Mike - Dr. Jen's Recovery Readings https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com Thoughts, writing and research relating to addiction recovery, sexual addiction, trauma, and parenting in the digital age Fri, 29 Sep 2023 18:05:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 New Efforts to Protect Teens on Snapchat https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2023/09/13/new-efforts-to-protect-teens-on-snapchat/ https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2023/09/13/new-efforts-to-protect-teens-on-snapchat/#respond Wed, 13 Sep 2023 20:22:34 +0000 https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/?p=2131 Last week Snapchat released new features targeting users 13-17 on the platform. Protections for teens on Snapchat have been slow to arrive and lacking features.

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Young blonde haired woman holding a phone in front of her, presumably representing Teen on Snapchat taking a selfie

Protections for teens on Snapchat have been slow coming and lacking features of other social media competitors.1

This post contains affiliate links. The author or blog owner may earn a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

Last week Snap Inc., Snapchat’s parent company, released a group of new features targeting 13-17 year olds on the platform. These new features are designed to create a “more age-appropriate viewing experience.”2

But what draws teens, drug dealers3, and those looking to sexually exploit teens to Snapchat?

The Myth of Security on Snapchat

Snapchat’s primary appeal is its perceived security.

Disappearing messages and images, combined with the gamification of “snap streaks,” makes the platform appealing to teens.

The former is also what draws people with untoward intent to Snapchat. The promise of being able to disappear.

The Anatomy of a Snap

Users can send texts, images from their camera roll, and images/videos taken with the app, known as snaps, within a conversation.

Unless texts, images, or snaps are saved to the chat, they disappear after viewing, or within 24 hours. Further, snaps can be set to disappear immediately after viewing, with the ability to view them a second time, or to be retained if the receiver saves the snap.

However, users can retain messages by saving them to the chat, taking a screenshot, or saving them to camera roll. The last two options will send a notification so the sender knows what’s happening with the content.

On the other hand, if a user uses a third-party application, not the built-in screenshot method, to record the screen, no notification will be sent. I bring this up to reinforce the fact that things that happen online can last forever.

Photo of a dark skinned man holding his left palm upwards towards the celing, looking up, and a floating social media icon is sitting above it, indicating zero hearts.

See the latest research on criminality related to social media:

See more articles related to social media

Photo of a woman looking over the shoulder of her daughter with a concerned grimace on her face; presumably a parent concerned about a teen on Snapchat

What are the New Features Protecting Teens on Snapchat?

  • Safer Contact
    • In-App Warnings
      • A warning pops up if a teen adds someone who isn’t in their phone’s contacts and they don’t share enough mutuals with.
    • Stronger Friending Protections
      • Higher number of mutual friends before Snapchat recommends someone. As well as requiring a higher number of mutuals before allowing a friend request to happen.
  • New Strike System for Accounts Promoting Age-Inappropriate Content
    • Content promoted by media organizations, verified creators, and random users is vetted to ensure age appropriateness. Violations result in content, then accounts being removed.
  • Education About Common Online Risks

Accessible via parents.snapchat.com, a handy family center walks parents through the process of setting up an account for themselves and their children with both text and videos.

However, the protections offered are predicated on parents setting up a child’s account. If your child created an account without your knowledge, you’re out of luck.

Person in hooded sweatshirt standing under a single light. Perhaps the type of shadowy individual that is committing sextortion.

If you’re unfamiliar with sextortion, check out Dr. Jen’s article How to Protect Your Child from Sextortion.

How do Other Social Media Apps Protect Teens?

YouTube and TikTok are the most used apps by teens. Occupying spots three and four are Instagram and Snapchat.4

I’ll quickly eliminate YouTube and TikTok. Because the former doesn’t have messaging, and the latter has limited messaging capabilities.

Instagram allows users to send text, pictures, and videos and has taken extra steps in utilizing AI to:

  • Identify problematic accounts5
  • Blur images that may contain “sensitive media”6

Both of these technologies are available to Snapchat, but aren’t utilized.

Protecting teens on Snapchat, particularly young girls, from unsolicited explicit images should be paramount.

“…adolescents often underestimate risks and perceive greater potential benefits from risky behavior.”

Smith, Chein, and Steinberg, 2014

Protecting Teens on Snapchat is Secondary to Profits

There is a fundamental disconnect between management and reality about how Snapchat is used. Beyond understanding its usage, particularly teens on Snapchat, executives don’t understand how users get their apps. When called before congress, Snap’s executives weren’t able to answer why their app is rated differently between devices and app stores.7

Furthermore, the measures designed to save teens from themselves are invasive. The in-app warnings require teens share their contact list with Snapchat. While this is an opt-in feature, it is still an invasion of privacy.

