PixyKids, a social network for kids 6-12, has raised $3m in funding from ATA Ventures and angel investors. The PixyKids service is a new social network dedicated to providing entertainment and social interaction for children and their parents, and it focuses on interactive tools and apps to ensure it’s a fun, creative experience for children rather than just a stark network of profiles.
Launch a social media campaign that will build your brand and deliver results in our online Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting June 7. Speakers include Abigail Cusick (Bravo Digital), Gregory Galant (Sawhorse Media), Alex Leo (Thomson Reuters Digital), Jim Tobin (Ignite Social Media), and many more. Read the reviews. 
As a social media professional and as parent of a 12 year old girl and 10 year old boy I have a different perspective on the use of social media by my kids than the average parent. I am all too knowledgeable on the pluses of my kids using it and of the risks and dangers.
I know the difference between hype and reality when it comes to my kids’ safety. As with all things, sometimes it’s best that kids learn things on their own and at other times we need protect them. We don’t leave dangerous drugs on the kitchen table when toddlers are around and so we need to approach social media the same way. I’ve prepare my top Five list of things as parents we can do to mitigate any dangers of our kids using social media properties.
Real Madrid, voted the most successful football club of the 20th century by FIFA, has got no problem beating teams in their own league, which is why, to celebrate their 109th year, they decided to play against 109 Guangzhou children in China.
Remember when childhood was marked by the day you took the training wheels off your bicycle, learned bunny ears to tie your shoes and popped your own Pop-Tart in the toaster for breakfast? Right, we don’t either, thanks to technology.
A lot of my mommy friends have expressed frustration that there are no good lists of kid-friendly YouTube channels and playlists out there, so here at Social Times we’ve decided to compile one. I’ve put together a list of 20 great YouTube channels and playlists for kids that moms will love, based on recommendations from friends as well as my own love for children’s television. Check out our 20 picks after the jump and stay tuned at the end for 5 fun YouTube channels geared towards moms as well!
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It probably comes as no surprise to learn that with the upswing in children’s use of technology comes a downswing in the time they spend reading books. However, a new study reveals that children might be enticed to read more if they were given access to books on an e-reader. The definition of “read” varies depending on who you ask though: parents have a more traditional view of reading, whether for enjoyment or entertainment, while a significant portion of the children surveyed consider getting texts and Facebook status updates to be time spent reading. Read below the jump for more from this nation-wide study and its implications.
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Surveying 2,800 kids and more than 7,000 adults in 14 countries about their online lives and experiences, The Norton Online Family Report finds over six in 10 kids have had negative online experiences – from exposure to nudity and violence to having a stranger try to meet them in real life. But nearly half of the kids, aged eight to 17, think they are more careful online than their parents, with 20 percent saying their parents have “no idea” what they are doing online.
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An oft overlooked Web 2.0 niche in the Web is PRIVATE scrapbooking. Let’s be honest, many of us like the concept of keeping a ‘journal’ but are less than enthused about sharing it with the world.
In my mind, the “my life is on display for everyone” line gets even wider when it comes to children. I’ll never understand the folks who put their babies out there for the world to see.
If you’re looking for the ease of a children’s social publishing site, with the ability to only network with people you care about, than TotSpot is the place for you.
Parents get to create a private page about their pregnancy, babies, and kids – and then securely share it.
In light of the recent Facebook TOS debacle, TotSpot has clarified that its members receive total control over their content:
* Download Originals. We are one of the only social media sites out there that allows you to re-download or “take back” your photos and videos in their full original quality.
* RSS Feeds. We give you RSS feeds of the updates to your child profiles. RSS is both a simple way to keep track of updates (for yourself, friends, or family) and also a foundational building block for the “open” web. To get the RSS feed from your child’s profile, simply click on the RSS link in your browser’s address bar (see this screenshot as an example).
* Our API. We have a robust API that gives web developers (like our friends at Pikchur) unlimited flexibility in creating ways to export, remix, or otherwise refashion your content on TotSpot.
TotSpot also let’s you turn your virtual goods into physical merchandise. Parents can order physical baby books containing photos, milestones, growth charts and more.
Social networking is a powerful tool; please protect your children’s privacy as we continue to move bravely into uncharted societal transparency.
