SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SafeToNet, a global technology leader dedicated to making the digital world safer for children, announced the U.S. market availability of its mobile app for guiding young digital citizens to make better decisions online. Via a mobile keyboard, the app is the first parenting tool of its kind to leverage powerful Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to safeguard children’s online interactions in real-time, while taking their mental and emotional wellbeing into consideration.
In the United States, 37% of children have experienced cyberbullying – and 30% have had it happen to them more than once. With years of child psychology and data research backing its AI-centric mobile app, SafeToNet combats cyberbullying, sexting, abuse and aggression online. The app filters harmful content in real-time and detects when someone is being bullied, bullying, or struggling with issues of low self-esteem. The app indicates to parents when their child moves towards or away from risk and provides insights on their mobile use, while protecting the child’s privacy by never sharing the actual messages or content.
“We think it’s vital to educate children about the online world,” said Randi Paikoff Feigin, SafeToNet chief executive officer of the Americas. “A key component of that is to build a bond of trust between parents and their children where they don’t feel spied on but safeguarded. As a parent, I am inspired every day to be a part of making this possible through our technology.”
SafeToNet App Features:
- AI technology– SafeToNet’s AI engine analyzes and contextualizes messages as they are typed into the intelligent safeguarding keyboard running on the child’s mobile device. The keyboard – available in both American English and Spanish – is platform agnostic and filters high-risk content on all social networks and messaging apps. It understands the difference between banter and aggression, and also detects nine distinct states of emotion in the child’s behavior, including fear, anxiety and stress. It then correlates these emotions to their behavior patterns to perform an automated risk assessment of the child’s online safety.
- Real-time guidance – SafeToNet is the only parenting tool currently available that can filter harmful content in real-time. The AI algorithm detects risk, filters harmful content before it can be sent, and provides in-the-moment guidance to children. Parents receive real-time feedback on changes in their children’s online activity and are given advice on how to talk to their children in a way that fosters trust and education rather than fear or punishment.
- Wellbeing tools – SafeToNet guides children on how to deal with the stresses of living in a digital world by providing wellbeing tools when the software detects risk. For example, if SafeToNet recognizes signs of bullying it will offer the child an in-the-moment audio guide on how to deal with bullying. Similar exercises are provided that help children deal with low self-esteem, anxiety, sadness and more.
- User privacy – Unlike other mobile parenting tools, SafeToNet respects the privacy rights of child users. Parents see a safety indicator, but never the actual content or messages filtered or sent from the device. This builds trust between parent and child and approaches online safety in an educational way. The AI software runs on the device and not in the cloud, ensuring that conversational data never leaves the phone.
“SafeToNet is a powerful tool for social change,” said Will McCoy, founder of EdTech Authority. “I’m most impressed by the company’s philosophy of educating tweens and teens on how to be good digital citizens, while simultaneously protecting their privacy. It is our responsibility to teach children how to behave properly online, and SafeToNet's mobile app provides guidance where parents and educators cannot reach – inside the phone and in-the-moment.”
The award-winning SafeToNet app has already experienced success in the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and is now available in the U.S. for a monthly subscription of $9.99 or a yearly subscription of $99.99. In response to the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic driving many children to spend more time at home and online, SafeToNet will be offering the app free in the US through the end of May 2020 to help parents and educators safeguard their young digital citizens.
SafeToNet for Android devices:
- Download from Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.safetonet.android&hl=en_US
SafeToNet for iOS devices:
- Download from the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/safetonet/id1180574083
About SafeToNet
SafeToNet makes the digital world safer for children to explore and enjoy. Its award-winning AI-powered software safeguards children and their mental wellbeing when using their mobile devices, without sacrificing their privacy. The app provides an intelligent safeguarding keyboard and wellbeing tools that respond in real-time to help children make better decisions online, identify when they are under threat or distress, and prevent messages from being sent that could harm them and others. Learn more at www.safetonet.com.
©2020 SafeToNet | SafeToNet is a registered trademark of SafeToNet Limited. All Rights Reserved.