Matters that concern privacy should always be opt-in, especially for teens.

Learn why it’s important for everyone, especially teens, to be able to control their online experiences. Dick Pic Culture: How do Teenage Girls Navigate it?

Picture of a drawing of Snapchat Private Message: “Dick pick from weird boy in Ireland” about Dick Pic Culture

Using AI for Fun and Profit

An artificial intelligence was released earlier this year, called “My AI.” It was marked for wide-release to all Snapchat accounts on February 27.

A journalist at the Washington Post created an account posing as a thirteen year old. The artificial intelligence engaged in discussions about sexual relationships and alcohol with that user.

Contrary to their guidelines, My AI wasn’t adjusted for age-appropriateness. Consequently, teens on Snapchat are now being exposed to explicit talk from peers, older people, and machines.

Again, Snap Inc seems more interested in “moving fast and breaking things” to capitalize on tech buzz than ensuring the safety of teens on Snapchat.

Photo of a young man sitting on a picnic table at a park with headphones on staring at his phone; presumably a teen on Snapchat, disconnecting from reality

Separating Moral Panic from Reality to Protect Your Teens on Snapchat

Even though I’m not a fan of the business model of monetizing users against their will, I do believe that Snapchat can be a valuable outlet for teens.

Teens need to feel a sense of security and privacy to talk to their friends. They also need to be included in the now-integral to life social media experience.

But this doesn’t change the fact that teenagers are prone to taking risks without considering consequences.8 Fostering healthy emotional development starts at home.

Creating an open environment to discuss concerns and experiences starts long before your child asks for Snapchat. Put in the work as a parent, build mutual trust.

After you’ve formed that foundation, it’s much easier to give them freedom to explore safely.

And with your oversight.

TL/DR

  • Snapchat needs to do more to protect teens and be a better steward of social media.
  • Parents need to create an environment that fosters mutual trust.
  • Teens need to feel free to explore and secure enough to ask for advice.
  • Parents can visit parents.snapchat.com for more information about how Snapchat is helping them to protect their children.

References

  1. Snap’s Dangerous New AI Risks Exposing Children to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse EndSexualExploitation.org ↩︎
  2. Introducing New Safeguards to Protect our Community values.snap.com ↩︎
  3. When one pill kills NBCNews.com ↩︎
  4. Teens and social media: Key findings from Pew Research Center surveys PewResearch.org ↩︎
  5. What’s Being Done to Protect Teens on Instagram and Messenger? DrJensRecoveryReadings.com ↩︎
  6. Updates to the Sensitive Content Control about.instagram.com ↩︎
  7. YouTube and Snapchat were asked to defend their apps’ age ratings in Senate hearing TechCrunch.com ↩︎
  8. The Current Landscape of Adolescent Risk Behavior National Library of Medicine www.NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov ↩︎

Are you a professional looking to stay up-to-date with the latest information on, sex addiction, trauma, and mental health news and research? Or maybe you’re looking for continuing education courses? Then you should stay up-to-date with all of Dr. Jen’s work through her practice’s newsletter!

For an in-depth guide on talking to your adolescents about cybersex and pornography, check out Dr. Jen’s book. Amazon | BookBaby

Have you found yourself in legal trouble due to your sexual behavior? Seek assistance before the court mandates it, with Sexual Addiction Treatment Services.

Do you feel your sexual behavior, or that of someone you love, is out of control? Then you should consult with a professional.

The post New Efforts to Protect Teens on Snapchat first appeared on Dr. Jen's Recovery Readings.

]]> https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2023/09/13/new-efforts-to-protect-teens-on-snapchat/feed/ 0 What’s Being Done to Protect Teens on Instagram and Messenger? https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2023/07/09/whats-being-done-to-protect-teens-on-instagram-and-messenger/ https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2023/07/09/whats-being-done-to-protect-teens-on-instagram-and-messenger/#respond Sun, 09 Jul 2023 22:16:00 +0000 https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/?p=2055 Meta, Facebook and Instagram's parent company, will be using automation and giving parents more visibility into activities to protect teens on their platforms.

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Photo of a female-presenting person with their hands up in front of the camera, partially covering their face, meant to represent Meta's efforts to protect teens.

Meta, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, will be using automated systems and giving parents more visibilityto protect teens on their platforms.

How Does Meta Currently Protect Teens?

