logo
New phone safety features can help kids. But they only work if parents set them up

New phone safety features can help kids. But they only work if parents set them up

Yahooa day ago
Keeping kids safe online can be a full-time job for parents. While good communication between parents and children is key, moms and dads should set kids up for success by placing parental controls on devices.
Apple has a new software update; coming in September, iOS 26 expands tools that can help in the effort.
For parents whose children have an iPhone, they can now play a role in deciding who their kids can text through Messages.
If children want to communicate with a new phone number, they will need to get permission from their parents. It's a one-tap approval method for mom or dad, but gives parents a heads up that someone new may be entering their kids' digital life. Kids will also be able to send a parental approval request to chat, follow or friend users in any third-party apps (not developed by Apple) as well.
Child Accounts have the user's age-range information. Now parents can share those details with app developers while keeping the child's birth date private. If developers receive the age information, they may better provide age-appropriate experiences for those users.
Moms and dads can decide whether they want their kids' age range information shared with all apps or only those they select. Children cannot decide how their age range information is shared unless their parents allow them to do so.
Whether or not a young person's account was set up as a Child Account, these age-appropriate protections will be enabled for all users 13 to 17. Web content filters, age ratings and Communication Safety will all be enacted on those accounts.
Utah was the first state in the country to pass a bill requiring app stores to verify kids' ages. The state's App Store Accountability Act requires app stores — not individual apps — to seek parental consent before allowing minors to download apps.
Each app on the App Store already shows its age rating based on information provided by developers. For parents, that's often a first check to help them decide whether the app would be appropriate for their child to download.
Right now, those ratings are for ages 4+, 9+, 12+ and 17+. That leaves a big gap for teenagers. What may be appropriate for a 13 year old may not be for a 16 year old. Apple is helping by expanding age ratings by the end of the year, when you will see additional guidance for 4+ and 9+, but then 13+, 16+ and 18+.
Since these age ratings are also used for parental control features like Screen Time and Ask to Buy, these differentiations will likely be helpful for many parents.
Communication Safety is a feature that aims to stop kids from seeing nudity. If something explicit is detected in a photo or video a child receives or is trying to send, the image will be blurred.
In the upcoming iOS 26 update, that capability will also apply to FaceTime. Apple says it will 'intervene' when nudity is detected in FaceTime video calls and will also blur out any nudity in Shared Albums in Photos.
How do Android phones stack up against these parental controls?
For those under 18, Google Messages triggers a sensitive content warning when it detects images that contain nudity. That prompts an Android device to blur those images and give helpful resources to users who receive that type of content.
Parents can control the feature through Family Link for Supervised users. It's off by default for adults and unsupervised teen accounts, but users can turn it on in settings.
This feature does not work for videos. Google Meet has an Acceptable Use Policy that prohibits nudity but only has the blurring capability in Messages.
For now, apps in the Google Play Store follow the age ratings from the International Age Rating Coalition which are similar to those Apple has favored in the past. They break age categories into 3+, 7+, 12+, 16+ and 18+.
When it comes to texting, parents of teens with Android phones can turn on 'Only allow calls and texts from phone contacts:' through Family Link. This blocks incoming texts from unknown numbers, but not outgoing ones.
And worth noting: Android allows the incoming calls and text to go through if a child has reached out to that number within the past month.
Giving parents more options to monitor how their kids spend time online is helpful. But while these companies grant the ability to have parental controls, they only work if moms and dads actually set them up.
If parents haven't yet set up monitoring through Family Share for Apple or Family Link for Google, it's never too late to start.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Soluna Holdings Stock Rises on Data Center Expansion With 'Top-Tier Bitcoin Miner'
Soluna Holdings Stock Rises on Data Center Expansion With 'Top-Tier Bitcoin Miner'

Yahoo

time30 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Soluna Holdings Stock Rises on Data Center Expansion With 'Top-Tier Bitcoin Miner'

Soluna Holdings shares rose in early trading Tuesday after the maker of green data centers announced an expansion of its Texas site with a company it called a 'top-tier Bitcoin miner." 'With this deal, Project Dorothy 2 is now fully marketed and contracted,' Soluna said. Soluna shares have fallen almost 70% this Holdings (SLNH) shares rose in early trading Tuesday after the maker of green data centers announced an expansion of its Texas site with a company it called a 'top-tier Bitcoin miner.' 'With this deal, Project Dorothy 2 is now fully marketed and contracted,' Soluna said. The data center developer said it has expanded its flagship project site Project Dorothy 2 by 30 megawatts in its third buildout with this customer, which it didn't name. 'It's a major milestone in our growth pipeline, bringing 100% of our active facilities to full capacity,' Soluna CEO John Belizaire said. Soluna shares rose 4.6% in early trading Tuesday. The company's shares have fallen almost 70% so far this year. Read the original article on Investopedia

World-First Fusion Demonstration Machine Designed and Optimized Using COMSOL Multiphysics®
World-First Fusion Demonstration Machine Designed and Optimized Using COMSOL Multiphysics®

