SelfieCop...Monitor Those Pics!

Selfie was added to the dictionary this past May.  How may times a day do you hear and/or say the word?  How many 'selfies' do you take each day?  Here's the real question...how many selfies do your children take?  Do you even know?  Where do they post them?  What do they look like?  Odds are the popular site to upload a selfie to has changed since I started typing this blog entry.  As parents, we can hardly keep up.  I just learned of a new app that can keep you informed of what your child is posting as a selfie.  You might want to create a new email address.  The app is called SelfieCop.  It will send your child's selfies to your email address.  A link to an article is provided below and it is currently only available for Android users (iphone...it's coming soon)!  I have the app, and it's working.  Here's the details, and some of my thoughts to go along with it.

SelfieCop Article

1.  You have to tell your child you are installing it on their phone/tablet/etc.  Honesty is what you want to model.

2.  You are encouraging appropriate picture taking.  The goal is not to 'catch them' in a distasteful pose. I do wish the creators chose a different naming device other than 'cop' for this purpose.

3.  Stress the importance of keeping them safe and keeping communication lines open.  Remind them of the increase in internet crimes.

4.  Make sure you are not receiving photos on a work email.  You may want to consider opening a new email account for this purpose, especially if your child really loves to take selfies...your inbox may fill up quickly!

Finally, I cannot stress enough the importance of monitoring all of your child's internet activity.  It's a pain.  But you'll keep them safe.  They think they are invincible, and they trust.  You have to guide them.  Let this app help you out.

Keep it simple...but keep it safe!  ♥D