Prior to these latest changes, Meta already did the following:

  • Messages to teens from adults over 19 are blocked, unless the teen follows the adult
  • Teens receive safety notices when messaged by adults who have previously exhibited suspicious behavior
  • “Take a Break”
    • Suggests taking a break after scrolling for a ‘certain amount of time’
    • Daily Limit, allowing users to set a maximum amount of time in the app
  • Quiet Mode: limits notifications and messages when enabled
Photo of a dark skinned man holding his left palm upwards towards the celing, looking up, and a floating social media icon is sitting above it, indicating zero hearts.

See the latest research on criminality related to social media:

See more articles related to social media

What are the new features?

The following features, available in the US, UK, and Canada to start, rolled out on June 27, 2023.

Invites for DM

Adults must now send an invite to connect via direct message. Only one invite is allowed to be sent per day, limiting the reach of potential abuse on the platforms. This limit is lifted if the teen follows the adult sending the message.

Text Only

All new message requests will be text only. No photos, videos, voice messages, or calls will be accepted until the invite is approved. While not perfect, it will limit abuse.

Picture of a drawing of Snapchat Private Message: “Dick pick from weird boy in Ireland” about Dick Pic Culture

Learn why it’s important for everyone, especially teens, to be able to control their online experiences. Dick Pic Culture: How do Teenage Girls Navigate it?

Managing Time to Protect Teens

Meta has finally acknowledging that outside influences aren’t the only way their platforms can harm teens.

When a ‘Take a Break’ message comes up, it will recommend teens set a reminder to stop scrolling. During focus testing, “more than 90% of teens keep these reminders on.”

‘Take a Break’ will also expand to include Facebook. Facebook’s explicit limit will be 20 minutes. Unlike Instagram’s vague, ‘a certain amount of time.’

Meta is exploring a nudge that will suggest teens close the app if they’re scrolling Reels at night.

Quiet mode will be expanding globally in coming weeks.

If you’re unfamiliar with sextortion, check out Dr. Jen’s article How to Protect Your Child from Sextortion.

Person in hooded sweatshirt standing under a single light. Perhaps the type of shadowy individual that is committing sextortion.

Additional Parental Supervision to Protect Teens

Meta is giving parents a bigger window into their teens’ activities online.

When a teen blocks someone, Instagram will suggest the teen allows their parents to supervise their account.

Parents with access will now be able to see mutuals of both followers and those following their teens.

Meta has also expanded options for notifications from Parental Supervision on Instagram.

Conclusion

All of these tools are a good start, but it can’t replace having an actual conversation with your child.

Don’t let a billion dollar company be the medium you use to communicate with your children. Sit them down and talk to them about the realities of an always-connected world.

Link to Meta’s Post on these updates.

For an in-depth guide on talking to your adolescents about cybersex and pornography, check out Dr. Jen’s book. Amazon | BookBaby

Are you a professional looking to stay up-to-date with the latest information on, sex addiction, trauma, and mental health news and research? Or maybe you’re looking for continuing education courses?

Stay up-to-date with all of Dr. Jen’s work through her practice’s newsletter!

The post What’s Being Done to Protect Teens on Instagram and Messenger? first appeared on Dr. Jen's Recovery Readings.

]]> https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2023/07/09/whats-being-done-to-protect-teens-on-instagram-and-messenger/feed/ 0 Blocking Porn: Browsers – How to Decide? https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/10/04/blocking-porn-browsers/ https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/10/04/blocking-porn-browsers/#respond Tue, 04 Oct 2022 16:21:12 +0000 https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/?p=1601 Welcome to the next installment of our series Blocking Porn: Browsers. This is just a small piece of advice for content blocking...

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Blocking Porn: Browsers

Welcome to the next installment of our series Blocking Porn: Browsers. This is just a small piece of advice for content blocking for the top 4 most popular1 browsers and some privacy-oriented alternative browsers.

This post contains affiliate links. The author or blog owner may earn a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

As always, it’s important to have a conversation about WHY content is being blocked whether it’s for your friend, your partner, or your child. Installing this software without the user’s consent isn’t just malicious, it’s illegal in some jurisdictions.

Technology can’t replace healthy communication in a relationship, it’s merely a tool to help better our lives.

Chrome

Google’s Chrome browser owns almost two-thirds of the market and has great customization options. It is available across all common desktop and mobile platforms.

There are also a few drawbacks, including Google’s constant spying on everything you’re doing, but that’s a whole different discussion.

Extensions

The easiest way to block porn in Chrome is by using extensions. Google Chrome Extension Store

These are the top two recommended blockers:

If you sign into your browser, your extensions will sync across your desktop devices. Meaning on PC, Mac, and ChromeBook all of your extensions SHOULD work. Chrome on iOS (iPhone/iPad) doesn’t support extensions and on Android support can be spotty. We’ll cover other options for blocking pornography on mobile devices in later installments in the series.

