Trend Micro Launches Free, Innovative Tool to Help Parents Support Children's Safety and Wellness Online

Rhea-AI Summary

On September 13, 2021, Trend Micro launched Trend Micro Family, a digital tool designed to support parents in managing their children's online safety and wellness. This app addresses concerns about rising screen time during the pandemic, offering features like a Social Media Checker, Safe Browsing, and Personalized Settings to tailor digital experiences for children. The initiative stems from the company's Internet Safety for Kids & Families program, aiming to educate families on safe internet usage. The tool is available as a free download for parents and children.

Positive

• Launch of Trend Micro Family offers innovative solutions for online child safety.
• Addresses parents' concerns about children's screen time with comprehensive features.
• Part of a broader initiative to promote digital wellness and education.
• Supported by extensive background in cybersecurity and a commitment to digital safety.

Negative

• None.

DALLAS, Sept. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704;TSE: 4704), a global leader in cybersecurity, today announced the launch of Trend Micro Family, a digital tool to help parents ensure their children's screen time is safe, positive, and healthy. Trend Micro Family gives parents a centralized way to ensure content is age-appropriate, choose privacy settings across multiple apps, be informed of areas of concern, and access resources if concerns arise.

While the pandemic has fueled an increase in screen time across all ages, parents generally feel positive about the role technology plays in their children's lives.  Based on a recent study by the Digital Wellness Lab, 63% of parents believe time online provides their children social and emotional support and 64% say it has helps them build stronger ties with friends.  Likewise, however, parents are concerned about the amount of their children's screen time, with 61% saying it is at least a little too much.  In an effort to support families' digital wellness, Trend Micro Family was developed in direct coordination with Trend Micro's Internet Safety for Kids & Families program, a philanthropic initiative launched in 2008 and currently active in 20 countries; the program is designed to educate parents, teachers, and children of all ages on how to use the internet in safe, responsible, and positive ways.

"We are very proud to welcome Trend Micro Family," said Lynette Owens, Global Director, Internet Safety for Kids & Families at Trend Micro, "After working with communities all over the world for more than 13 years, we created this tool in response to the unmet needs among families who want their children to thrive online but need more support to make sure it is a safe, positive and healthy experience. As a trusted authority in online security who has dedicated years to educating kids and parents, we feel uniquely positioned to help by coupling useful technology tools with the knowledge and resources families need."

Key features include:

• Social Media Checker: An industry-first, Trend Micro Family provides parents a way to optimize the best security and privacy settings on their children's social media accounts in a centralized way versus setting them in each individual app.
• Safe Browsing: A less invasive approach, Trend Micro Family provides a safer internet environment by blurring out explicit images, as well as preventing them from accessing unsuitable sites and blocking unwanted ads or third-party ad trackers.
• Personalized Settings: Families with multiple children can choose settings appropriate for each child.
• Screen Time Summary: Parents and guardians can see how their children are interacting with the internet to make decisions about managing their screen time and encourage healthy digital habits.
• Visibility Reporting: Parents and guardians can get a deeper understanding of the interests and worries of their children, which can support on-going conversations among families about how to practice healthy digital habits.

Trend Micro Family is available in two forms, Trend Micro Family for Parents and Trend Micro Family for Kids. To take full advantage of the technology, parents must first download the Trend Micro Family for Parents app and then are guided to download the Trend Micro Family for Kids app onto a child's device. Additionally, Trend Micro Family for Kids comes with a complimentary Chrome Extension for a safer web browsing experience that is easily downloaded from the Chrome Web Store.

When Trend Micro Family for Kids detects unsuitable content, such as explicit graphics, images are blurred out in real-time. If a child searches for keywords or terms that require attention from parents and guardians, Trend Micro Family for Kids sends a notification to the Trend Micro Family for Parents app. Parents have the option to alter the frequency and sensitivity of the alerts.

"As we emerge from a trying and transformative couple of years, we should reflect on what we've learned about our relationship to the internet," said Brook Stein, Director of Consumer Product Management at Trend Micro. "With the increased time online among families, there's an even greater need to make sure that time is spent in a safe and positive way."

Trend Micro plans to expand features in Trend Micro Family to include support for additional social media apps such as Tik-Tok and Facebook, filtering explicit videos, and providing more educational resources and tips to parents and kids which promote digital wellness and good digital citizenship.

To learn more about this solution, please visit online at https://www.tmfamily.care/.

About Trend Micro 
Trend Micro, a global leader in cybersecurity, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Leveraging over 30 years of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro enables resilience for businesses, governments, and consumers with connected solutions across cloud workloads, endpoints, email, IIoT, and networks. Our XGen™ security strategy powers our solutions with a cross-generational blend of threat-defense techniques that are optimized for key environments and leverage shared threat intelligence for better, faster protection. With over 6,700 employees in 65 countries, and the world's most advanced global threat research and intelligence, Trend Micro enables organizations to secure their connected world. www.trendmicro.com 

About Trend Micro Internet Safety for Kids & Families

Trend Micro's Internet Safety for Kids and Families (ISKF) program was launched to help kids around the world become great digital citizens.  Founded in 2008, the ISKF mission is to empower kids to use the internet in safe, positive, and productive ways through educational programs, key partnerships, and a wide range of resources for communities.  To date, the program has reached almost 3 million children, parents, and teachers in 20 countries.  For more information as well as safety tips, tools and advice, visit: https://internetsafety.trendmicro.com.

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SOURCE Trend Micro Incorporated

FAQ

What is Trend Micro Family and how does it help parents?

Trend Micro Family is a digital tool designed to help parents manage their children's online safety by offering features such as a Social Media Checker, Safe Browsing, and Screen Time Summary.

When was Trend Micro Family launched?

Trend Micro Family was launched on September 13, 2021.

What features does Trend Micro Family offer for child safety?

It includes features like personalized settings for multiple children, visibility reporting, and safe browsing that blurs explicit content.

How can parents access Trend Micro Family?

Parents can download the Trend Micro Family for Parents app, which guides them to set up the Trend Micro Family for Kids app on their child's device.

Is Trend Micro Family a paid service?

Trend Micro Family is available for free to parents and children.

What is the Internet Safety for Kids & Families program?

It's a philanthropic initiative by Trend Micro launched in 2008 to educate children and families about safe internet usage.