Kids’ social networking will hopefully become even safer since Facebook just announced the formation of a Global Safety Advisory Board. The Board consists of leaders from five major organizations in North America and Europe, and will explore technical and educational issues to protect children’s safety online.

This is part of a push to prove that Facebook is committed to creating an online space that’s safe for kids. Last week, they “unfriended” and disabled accounts for 3,500 known sex offenders in New York state, which is a great step …. although that’s just a drop in the bucket for a state with 35,000 registered offenders. Facebook has had relationships with the Attorneys General of 49 states since 2008, and they may continue to do the same for other states as asked. If you’re a concerned parent, you might consider contacting your state’s Attorney General’s office to see what efforts they’re making to monitor sex offenders on social networking sites.

Facebook also participates in the Internet Safety Technical Task Force, and has partnerships with MTV and the BBC to promote awareness about cyberbullying.

The safety of online social networks has improved dramatically from the wild, wild west it was just a few years ago. I used to be scared to visit MySpace even as an adult, because you never knew what shocking image you might find one click away. All the sites are much cleaner now, like somebody turned on the lights and the cockroaches scattered. All the sites have added tools for reporting inappropriate content and pages full of safety advice.

Although parental involvement is still a must and children need to be smart, savvy internet users, all in all the world of youth social networking CAN be a safe and fun place … and it’s great that online giants like Facebook are trying to make it better.

The Internet is a double-edged sword for parents. It gives your kids unlimited access to information, which can be great for homework, hobbies, or just general life knowledge. On the other hand, it can expose them to a big, bad world they’re not ready to handle. That’s why it’s great news that Google unveiled a new filtering tool today.

For years Google has offered SafeSearch, which are simple filters you can set up when you use the internet search giant. You can set your search engine to “Moderate Filtering,” which omits explicit images from search results, but does not filter word content, or “Strict Filtering,” which filters both images and words.

The new feature is called “LockSafeSearch,” and allows you to set a strict filter and lock it with a password, so no one can remove the filters but you. When it’s set, a picture of colored balls will appear at the top left corner of your browser screen every time you do a Google search. To set up LockSafeSearch, just go to “Settings” from the Google homepage.

Setting filters is a great step, but it’s still no guarantee that your kids won’t encounter rough stuff or dangerous people online. Really protecting kids on the Internet calls for a combination of involved parents, educated kids, and effective tools. Take some time and learn what you can do to help your kids successfully navigate life online.

It’s been almost six months since President Obama called on American dads to “step up” in his Father’s Day speech. Back in June, there was a lot of excitement about this new emphasis on fatherhood…. But how are we doing now?

Volumes of studies show that having an involved father leads kids to healthier relationships, better grades, and lower delinquency. You don’t have to be perfect to be a great father … you just have to try. Here are three easy things anyone can do today:

1. Ask your kids questions. Start a conversation and then listen to their answers! Ask how their day went, what TV shows they like, what’s new with their friends. Keep it casual and short, and don’t grill them like a police investigator. Even if they act like you’re a weirdo (especially teenagers), just knowing their dad is interested in their life can make a kid feel secure and confident. Most importantly, if they know they can talk to you about little things, they’ll be more likely to come to you later with the big questions. Small conversations every day will pay HUGE dividends over the years.
2. Let your kids get to know YOU. Kids can forget that parents are humans, especially if every family conversation revolves around the kids. So remind them that you’re an interesting person by talking about what you like, what you don’t like, and how you felt about your day. It’s especially powerful if you talk about your feelings or admit a mistake, because they’ll see that their feelings and struggles are normal. Your kids will love the sense of equality this gives them, and it may help them better understand and respect your point of view.
3. Pay real compliments. All kids are dying for their parents’ approval, and dads are usually stingier with praise than moms. Say something nice to your child today….. but make it real, because even little kids can see straight through a phony compliment. An exaggerated compliment like, “You’re the best kid in the world!” means a lot less to a child than something concrete like, “This is a nice improvement on your math test! All that studying paid off!”

The flagship Disney character turns 81 this month, and although he still doesn’t look a day over …. um, however old he’s supposed to be …. it’s not his look so much as his personality that will be updated. Disney execs told the New York Times that the venerable, good-as-gold Mickey will be rebranded with a bit more attitude and spunk to help him stay interesting to new generations of tech-savvy kids.

The re-invention of Mickey will be a long process, but the first glimpse of his new personality will come in “Epic Mickey,” a video game to be released in 2010 for the Wii.  He’ll still have the red shorts, yellow shoes, and inexplicable white gloves, as well as his spirit of adventure and enthusiasm. But gamers who take on the character of Mickey will also have freedom to make him a little more spicy and cunning, even (dare we say?) naughty.

Some say this will only take Mickey back to his roots. When he debuted in the 1928 “Steamboat Willie” short, he was a high-spirited prankster, something like Bart Simpson. Only later was he shaped into the sweet and earnest “little fellow trying to do the best he could,” as Walt Disney himself described his most famous creation.

Personally, I think it’s about time. I know the world is full of die-hard Mickey fans, but I’ve always found him totally boring. Bugs Bunny, as leader of the Warner Bros. stable of characters, is much funnier. And Kermit the Frog leads the Muppets with infinitely more style and charm than Mickey could ever muster. I can’t wait to meet the new Mouse.

What do you think? Is Disney taking a risk in messing with a sacred character, or does the world need a more modern Mickey?

As a parent, teacher, or friend, you can make a world of difference in a child’s response to these events.  A short conversation can remind them that no matter what may happen in the world, they’ve got trustworthy adults who love them.

A few tips from experts:

• Know your child. Every child has a different tolerance for bad or scary news, so tailor your conversation to your child’s age and resilience level. There is value in your child facing reality, but they may not have the resources to cope with the uglier facts of life yet. Literally, children’s brains have not yet developed to handle such complexity. They’ll have plenty of time to learn about pain later. It’s okay to shelter them a little bit now.
• Take charge of the media in your home. If your children are upset, this may be a good time to limit media exposure. The news can be especially exciting and traumatizing… so just turn it off until the story dies down.
• Be honest. Win your child’s trust by answering their questions truthfully (but limit scary details). If they know they can trust you to tell the truth, they’ll also trust you when you say, “I don’t think something like that will ever happen to you or our family.”
• Express your own feelings and confusion. “Sometimes people do things that don’t make any sense,” or “Sometimes terrible things happen, even to nice people.” Phrases like this aren’t exactly comforting, but they’re true. It’s valuable for kids to know you’re confused too, and that some things can’t be easily explained.
• Give them a larger perspective. Remind them that the news always focuses on unusual events and big, bad things …. But thousands of good things happen every day that you never see on the news! When they get blue, help them recognize the good and beautiful things in their own life.