Alternate Search Engines

You aren’t required to use Google for search, even if you use Google’s Chrome browser. If you’ve set up Bing to be your safe search engine of choice, changing the default search engine is fairly straightforward. Instructions from Google.

Are you a professional looking to stay up-to-date with the latest information on, sex addiction, trauma, and mental health news and research? Or maybe you’re looking for continuing education courses?

Stay up-to-date with all of Dr. Jen’s work through her practice’s newsletter!

Apple Safari

Safari

Safari is the default browser on Apple devices, including Mac, iPhone, and iPad. It’s not available for PC, Linux, Android, or Chromebooks.

Just like with Chrome, and the next two browsers, Safari has the ability to add extensions to add functionality, including restricting access to certain types of sites. Safari DOES support syncing extensions, bookmarks, and other settings across all supported devices.

Extensions

The top recommended extension for Safari to block pornography is Porn Blocker Plus – for Safari, available in the App Store.

Alternatively, the top extension from Google’s Chrome has been ported to Safari’s extension eco system: BlockSite.

Edge

Microsoft’s Edge browser is available on all major desktop and mobile platforms and is built on the Chromium framework. This is the same framework that underpins Google’s own Chrome browser. As such, it has excellent support for extensions, because they don’t need to be completely re-written from Chrome.

Extensions

Edge’s extensions store, which is very similar to Chrome due to their sharing the same framework, is available here. Chrome’s top content blocking extension is available on Edge as well, BlockSite.

Do you believe you have an online pornography addiction? Take the free Cyber Pornography Addiction Test (CYPAT) and have the results to speak with your therapist.

Firefox

Firefox is a unique browser, built by the Mozilla foundation. It’s a privacy-focused browser and the developers are very transparent in their operations. And it’s available for all major desktop and mobile platforms, and just like all the others has its own extension store.

Extensions

BlockSite is here again. Mozilla also recommends Impulse Blocker by raicem.

Special Note

In an effort to prevent browser extensions from peering over your shoulder, Firefox does not allow them access in Private browser windows by default.

To ensure your extensions are enabled in in-private windows:

  1. Go to the Add-ons Manager
  2. Click on the 3 dots of the extension you want to enable
  3. Click manage
  4. In details, select Allow for “Run in Private Windows”

Do you believe your sexual behaviors are compulsive or harmful to you or others? Then you should take the CSBD-19 free, validated self-assessment tool.

Alternative Browsers

Brave Browser

Brave

Brave, developed by Brave Software, Inc., is a privacy oriented, chromium based browser. It will block ads and trackers by default. Brave uses the Chrome web store for extensions. They also offer their own search engine, as the default option.

Iron

Developed by German company SRWare, the Iron browser is built on the Chromium framework with privacy and security in mind. It’s available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, and Android but is missing from iOS. While content filtering is not built into Iron, extensions are available.

Opera

Another Chromium-based browser solution with a unique user interface, Opera offers a wide variety of extensions, called addons in Opera, and themes to choose from. It’s available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, ChromeOS, Android, and iOS.

Other Tips

  • To avoid the temptation of circumventing controls, uninstall all other browsers from the device.
  • Make sure to check the settings of any installed extensions and ensure they’re enabled for private/incognito windows.
  • Be careful of extensions that don’t have a lot of reviews or downloads; the extension stores aren’t well moderated.
  • To function properly, extensions MUST access all of your browsing data, be sure to check the privacy policies of all extensions to see what they do with your data.

Anecdote: While writing this article I installed a Chrome filtering extension and got hit with pop-ups that tried to redirect me to install additional, known-malicious extensions. It was blocked by my network’s filtering system so it didn’t affect me, but take heed of my warning to check reviews and download numbers before allowing extensions I didn’t mention here access to all of your browsing data.

Wrap Up

The most popular extension, by far, is BlockSite. The free version will block pornography, paid subscriptions will add additional features and may help to improve your productivity. It also offers additional installation options on desktop and mobile devices that can do more than just filter browser content. I’ll cover this more later in the series.

Whatever option you choose, it’s important to remember that this is only one piece of a much larger plan, and part of that plan is being honest and having frank discussions about the ramifications of pornography addiction in your life and the lives of those you love.

For an in-depth guide on talking to your adolescents about cybersex and pornography, check out Dr. Jen’s book. Amazon | BookBaby

Do you feel your sexual behavior, or that of someone you love, is out of control? Then you should consult with a professional.

