Social Media Archives | Cool Mom Tech

JIF vs GIF: How the peanut butter is trying to end the pronunciation debate for once and for all.

by Liz Gumbinner | Social Media, Tech Toys and Random Fun

There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who pronounce GIF with a hard “G” as in GRAPHIC…and those who are wrong. (And yes, I know that GIF creator Steve Wilhite pronounces it with a soft J, but unless the acronym now stands for Jurrasic...

Here’s my beef with Snapchat for kids. And it might surprise you.

by Kristen Chase | Social Media

Over the years, we’ve shared our concerns with kids on Snapchat, which aren’t really that surprising. We all know that it’s terribly difficult to monitor. And we’ve seen our kids deal with the difficult issues that arise with Snap Maps. But...

Here’s how Facebook is stalking you. And what you can do about it.

by Kristen Chase | Social Media

If you’re like me, you’ve had a few instances where you know you didn’t search for a particular product or service on your phone or your computer, but suddenly you’re getting ads for it in your Facebook feed. Is Facebook listening into your...

Instagram trick: How to find all those cool Instagram Story filters everyone else seems to have.

by Liz Gumbinner | Photo Apps, Social Media

We used to say “photos or it didn’t happen,” but it feels like 2020 is all about “filters or it isn’t Instagram.” You may have noticed folks you follow using wacky filters — or oddly flattering filters that bathe them in a...

How to raise responsible digital kids

by Kristen Chase | Social Media

Over the last few weeks in particularly, we’ve seen our Out Tech Your Kids Facebook community filled with parents who seem panicked — or at least very concerned — about kids and texting and social media. And if you follow us (or are a member of that group), then...

Instagram Stories trick: Turn your Live Photos into Boomerangs!

by Liz Gumbinner | Social Media, Tips and Tricks

I often like adding Boomerangs to an Instagram Story to help change things up from still photos. But then, I either have to go shoot a Boomerang in Instagram (and figure out what to shoot) or open the Boomerang app itself. Not one of life’s greatest problems,...

Easy tip for more mindful screen time: Download these lock screen wallpapers for your phone

by Liz Gumbinner | Cell Phones, Social Media

This weekend, inspired by the Cool Mom Picks book club video chat about How to Break Up with Your Phone, I decided to try one of author Catherine Price’s tips to help me be more mindful about my screen time, and more aware of how much I pick up my phone. She...

This Facebook design flaw allowed kids to chat with unauthorized users on Messenger Kids.

by Kristen Chase | Social Media

Since Messenger Kids launched back in 2017, we were pretty skeptical about the messaging app that purported to offer kids a safer way to chat with friends, all without having to actually be a Facebook user. Not surprisingly, the Messenger Kids app was highly...

How to hide your Instagram Story posts from your kids

by Kristen Chase | Social Media

It’s not just tweens and teens who might be using Finstas (Fake-Instagram accounts) to throw off their parents. We parents whose kids and their friends follow us on Instagram have probably considered using them in case we want to freely post about our crazy...

How do you change the font on your Instagram bio?

by Liz Gumbinner | Social Media, Tips and Tricks

Every so often, you probably see an Instagram name that pops up in wedding script, some gothic type, or even upside down, and if you’ve wondered how you change the font on your Instagram bio, it’s so simple! There are apps you can download or keyboards you...

Tokimeki Unfollow helps you Konmari your Twitter feed

by Kristen Chase | Social Media

We know lots of folks have been cleaning up their social media feeds, which is why we had to share Tokimeki Unfollow, a twitter plug-in that allows you to Konmari your Twitter feed. Related: Spring cleaning your tech – the best tips and tricks Once you sync...

How do I keep kids safe on social media? | Guide to Digital Parenting

by Cool Mom Staff | Guide to Digital Parenting, Internet Safety, Social Media, Tips and Tricks

We couldn’t create an Ultimate Guide to Digital Parenting without including tips about how to keep your kids safe on social media. After all, for our tweens and teens, the Internet is social media, and they could sooner give up the games, the videos, and even...