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This post is brought to you by SmartFeed.
SmartFeed logo
Being online as much as I am I hear stories of what can happen to children online. Ever since my kids were old enough to be on a computer the thought of what they might find there has been on my mind. I still worry even today when my youngest wants to go online, which is why I determine what sites he can go on and what apps he can use. I only allow him to watch certain television channels, all of which contain content I consider acceptable. There have been a number of times that I thought it would be interesting to see a system like that available for the internet. And as it turns out, it seems that system should be available soon.
SmartFeed
SmartFeed is a subscription based service that creates a family portal enabling parents to be assured that their children are watching only appropriate digital media. Their premise is “Put positive media in, get positive minds out.” The service has four different and equally important aspects.
Curate – Parents curate (or collect) material they deem appropriate for their children. Factors that can be taken into account include demographics, interests, curriculum and values.So, parents can include media that is for educational purposes if they want, or have it be strictly for entertainment.
Deliver – The collection of content that the parent has curated can be pushed right to the family or child’s smart device. Children don;t have to sit through advertisements and pop-ups. (I love this feature, as I’ve seen some not too pleasant things appear in both pop-ups and advertisements.) As a parent you can set on and off times, and you always know what your child has watched.
Manage – Parents can use SmartFee’s built-in filters to find the most appropriate content. They can also consider input that other parents within the SmartFeed community have shared.
Connect – Parents are able to join the SmartFeed community, an online community consisting of other parents with the same goal – to find appropriate content to educate and entertain children in a positive way. Community members often share recommendations about the media their family is consuming, which is feedback that makes a great resource.
SmartFeed
“Media is increasingly pervasive in society today and certainly isn’t going away,” said Linsly Donnelly, Founder of SmartFeed. “We think parents need a tool that does more than just filter out the bad content, but instead finds the good stuff and conveniently serves it up – across all content formats and device types, with preferences set by child, media and device.”
Here’s a brief video showing how SmartFeed works.

In order to complete production and launch this innovative tool, SmartFeed has established a KickStarter page. Their goal of $75,000 will enable them to make their project a reality. Over $50,000, or 2/3 of the goal, has been pledged in the first few days of the campaign. SmartFeed will be a great resource for parents, one that also provides peace of mind. If you’ve ever had children or helped a child online, you will surely realize the value and importance of a platform like this.
You can learn more about SmartFeed on KickStarter!
SmartFeed

0 Comments

  1. My kids are 7 & 10 and I won’t let them near the internet yet. They don’t need it yet, so I am sheltering them.

  2. This is an absolutely awesome idea. Kids can get into all kinds of really terrible sites when they’re looking for videos. Heck, I land on some really icky pages accidentally sometimes.

  3. I love this! I worry all the time that my kids will somehow gain access to something I don’t want them to see. This would eliminate that worry!

  4. My 12 year old loves being online and it’s really hard for me because I know what all is out there. I love the idea of being able to have more control over what he has access to and will have to look into this.

  5. I really do need this now with my very observant kids! I would be so freaked if they saw something that they shouldn’t on a feed.

  6. I think I saw an email about this in my inbox, I probably should check it out further. Looks like it could be so worth it. Thanks for sharing the information about SmartFeed!

  7. This seems like a really easy way to set up friendly content for the kids. It’s especially useful in the summer when they kids need to keep up on the things they’ve learned in school.

  8. I worry because my 7, almost 8 year old knows how to youtube and I worry she’ll find something she shouldn’t see. I watch her like a hawk. I’ve been searching for something like this.

  9. Being so actively involved in the online world it makes me even more aware of the dangers out there. I will definitely be utilizing this for my kids as they get a little older.

  10. This is such a great idea. I will have to share this with my friends with kids. There are so many dangers online for kids.

  11. Looks like a great tool for keeping your kids in good places when they’re online. It’s easy to get ahold of things they aren’t ready for if you just turn them loose.

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