Who can see your Facebook posts?

Hey guys!

So, you may have seen us on The Doctors recently talking about the scary digital kidnapping trend and sharing tips on how to keep your family photos safe online.

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(If not, check it out here)

Based on your feedback, we wanted to highlight specific Facebook privacy settings to help you get comfortable knowing what level of security your family photos have.

 

Posting

When you go to share that picture of your kid’s first ice cream cone, click on the drop-down menu inside the post (it may say “Public” or “Friends”).

posting

 Image source: Facebook Help Center

If you click “More Options” you can change it to “Only Me” if you really want to be private, OR you can click “Custom” to create a list of people who can see this image.

Note: Look at your photo (like a private investigator). Make sure that no school logos, recognizable landmarks, or other uniquely identifying markers are present in a photo of your child if you are concerned about that living “out there”. Even though your privacy settings are in order, your friend’s could be set to “Friends of Friends” or “Public”.

 

Privacy Settings

Because technology is always changing, it’s a good idea to go to your privacy settings and make sure no one can Google your Facebook profile. When’s the last time you’ve looked at your Facebook privacy settings? Us? Well, it had been a while not counting the research we did for this post.

settings

Image source: Facebook Help Center

 

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Bottom Line

If you put something out there, be it credit card numbers, pictures, or text, you’re going to have to live with the possibility that it’s out there for anyone to see. Digital security is a growing field, but it’s growing in response to technology and hackers. Any time someone texts, Whatsapps, emails, Facebooks, Instagrams (those are words…we checked), etc. a photo, whoever can see that image can download and re-share it any number of ways. The good news is that most people aren’t creepy ne’er do wells waiting for the opportunity to wreak havoc. The bad news is that “private” isn’t as private as it once was. (This picture of a 2-year-old went viral.)

Here’s how easy it is to save someone else’s picture from Facebook:

Screen Shot 2015-04-21 at 4.19.05 PMScreen Shot 2015-04-21 at 4.19.27 PM

(I’m not Facebook friends with the person who posted this picture on Titania’s Timeline, by the way.)

**creepy music plays in background**

All you have to do is click on the image and either 1) click on “options”, 2) take a screenshot or 3) good ol’ right-click it and it’s on your desktop. If you’re on a phone, it’s just a tap of a button (or two) to take a screenshot of an image. If all else fails, you can even take a picture of your screen with your phone (or camera if you’re really old school). The point is, anyone who can see this image can save it and use it as they wish.

**creepy music intensifies**

Here’s a rule of thumb to keep in mind: Are you comfortable with strangers seeing this picture? No? Then don’t share it.

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Bad Luck Brian says, “My friend posted this online and now I’m a meme.”

We hope this helps in some small way, and please email us (support@mykidslink.com) if you have any questions about keeping your family’s data safe online.

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There’s something different about us!

Notice anything different about us?

Maybe that you can ♥ your friends’ photos?

Or that your friends can now join the app from anywhere in the world? (Woo hoo!)

Or that you don’t have to scroll through all 10,000 comments below each post in your stream?

That’s right. We’ve done a little spring cleaning. Make sure you have the latest KidsLink update so you too can feel that sense of ahhhhh.

You’ll love it.

And because we’re crazy like that, we are already working on even MORE new features for you.

It’s what we do.

What would you like to see in the next app update?

Email us (support@mykidslink.com) and we’ll pick our favorite idea to be added in an upcoming release.

Get exploring

Have an awesome weekend!

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Repost: Why Is KidsLink Safe?

Because KidsLink has been receiving a lot of attention in the past few days and we’ve gotten a lot of questions, we decided to repost this blog article from Safer Internet Day in February that provides an overview of why it’s important to be careful with our children’s sensitive information, and how KidsLink can be a part of the conversation

Did you know that Tuesday, February 10 is Global Safer Internet Day?

We know!

We’re super excited, too!

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We thought we’d take a moment to go over our privacy settings with you, because we’ve got your back, and we realize that keeping up with this stuff is a full-time job in and of itself.

First, with KidsLink, you can kick back and relax because privacy is already done for you.

When you make a post, you’re in control of who you share it with . . .

Just your family

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Your KidsLink friends

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Or push it out to Facebook or Instagram

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Second, we are invitation-only.

Only those KidsLink users who have you listed in their iPhone contacts list can connect with you.

No crazy stalkers allowed, ever.

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Finally (and this is a big one!), we strip the metadata from your photos!

Metadata that lives in digital photos (like precise latitude and longitude!) often gets saved online when you post there directly. Ack! Because we care about your family’s safety and digital legacy, we strip that data, allowing you to post from Facebook or Instagram from KidsLink and protect your family.efa70565-384b-491c-9c75-98cff8e09eb6

Big ups to #SIDUS2015, y’all. Here’s to a safer Internet for us all.

 

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How KidsLink Saves Me On A Kids-Free Vacation

Hi everyone!

I’m on a much-needed (very short) break with my husband in the mountains of Utah, and this is the first kid-free vacation we’ve taken in…well…maybe, ever?

Leaving our little guy is hard, but it was time to do a little something for us. While packing, my anxious wheels started turning, and it was hard to tune out the “what-ifs.”

That’s why I’m so glad I’ve spend time populating Jackson’s KidsLink Vault and KidsLink Profile, so that in case of emergency, I can send it to whomever might need it right away.

4in-5

(Jackson’s actual KidsLink Vault not shown because, duh.)

Take a minute to see what you might want to store in your KidsLink Vault or children’s KidsLink Profiles (like allergies and medications), because you never know when you will want to access and share it. Quickly.

So, wish me luck (because, skiing). I’ll need it! 

Update your KidsLink Vault now
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Y’all Know About Our Tory Burch Contest, Right?

2015-02-18

We are picking one super fabulous KidsLink user this Saturday to win a Tory Burch bag.

Why? 

Because we’ve got mad love for our users.

And we want you to spread the love to those you love most.

So much love, you guys.

How to enter?

All you have to do is be connected with at least 5 people in app by 2/21. 

That’s it! 

So reach out to your trusted inner circle and invite them to download KidsLink now.

Invite your circle now

Having trouble? Email us: support@mykidslink.com

We’ll help you out.

P.S. If you’re not into purses, we bet you know someone who is. 

Pass this along!

 

UPDATE (2/21): The winner of one beautiful Tory Burch purse is . . .

Monica C. from Alabama!

 

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We’ve Got Nothing But Love (+ A Tory Burch Bag) For You

Well, that and a perfect last-minute Valentine’s Day printable gift for your kids to give to a special loved one.2015-02-13 Tory Burch Graphic

(Click image below to download.)

But, um, let’s get back to the Tory Burch bag.

Because KidsLink is the place for you to share photos, moments, and documents safely with your trusted circle, we want to send you some love for shaping that circle.

Invite grandparents, your best friends, aunts, uncles, and caregivers to contribute to your children’s highlights reel.

You’ll cherish their comments for a very special lifetime.

Anyone who is connected with at least 5 people in app by 2/21 (see how many you are connected with by going to the My friends tab) is eligible to win a treat à la Tory Burch.

Option 1:

Click the button below to invite friends and family, or

Option 2:

Let your network (via tweet, email, text, FB share, or smoke signal) know they can download Kidslink from the iTunes App Store and use code VDAY to sign up. 

All KidsLink users eligible to win!

Invite your circle now

Winner chosen 2/21 and announced in next week’s email and blog post.

H A P P Y  V A L E N T I N E ‘ S  D A Y!

P.S. If red isn’t your jam, we are totally cool with you picking another color.

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