatting while they play games with their friends or getting messages from you about school pickups, Genie is designed specifically to keep kids safe while they’re having fun. Our AI also offers endless new ideas for your kids to learn about while having fun. Everything from math to dinosaurs is only one question away for them.
Creating a fun, safe Internet for Kids is a lofty goal. Earning a parents’ trust is even tougher. However, we’re trying to do both at Genie. We know it won’t be easy, but we know we can do it. Sign up for Genie today for free, in under a minute, and see just how we’re tackling the idea of children’s safety in today’s online world. We hope you’ll give us a chance to prove we can do it, and that you’ll work with us to create the Internet that we all want to see for our kids.
The Team Working to Keep Kids Safe
This blog post was written with the help of Geoff Davis, Genie’s own Trust and Safety expert. After serving as a Military Intelligence Officer in the Army, he transitioned to civilian life where he met Darius. Geoff’s time in the Army was focused on keeping our service members safe, which made him a natural fit to help out at Genie.
Geoff has done everything from deploying to Afghanistan to overseeing intelligence collection. This built the real-world experience to understand what it takes to keep people safe against any danger, and we're lucky to have him here at Genie!
Comments