In these unusual and often difficult times, my internet connection has become more important than ever.  Internet access is keeping me connected to my friends, family and jobs.  For the first time ever, I’m using video conferencing for work meetings, yoga classes and happy hours!   

And my kids -- 9 and 12 years old -- are using the internet to connect with their distance learning school sessions and completing tasks using online curriculum programs. I’m grateful for these tools that are keeping them connected to their teachers, lessons and friends. But I also know that I - and we as parents -- are in uncharted territory in using online tools to this degree and in our homes.  I have tons of questions, including: “Are these tools safe and private for use in our home?”, “Are video archives or images of my children on these calls stored? By whom? Where?”, “Will my child’s activity online be tracked and sold to third parties?” and “Where do I go to figure all of this stuff out?!”  

As a former staff member of MomsRising, and now the VP of Advocacy at Mozilla, I’m committed to helping parents understand what tools and features of technology are safe and private for children and their families. At Mozilla, we’re committed to making the internet a safe, productive, creative and fun community for all of us.  We have a team of security researchers and technologists who are ready to review and report on the privacy and safety features of commonly used educational tools. We’ll break down what you should be worried about, what you can do about it, and how to raise your voice to ensure a safe online ecosystem for all families.  

All you need to do is tell us what educational tools you’re using, and any questions you have about them in this anonymous survey. We’ll do the rest!  We’ll be working with MomsRising to post follow ups to your questions over the coming weeks.