Yahoo

time30 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

World-First Fusion Demonstration Machine Designed and Optimized Using COMSOL Multiphysics®

General Fusion uses multiphysics simulation to analyze the internal behavior of a fusion demonstration machine and predict its performance BURLINGTON, Mass., July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- COMSOL, a global leader in modeling and simulation software, today announced that engineers at General Fusion have used the COMSOL Multiphysics® software to design and optimize a large-scale fusion demonstration machine called Lawson Machine 26 (LM26), which it has successfully begun operating. LM26 will be used to de-risk General Fusion's eventual commercial Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF) machine, which works by compressing a magnetized plasma with a liquid metal liner to achieve the high temperatures and pressures needed for fusion. With MTF technology, General Fusion aims to bring fusion power to the commercial power grid by the early to mid 2030s. MTF power plants have the potential to produce significant amounts of energy with comparatively inexpensive technology and without releasing carbon emissions. General Fusion's partnership with Veryst Engineering, a COMSOL Certified Consultant specializing in highly nonlinear simulation and material modeling, was essential in the development of LM26. Sean Teller, a principal engineer at Veryst, worked alongside Jean-Sebastien Dick, an engineering analysis manager at General Fusion, to develop material models that enabled the team to accurately simulate the response of the machine's lithium liner. This information was critical for accurate predictive modeling of the LM26 liner trajectories, which enabled General Fusion to create and assemble LM26. As Teller explained, "We used COMSOL Multiphysics simulation with integrated experimental plans and validation to enable the team at General Fusion to quickly iterate on designs of LM26. The predictive models are critical for achieving fusion conditions on the road to viable and abundant clean fusion power."The LM26 geometry. Different LM26 designs were able to be analyzed simultaneously in the COMSOL® software. During the validation campaign of the models, 40 lithium liners were compressed electromagnetically. The team conducted physical experiments using a small-scale prototype of the compression system. Modeling and simulation enabled General Fusion to adjust the impedance of the power supply, see how design alterations would impact the performance, and maximize the compression fully assembled LM26. "The framework of COMSOL has allowed us to incrementally build in complexity, build confidence in our design intentions, and avoid having to reiterate the design phases," Dick said. "We have not had to change any major parts of these experiments. They were always behaving as intended." General Fusion achieved a major milestone with LM26 in April, successfully compressing a large-scale magnetized plasma with lithium. The full, integrated system and diagnostics operated as designed, and early review of data indicates positive results. The development of LM26 is discussed in further detail in the COMSOL User Story Gallery: About COMSOL COMSOL is a global provider of simulation software for product design and research to technical enterprises, research labs, and universities. Its COMSOL Multiphysics® product is an integrated software environment for creating physics-based models and simulation apps. A particular strength is its ability to account for coupled or multiphysics phenomena. Add-on products expand the simulation platform for electromagnetics, structural, acoustics, fluid flow, heat transfer, and chemical applications. Interfacing tools enable the integration of COMSOL Multiphysics simulations with all major technical computing and CAD tools on the CAE market. Simulation experts rely on COMSOL Compiler™ and COMSOL Server™ to distribute apps to their design teams, manufacturing departments, test laboratories, and customers throughout the world. Founded in 1986, COMSOL has 16 offices worldwide and extends its reach with a network of distributors. COMSOL, COMSOL Multiphysics, COMSOL Compiler, and COMSOL Server are either registered trademarks or trademarks of COMSOL AB. Contact:Mike Nourie(781) Photos accompanying this announcement are available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

DHI Group Gains Analyst Support Amid Cost-Cutting Restructuring Strategy
DHI Group Gains Analyst Support Amid Cost-Cutting Restructuring Strategy

Yahoo

time30 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

DHI Group Gains Analyst Support Amid Cost-Cutting Restructuring Strategy

DHI Group, Inc. (NYSE:DHX) is one of the . Following the announcement of a significant workforce restructuring, the company got its Buy rating reaffirmed by analysts. A prestigious team of executive recruiters networking at a professional event. The New York-based company DHI Group, Inc. (NYSE:DHX) is a provider of AI-powered career marketplaces targeting technology and security-cleared professionals. Founded in 1990, the company operates through brands like Dice and ClearanceJobs and connects technologists with job opportunities and serves candidates with active U.S. security clearances. On June 23, 2025, the company announced a significant organizational restructuring. Reducing the workforce by 25% approximately, the company aimed at lowering the operating costs for its Dice brand. The company believed that the restructuring would lead to annual savings between $14 million and $16 million. It anticipates the completion of the restructuring process by July 2025. On June 24, 2025, Lake Street maintained its Buy rating for the stock, with a price target of $3.50, reinforcing its confidence in DHI Group, Inc. (NYSE:DHX)'s progress. With a one-year consensus median price target of $4.25 from 3 analysts as per CNN, the stock is available at $2.97 as of June 30, 2025, for investors seeking to modify their portfolio with the best penny stocks in the market. While we acknowledge the potential of DHX as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 10 Low Risk Dividend Paying Stocks for June 2025 and Disclosure. None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store