Zeeko Advice Hub

As the Christmas edges ever closer  it’s a good time to remind your children whether they are young or a little older about the importance of staying safe online over the next few weeks. It is highly likely that Santa is going to deliver smartphones and/or digital devices in all their different forms to homes…

  Is there a chance that a games console will be a gift in your house this Christmas?   If so, what can you do to help ensure that your child stays safe while playing on a console? The first thing to do is to check out what parental controls are available with the console…

Are you planning on buying technology for your kids this Black Friday? Here are some tips to bear in mind before you make a purchase. Digital devices can be a great gift but it’s important to always be conscious of the age appropriateness of such a device and also the messages you need to be…

  As the build up to Christmas creeps up on everyone, you may be aware of an increase in talk about what console and/or PC games your child may want as a gift this year. Our blog this week looks at the age ratings on games and offers advice on keeping your child safe if…

Are you considering adding a digital assistant to your home? As many retailers begin to reduce the prices on tech and digital devices in advance of Black Friday, we look at the role of digital assistants and how best to keep your child safe. Digital assistants are a growing part of everyday life. These are…

This week there has been lots of conversations nationally about the importance of kids staying safe online and the role of parents in helping to protect them. Here we offer advice on the absolute importance of having regular conversations with your children about the power of the internet. Open Communication is the key: The most effective…

  Our blog this week is written by guest blogger Dr. Marina Everri who is the Head of Research with Zeeko.  There is no doubt that screen devices such as smartphones and tablets are extremely attractive for the small hands and growing brains of young children: touchscreen function, animations, bright colours, sounds, all in one…

We live in an age where some people record and stream almost every element of their lives. The term vlogging ,which is essentially videoing your every day life is becoming increasingly popular among those in their late teens and early 20’s. Being exposed to the live element of the online world can start a lot…

As World Mental Health Day was marked earlier this week our blog focuses on the importance of teaching kids about the long-term implications of their digital footprint for every aspect of their health and in particular their mental health. If you asked a group of adults what they understand by the term digital footprint it’s…

As storm Lorenzo tracks towards Ireland, our blog this week looks at ways to tackle the ever-popular topic of screentime. The cause of stormy waters in many homes around the County! The reality is that in this digital age screens are everywhere. Children could potentially be spending time looking at a screen from the time…

We are often asked what advice we would offer to parents when it comes to talking to their kids about staying safe online. Well, our blog this week offers the insights we have gleaned from our work, on helping kids to stay safe online. The first thing we tell children and teens we meet when…

It may be the time of year when we  start packing away the t-shirts for another year. However, the t-shirt rule when it comes to the sharing of content online is one your child should always be aware of regardless of the season!   When we visit schools all over Ireland to talk to kids about…

Is your child spending time on apps like Snapchat, YouTube and Instagram?  If your child is active on any of these platforms, then they are engaged in what is termed social networking. Many kids now embrace social media and technology, often, as their primary means of communication and entertainment. So, what can you do to…

  As we all settle into new routines at the start of a new school year it is a great time of the year to consider creating a digital contract with your kids. It will help everyone to consider their use of tech, which is something which can get overlooked at such a hectic time…

  It’s unbelievable that the summer is coming to a close and schools starts for the majority of students over the next week or so. We hope you have had a great summer and our team look forward to meeting students, teachers and parents in schools all over Ireland during the course of the coming…

  As a return to school moves ever closer the Zeeko blog is back! This week our blog looks at the best ways to keep the conversation about staying safe online going. This can be particularly challenging at a time of transition such as the period between the end of the long summer holidays and…

  School is officially out for summer in just a few days! Here’s hoping that long sunny days lie ahead. No matter what you can be sure that technology will play a part in everyone’s summer. So, here are some tips for what you can do to ensure that your child stays safe over the…

  Barnardo’s UK recently released a Report called ‘Left to their own Devices’ which explored the use of social media by Barnardo’s youngest clients. Their insights indicate some children start looking at social media as early as two-years-old. Half of service practitioners responding said they had worked with children aged five to 10 who had been exposed…

As the State exams in English highlighted teens use of social media and asked are this generation self-obsessed, we look at ways to make sure that your child stays safe when they spend time on social media.  A virtually erasable digital footprint, spending increasing amounts of time online and dealing with a whole new form…

Kids, in particular teens, can get very wrapped up in what they are doing when they spend time online. Our blog this week offers tips on helping kids to learn about digital etiquette. Teach the “Grandma Rule”: As communication via social media becomes ingrained in our culture, children need to know social networking etiquette. A…

  It’s one of the most common questions we get asked by parents. What age is the right age for a child to have a smartphone? Smartphones can undoubtedly open a whole new world to your child in very positive ways such as teaching them digital skills and new ways to use technology to communicate.…

  As parents lead increasingly busy and demanding lives, it can undoubtedly be a juggling act to keep on top of routine daily tasks in addition to keeping a watchful and informed eye on what your child is doing when they are using technology. So, how can you stay connected to what your child is…

  As WhatsApp announce that they have been hacked and ask users to update the app we look at what you need to do to make sure that your child stays safe if they use WhatsApp to message their friends. WhatsApp has revolutionised online messaging, little doubt of that. The app, which allows users to…

In a world where we are all surrounded by technology how can you help your kids to have a better balance in their use of technology and spend  time unplugged? The reality is that in this digital age screens are everywhere. Children could potentially be spending time looking at a screen from the time they…

  You have probably seen articles in the press recently about digital assistants like Alexa allegedly, listening to conversations. This is obviously a concern for adults but also teens and children who may use what are termed digital assistants. Digital assistants are a growing part of everyday life. These are better known by their titles,…

  When we visit schools throughout the country to deliver our message about staying safe online, one of the topics kids struggle to grasp is that they are creating and leaving a digital footprint when they are online. Most kids, understandably, don’t think of the long-term implications of what they are sharing today i.e. that…

  As the Easter holidays are just around the corner our blog this week offers some tips for getting your kids started on a digital detox. In a world surrounded by technology it is always a good idea to build in a regular digital detox and that’s not just for the younger members of the…

  At Zeeko we are very lucky to have great interns who help us get our message about staying safe online out there! Our guest blogger this week is Benjamin Applegate a 3rd Year university student from Pennsylvania studying abroad in Dublin this spring. He is a media and communications and business double major who specializes…

  As members of the secondary teacher’s union ASTI raise concerns about the impact of gaming on children, we offer advice on helping keep children safe. Assistant general secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) Moira Leydon has said teachers have being “expressing concern about the overuse and amount of time children are…

One of the biggest challenges of parenting in a digital age is helping teenagers to strike a healthy balance in their use of technology as a means of communication.  Communicating using social media is a relatively new phenomenon and is certainly something that many parents do not have direct personal experience of from their own…