Have you found yourself in legal trouble due to your sexual behavior? Seek assistance before the court mandates it, with Sexual Addiction Treatment Services.

The post Blocking Porn: Browsers – How to Decide? first appeared on Dr. Jen's Recovery Readings.

]]> https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/10/04/blocking-porn-browsers/feed/ 0 Why did Google Remove Covenant Eyes? https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/10/03/why-did-google-remove-covenant-eyes/ https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/10/03/why-did-google-remove-covenant-eyes/#respond Mon, 03 Oct 2022 21:03:14 +0000 https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/?p=1588 Maybe you've noticed that Google removed the popular "accountability" apps Covenant Eyes and Accountable2You from its Play store last week.

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A close up photo of a brown eye, half in sunlight, half in shade. A metaphor for the way Covenant Eyes partially hides it true purpose.

Maybe you’ve noticed that Google removed the popular “accountability” apps Covenant Eyes and Accountable2You from its Play store last week.

Maybe you haven’t, and that’s probably for the best.

This post contains affiliate links. The author or blog owner may earn a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

What are accountability apps?

These apps can filter undesirable content, such as pornography, and “other questionable material” from devices. More than just filtering, though, they offer to allow someone to be your accountability partner. They can send either immediate alerts or a digest of activity.

Having someone else hold you accountable in your efforts to be productive or curb a compulsive behavior sounds great, right?

Absolutely! If it’s done willingly.

Why were they removed?

And why is this article about Covenant Eyes on a blog about mental health?

Covenant Eyes’ Response
Accountable2You’s Response

During an investigation by Dhruv Mehrotra for Wired, it was discovered that the Android versions of these two apps used the accessibility features of Android devices. Accessibility features are intended to help those with hearing or vision impairments. Unfortunately, these apps used these features to monitor and report all device usage, even innocuous behavior.

That wouldn’t be an issue if your accountability partner is someone you have selected and trust, but therein lies the problem.

Covenant Eyes and Accountable2You have large outreach projects dedicated to getting churches to use the apps. In other words, to assist the churches in controlling and monitoring the behavior of parishioners under the guise of strict adherence to the church’s beliefs.

Are you a professional looking to stay up-to-date with the latest information on, sex addiction, trauma, and mental health news and research? Or maybe you’re looking for continuing education courses?

Stay up-to-date with all of Dr. Jen’s work through her practice’s newsletter!

Consent versus Coercion

Threatening, pressuring, or strongly recommending, an individual consent to having their digital activities monitored is not consent.

More than just standard filtering and monitoring, Accountable2You also flags LGBTQIA+ content regardless of whether or not it is pornographic in nature. This is the “other questionable material” I referred to earlier. My issue is not that LGBTQIA+ material is blocked or flagged, but that any topic related to it is flagged in a similar fashion to hardcore pornography.

Pressuring people, vilifying them for whom they love, and monitoring all of their digital moves can create intense shame for the individuals being monitored. Particularly if they don’t conform to the heteronormative ideals of some religious organizations.

Shame encourages people to hide, withdraw, or turn to maladaptive coping mechanisms. Therefore, shame can make the initial behaviors worse. More about shame from Dr. Jen here and here.

Google has chosen to remove these apps from their store using violations of their technology policies because condemning them for violating users’ privacy rights is too political. Time will tell if Google steps up in favor of individual rights over appeasing a small but vocal and wealthy minority.

Do you believe you have an online pornography addiction? Then take this free Cyber Pornography Addiction Test (CYPAT) and have the results to speak with your therapist.

What to do about Covenant Eyes after these revelations?

Broadly speaking, if you’re using an accountability app and you feel you were under duress when you selected your accountability partner, it’s time to re-evaluate that relationship and your continued use of the software.

If you still want to use one of these solutions on a non-Android platform, Windows, MacOS, or iOS, they are still available. You can still use them on Android because they can be “side-loaded” using instructions on the company websites.

If you would like a simple, straightforward filtering solution without the shame, check out BlockSite, for desktop and mobile devices.

For those of you who’d like accountability monitoring and filtering, I recommend EverAccountable, for desktop and mobile devices. EverAccountable also uses mental health friendly language in relation to how to handle slips and relapses.

An Important Note about Privacy

The Wired article referenced above also talked about third-parties having access to data from these apps. One, in particular, called Fortify was singled out because the company was cagey about revealing its third-party partners in its privacy policy and it sent the user’s password, along with other data, in plaintext to Facebook.

Transparency in a privacy policy is key and obfuscating passwords is Software Development 101. These kinds of mistakes call in to question the security of the entire app.

