What Do Child Care Providers Need to Teach Families About New York’s Stop Online Predators Act and Kids’ Tech Use? - post

New York passed new rules to help keep kids safer online. This article answers what those rules mean for your child care program and what to teach families. We will use clear steps, short lists, and easy language so you can share the ideas with parents.

Quick note: talk about #technology, #safety, #families, #children, and #screentime when you meet with parents. Also, state requirements vary - check your state licensing agency.

What is the la,w, and what does it do?

What the rules aim to do (in simple words):

1. Reduce strangers messaging kids and limit which platforms recommend to kids.
2. Turn off push notifications at night for minors and limit addictive feeds.
3. Keep kid data private and stop platforms from collecting it without permission.

Why this matters for programs: these laws change how families should set up apps and talk with kids about online friends. For background about social media risks and tips you can share with families, see Social Media Usage in Children: Risks and Safety Tips on ChildCareEd.

What should we teach families about safe tech at home?

1. Keep devices in shared spaces, not bedrooms.
2. Turn off notifications at night and set time limits.
3. Check privacy settings and make accounts private for minors.

Practical script you can share with families:

1. "Ask who your child is talking to online and why."
2. "Never share home address, school name, or phone number."
3. "If something feels wrong, tell a trusted adult right away."

Teach families tools and laws that protect kids. Explain COPPA and privacy basics and link to a plain guide like ChildCareEd's Best Practices for Classroom Technology. For short tips families can use today, the Nemours internet safety page is helpful: Internet Safety for Kids & Teens.

Remind families: state requirements vary - check your state licensing agency. Point parents to reliable resources rather than letting them guess.

What tools, training, and program steps help protect children?

Concrete steps your program can take:

1. 📌 Keep a written media policy for families and staff.
2. 🩺 Health and safety orientation: For programs looking to build a strong foundation of safety knowledge across all staff, ChildCareEd's Health and Safety Orientation is a 6-hour online course covering core health and safety standards every New York provider needs — including supervision practices and safe environment routines that extend to how technology and online activity are managed in the classroom.
3. 🔒 Use age-appropriate privacy settings on program devices.
4. 📝 Train staff as mandated reporters and review online warning signs regularly (see Mandatory Report Training).
5. 📣 Mandated reporter training: To make sure all staff are prepared to recognise and report online safety concerns and other warning signs, ChildCareEd's Mandated Reporters is a 2-hour online course covering how to identify signs of harm, document observations, and follow New York's mandatory reporting procedures — directly supporting the staff training, online warning sign review, and reporting steps outlined in this guide.
6. 💡 Use parental consent forms for any online activity where child data might be used.

Make tech-smart routines: decide when screens are used and for how long. The RAND report suggests focusing on how technology is used — not only how long — so choose activities that promote learning and social play: Moving Beyond Screen Time.

How do we talk with families about risks, mistakes, and reporting?

1. Use open, kind language. Start with things families already do well and add one new tip. Use the ChildCareEd guide to safety conversations: A Guide to Safety Conversations with Families.

2. Common mistakes to warn families about (and how to avoid them):

1. 📵 Mistake: Letting children use apps unsupervised. Fix: Use shared spaces and check accounts.
2. ⚠️ Mistake: Assuming all apps are safe. Fix: Check privacy & age ratings first.
3. ❌ Mistake: Waiting to report concerns. Fix: If you suspect harm, report right away to local authorities and the CyberTipline. See reporting guidance in Mandatory Report Training.

3. Short FAQ to hand to parents:

1. Q: How much screen time is okay? A: Focus on quality and balance; limit recreational time and mix in hands-on play. See Balancing Screen Time.
2. Q: What if my child talks to a stranger online? A: Tell a trusted adult, save messages, and report to law enforcement if you feel unsafe.
3. Q: Do platforms have to protect my child? A: New state laws push platforms to be safer, but families still need rules at home.

Conclusion

New York’s new online-safety steps mean families and programs need clear, friendly guidance. 2. Give parents simple rules, teach staff how to respond, and use training and policies to keep everyone on the same page. 3. Share reliable ChildCareEd resources with families and remind them that state requirements vary - check your state licensing agency. Useful resources: Social Media Usage in Children, Best Practices for Classroom Technology, and Nemours Internet Safety.

Keep conversations calm, keep rules simple, and keep kids safe.

Start simple. Use short, clear rules parents can follow. Use this short list in your parent handouts:1. Make a plan for your program. Use checklists and staff training so everyone knows what to do. ChildCareEd has many relevant trainings, such as Health and Safety Orientation and Safe Supervision courses: Health & Safety Orientation and Safe Supervision. 1. New York put safety ideas into budget bills that limit how platforms can target kids and require safer settings. Read a local news summary about these actions here. The State budget also includes big child care investments that show how much the state is paying attention to kids and families: Governor Hochul's FY27 summary.