Family guides for connected homes
Real Risks. Practical Tips. Safer Families.
Plain-language guidance on apps, devices, games, scams, and AI, written for parents, grandparents, and caregivers.
✓ Written by a 25-year security professional ✓ Sourced from the FTC, FBI and NCMEC ✓ Free printable checklists
Start with three steps
Step 1
Learn the three warning signs
A rush, a secret, and an unusual way to pay show up in most scams, whether the message reaches you or your child.
Step 2
Complete the Family Safety Baseline
Ten settings and habits that reduce most everyday risk. Most take less than ten minutes.
Step 3
Talk about it tonight
A child who will come to you first is the strongest protection a family has. Start with one question at dinner.
Explore by topic
Privacy & Identity
What gets shared or collected?
Personal details, photos, location, child identity theft, credit freezes, and digital legacy planning.
Devices & Accounts
How do we set things up?
Phones, tablets, passwords, MFA, parental controls, home Wi-Fi, and smart devices.
Social Media & Gaming
Who can reach my child?
Social features, chat, friend requests, in-game spending, grooming, and sextortion.
Scams & Fraud
Is this message real?
Phishing texts, impersonation calls, gift-card demands, and scams aimed at older adults.
AI & Emerging Technology
What is changing?
Chatbots, deepfakes, cloned voices, and new tools families are starting to use.
Family Conversations
How do we build trust?
Family agreements, screen-time habits, and conversation starters by age.
Latest family guides
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Sextortion: How to Prepare Your Teen and What to Do First
Sextortion schemes targeting teens are growing. Learn how they work, the warning signs, and the calm first steps to take if your child is…
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How to Set Up Your Child’s First Phone Together
The settings you choose on day one matter more than any app you buy later. A 30-minute, parent-friendly checklist for a child’s first iPhone…
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Why Your Family Needs a Code Word for Phone Scams
Scammers can copy a loved one’s voice from a short clip. A private family code word gives everyone a simple way to check an…
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How to Freeze Your Child’s Credit, Step by Step
A child’s Social Security number can be misused for years before anyone notices. Here is how to place a free credit freeze at all…
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How to Set Up Guest Wi-Fi in 10 Minutes
A guest network keeps visitors and smart gadgets off the Wi-Fi your family uses for banking and school. Here is how to turn it…
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How to Help an Aging Parent Watch Their Accounts
Bank alerts, a trusted contact, and a regular money check-in can catch a scam early without taking away a parent’s independence. Start with these…
Family Safety Check
If something has already happened
If a child is being threatened or pressured for images, or money has been sent to a scammer, take the first steps calmly: stop contact, keep the evidence, and report it. The Get Help page lists who to contact. In an emergency, call 911.
About OnlineFamilySafety.com
OnlineFamilySafety.com is written by David Pahlman, who has spent more than 25 years protecting people and information as a healthcare CIO, security auditor, and security leader. The site applies that experience to the questions families ask most, in calm and practical terms.