I did a quick read through of the privacy policies of both alternatives I mentioned above and saw no red flags, but I encourage you to read through them yourself.

If you are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, local to the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, and need support a great place to start is the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center.

Need support and not local to the Lehigh Valley? Check out the LGBT National Help Center.

For an in-depth guide on talking to your adolescents about cybersex and pornography, check out Dr. Jen’s book. Amazon | BookBaby

Do you feel your sexual behavior, or that of someone you love, is out of control? Then you should consult with a professional.

Have you found yourself in legal trouble due to your sexual behavior? Seek assistance before the court mandates it, with Sexual Addiction Treatment Services.

The post Why did Google Remove Covenant Eyes? first appeared on Dr. Jen's Recovery Readings.

]]> https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/10/03/why-did-google-remove-covenant-eyes/feed/ 0 Safe Search Solutions: Foundations of Blocking Porn https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/09/28/safe-search-solutions/ https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/09/28/safe-search-solutions/#respond Wed, 28 Sep 2022 12:17:51 +0000 https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/?p=1543 Safe search is used to filter out pornographic content across all types of searches and is available on many of the popular search engines.

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Safe Search

Safe search is used to filter out pornographic content across all types of searches and is available on many of the popular search engines. It won’t be your only tool, but it will help lay the foundation for many of the other steps in cutting pornography out of your life.

This post contains affiliate links. The author or blog owner may earn a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

Google Safe Search

Google is the default search engine for most browsers and also one of the friendliest solutions for setting up safe search. Google also provides a relatively simple solution to manage other accounts’ safe search settings.

Managing Google Safe Search Settings

Turning on Google’s safe search is quick and easy.

On a PC, Mac, or Chromebook:

  1. Open Google’s home page in the browser.
  2. Click settings.
  3. Click Search Settings.
  4. Then check the box that says “Turn on SafeSearch.”
  5. Finally, click save at the bottom of the page.

On mobile:

  1. Open Google’s home page in the browser.
  2. Tap the hamburger menu (three line icon in the top left).
  3. Tap Settings.
  4. Under SafeSearch filters tap “Hide explicit results”
  5. Finally, tap save at the bottom of the page.

If this were all you did, it would be easy to defeat. It’s a much better idea to setup a family account that you can manage in order to lock safe search filters. Family settings will be covered in more detail in the Operating Systems portion of this series.

Do you believe you have an online pornography addiction? Then take this free Cyber Pornography Addiction Test (CYPAT) and have the results to speak with your therapist.

Bing

Owned by Microsoft, Bing is the second most popular search engine and is the default search provider for Microsoft’s Edge browser, which is the default browser on Microsoft’s Windows.

As with Google, it makes sense to create an account with Microsoft to manage search settings. Microsoft accounts can be through Microsoft’s own Outlook.com or using third-party email addresses like Gmail.

To turn on Safe Search on Bing, simply go to Search Settings.

As with Google, you can create a family group and manage permissions here. You and your family members will all need Microsoft accounts. You can also control access to programs on Microsoft Windows computers and purchases in the Microsoft store using these settings.

Other Search Engines

Some other search engines also have safe search features, but none offer the same reach or level of control as Google or Microsoft.

In order of popularity1:

  • Baidu. Baidu is the third most popular search engine in the world and is strictly in Mandarin. It does not appear to offer safe search filters nor an English translation. Google’s Chrome browser will, however, translate the page automatically if you’re trying to find results more relevant to China than the US or elsewhere.
  • Fourth most popular search engine, Yahoo, does a fair job of trying to match Google and Bing’s safe search capabilities. Yahoo Search Preferences
  • Ask.com, the fifth most popular, doesn’t offer safe search, but does curate all results. May not be appropriate for the youngest eyes.
  • The sixth most popular search engine, DuckDuckGo, does offer safe search. However, there is no way to log in to an account and lock that setting. Forcing browsers to go to https://safe.duckduckgo.com will enforce safe search, and will be discussed later in the series.

Are you a professional looking to stay up-to-date with the latest information on, sex addiction, trauma, and mental health news and research? Or maybe you’re looking for continuing education courses?

Stay up-to-date with all of Dr. Jen’s work through her practice’s newsletter!

Kid Safe Search Engines

Here are a few alternatives just for kids! These are all built with Google as the search provider and using safe search best practices. I’ll cover switching the default search engine in future posts.

Conclusion

Whether you’re setting up safe search for your children or your partner, it’s best to have a discussion about why before taking any action. If you’re trying to set up safe search for yourself to block pornography, it’s best to have someone you trust be your “family manager.”

