One fantastic tool for your digital parenting arsenal is the “Google Alert”. The Google Alert was originally created for consumers to monitor the web for new content of a specific topic. A user creates an alert by first, deciding on the search criteria then, entering a few more parameters about the search results. Once complete, the alert will notify the user if new information appears on the web fitting the search criteria.
What does this mean for parents? Well, parents can create an automatic search engine that will notify them when any type of media is tagged with their child’s name. In the age of digital parenting this type of tool is a must, and better yet, it is free.
Here is how you do it.
1. Go to Google and search “Google Alerts” , and navigate to the alerts page.
2. Enter your child’s name in the first search field, use quotes to make sure the name is searched as phrase and not separate words.
3. In the “Result type” field, select “Everything”.
4. In the “How often” field, select the frequency by which you would like to receive notifications.
5. In the “How many” field, select “Only the best results”
6. In the “Deliver to” field, type in the email address to which the notifications will be sent.
7. If your child has a commonly used nickname you may want to create an alert for that name as well.
I have posted a video tutorial on my website, if you need any further assistance or have questions, please email me This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit my website www.transparentlyteaching.com.
By Jennifer Cronk, Transparently Teaching
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