Safe Search can be an effective part of your strategy for blocking pornography, but isn’t really a complete solution. Start here, and if you need more help removing temptation check out some of the other solutions in the series.

For an in-depth guide on talking to your adolescents about cybersex and pornography, check out Dr. Jen’s book. Amazon | BookBaby

Do you feel your sexual behavior, or that of someone you love, is out of control? Then you should consult with a professional.

Have you found yourself in legal trouble due to your sexual behavior? Seek assistance before the court mandates it, with Sexual Addiction Treatment Services.

The post Safe Search Solutions: Foundations of Blocking Porn first appeared on Dr. Jen's Recovery Readings.

]]> https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/09/28/safe-search-solutions/feed/ 0 4 Ways to Block Pornography https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/09/06/4-ways-to-block-pornography/ https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/09/06/4-ways-to-block-pornography/#respond Wed, 07 Sep 2022 00:19:18 +0000 https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/?p=1471 There are many ways to block pornography; from narrow, focused methods to broad, restrictive methods. In this installment I'm going to give you an overview...

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Man gasping and covering mouth because he forgot to block pornography.

There are many ways to block pornography; from narrow, focused methods to broad, restrictive methods.

In this installment of the Blocking Porn series, I’m going to give you an overview of the ways to block porn and discuss how to select a method.

This post contains affiliate links. The author or blog owner may earn a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

Categories of Blocking Control

  1. Safe Search
  2. DNS
  3. Operating System Parental Controls
  4. Software Solutions

What solution is right for you?

Block Pornography with Safe Search

This one is probably the narrowest and some may say the least effective, but it’s still helpful. Turning on safe search on search engines. All major search engines have a safe search feature that will automatically block results that have pornography, drugs, and/or hate speech.

Pros

  • Simple
  • Focused

Cons

  • Only stops results from coming up in search
  • Must be set up on each search engine

More about Safe Search here.

Are you a professional looking to stay up-to-date with the latest information on, sex addiction, trauma, and mental health news and research? Or maybe you’re looking for continuing education courses?

Stay up-to-date with all of Dr. Jen’s work through her practice’s newsletter!

Block Pornography with DNS

DNS, or Domain Name System, solutions can cast a wide net for blocking pornography and other harmful materials on your entire network, though the setup can be a little daunting for those who aren’t particularly tech savvy.

Pros

  • Network wide solution
  • Very configurable, depending on solution
  • Can be free, with enough technical know-how

Cons

  • Only works when the devices are accessing the internet from your own connection
  • Can be very complex to set up
  • Costs could balloon as more devices are added to service

Blocking Pornography with Operating System Parental Controls

Most operating systems (Windows, MacOS, Apple iOS, Android, ChromeOS) come with some sort of parental controls built in. These can be very effective and cast a wide net.

Pros

  • Can watch what’s happening in browser and what apps are being run
  • Once it’s setup it’s usually good to go
  • Flexible and configurable

Cons

  • Can be time consuming to setup
  • Fiddly – May require setting up multiple accounts (parent/child accounts, etc.) or complex permissions

If you’re unfamiliar with sextortion, check out Dr. Jen’s article How to Protect Your Child from Sextortion.

Person in hooded sweatshirt standing under a single light. Perhaps the type of shadowy individual that is committing sextortion.

Software Solutions

These will, generally, be paid solutions that will allow very fine control over permissions and access. Many of these options will allow you to restrict not just web content, but what apps can be used or installed on a machine.

Pros

  • Reliable and difficult to circumvent
  • Very fine-grain control

Cons

  • Usually, a subscription model
  • Often times specific to a single device

An intermediate software solution would be a browser, either modified to block pornography or dedicated strictly for the task. There’s more information in this post.

Do you believe you have an online pornography addiction? Take the free Cyber Pornography Addiction Test (CYPAT) and have the results to speak with your therapist.

What solution is right for you?

There are a lot of factors that go into choosing the right access control solution:

  • Who are you trying to protect from pornography or other offensive materials?
  • Is it for you or someone else?
  • What’s your budget?
  • What’s your level of technical expertise?
  • What discussions or thoughts brought you to the decision to block pornography?

Typically, the best answer, is a mixture of a couple of the four categories above. In future installments of the series, we’ll dive into each category a bit deeper and provide some links for helpful resources and how to have discussions about restricting access.

This post contains affiliate links. The author or blog owner may earn a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

For an in-depth guide on talking to your adolescents about cybersex and pornography, check out Dr. Jen’s book. Amazon | BookBaby

Do you feel your sexual behavior, or that of someone you love, is out of control? Then you should consult with a professional.

Have you found yourself in legal trouble due to your sexual behavior? Seek assistance before the court mandates it, with Sexual Addiction Treatment Services.

The post 4 Ways to Block Pornography first appeared on Dr. Jen's Recovery Readings.

]]> https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/09/06/4-ways-to-block-pornography/feed/ 0 3 Reasons You Might Want to Block Porn https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/08/30/3-reasons-you-might-want-to-block-porn/ https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/2022/08/30/3-reasons-you-might-want-to-block-porn/#respond Tue, 30 Aug 2022 18:03:22 +0000 https://drjensrecoveryreadings.com/?p=1373 Do you have kids? Do you waste time indulging in idleness? Do you have a difficult to control compulsion? There's lots of reasons to block pornography. Here's a look at the top 3 reasons to block porn.

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Why might you block porn?

  1. You might want to block porn if you’re a parent of young children.
  2. Pornography is a drain on time, money, and computers.
  3. You or loved one has a compulsive desire to view pornography.

This post contains affiliate links. The author or blog owner may earn a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

You’re a Parent of Young Children

Give Your Kids a Chance to be Kids and Block Porn

We all know kids will get into things they shouldn’t, it’s part of growing up.

With no guidance it’s very easy for them to fall down the rabbit hole.

But with the right mindset, frequent, open discussions with them, and some technological barriers you can help your child navigate the pitfalls of adolescence, defining their own sexuality, AND the internet.

Pornography is a Drain on Time, Money, and Computers

Pornography has always been a pervasive presence on the internet. From the early days of newsgroups through the modern “work-from-home revolution” that OnlyFans has brought, it can be tough to escape.

Blocking pornography for yourself and/or your loved ones can have a lot of benefits:

  • Simply put you’ll utilize your time better if you don’t lose time being tempted by and indulging in an idle pass time.
  • You won’t be tempted to spend money on memberships to pornography sites.
  • You’ll avoid the hassle of potentially infecting your computer with malware.

There are lots of other reasons to avoid viewing pornography too. Risk of divorce. Desensitization. Erectile Dysfunction. Just to name a few.

Do you believe you have an online pornography addiction? Then take this free Cyber Pornography Addiction Test (CYPAT) and have the results to speak with your therapist.

You Might Want to Block Porn if You or a Loved One Has a Compulsion

This one can be difficult, whether it’s you or a loved one.

If you recognize you have an addiction to online pornography it can be difficult to curb the behavior on your own. We’ll have some suggestions in future installments for handling this particular situation whether you’re truly alone in handling the compulsive behavior or whether you just need some tips in asking your significant other, partner, or parent for help.

If you know a loved one is compulsively viewing pornography it can be a difficult and frustrating conversation to have but having some technical solutions in hand will be helpful.

Are you a professional looking to stay up-to-date with the latest information on, sex addiction, trauma, and mental health news and research? Or maybe you’re looking for continuing education courses?

Stay up-to-date with all of Dr. Jen’s work through her practice’s newsletter!

Pornography Induced Erectile Dysfunction

I know, I mentioned Erectile Dysfunction above, but it’s important enough that I felt I should mention it again. This is a subheading that could definitely be it’s own reason for curbing your mature material intake. Consuming too much erotica can have severe effects on your brain and the way your body responds to stimulus; I’m not the expert though, so I’ll let Dr. Jen explain the details of Pornography Induced Erectile Dysfunction (PIED).

Conclusion

There’s lots of reasons to want to block pornography, these are the most common in our experience, but, what reasons do you have for wanting to block pornography? Let us know in a comment below!

In future installments in the series, we’ll cover:

  • The technology to block pornography.
  • What IS pornography?
  • How to discuss viewing pornography with your spouse/partner/significant other.
  • How to bring up discussions with parents or guardians if you’re a teen needing help with pornography habits.
  • And more!

This post contains affiliate links. The author or blog owner may earn a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

Do you feel your sexual behavior, or that of someone you love, is out of control? Consult with a professional.

Have you found yourself in legal trouble due to your sexual behavior? Seek assistance before the court mandates it, with Sexual Addiction Treatment Services.

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Are you looking for more reputable data-backed information on sexual addiction? The Mitigation Aide Research Archive is an excellent source for executive summaries of research studies.

For an in-depth guide on talking to your adolescents about cybersex and pornography, check out Dr. Jen’s book. Amazon | BookBaby

The post 3 Reasons You Might Want to Block Porn first appeared on Dr. Jen's Recovery Readings.

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