After months of testing an option to hide likes in select international markets, Instagram is about to do the same for a number of users in the United States, a key market and the company's home turf.   Instagram, which is owned by Facebook (FB), has already been testing hiding likes in seven other countries, including Canada, Ireland and Australia.  For years, likes have been central to how celebrities, brands, politicians and everyday users experience Instagram, and Facebook. It's a way of measuring popularity and success.  Click here

Someone who witnesses bullying, either in person or online, is a bystander. Friends, students, peers, teachers, school staff, parents, coaches, and other youth-serving adults can be bystanders. With cyberbullying, even strangers can be bystanders.

Youth involved in bullying play many different roles. Witnessing bullying is upsetting and affects the bystander, too. Bystanders have the potential to make a positive difference in a bullying situation by becoming an upstander.

An upstander is someone who sees what happens and intervenes, interrupts, or speaks up to stop the bullying. Click here to learn more.

A Memphis high school freshman was reportedly being bullied for wearing the same clothes to school every day, so two football players stepped in and gifted him with new attire.  A video of Antwann Garrett and Kristopher Graham giving Michael Todd his gifts in the school's hallways went viral on social media. The clip shows the two students handing Todd a bag of clothes and some new sneakers.   The kind act received a lot of praise from people commenting on the video saying how much they loved what the boys did for Todd.  Click here to see this incredible story of kindness

A first day of school picture is going viral, in a really good way.   Two elementary school boys began the new school year with a lesson in kindness.  

"I saw him on the ground with Connor as Connor was crying in the corner and he was consoling him. He grabs his hand and walks him to the front door. We waited until the bell rang and he walked him inside of the school. The rest is history. They have an inseparable bond," says Courtney Moore.

What Christian didn't know that day is that Connor is autistic. He was overwhelmed with everything going on around him at Minneha Elementary School.  Click here to read more of story

The beginning of the school year brings concerns for many children and parents. Good grades, getting enough sleep and getting along with teachers and other students are all important. But one of the most concerning issues, as noted by Johns Hopkins Children’s Center mental health counselor Jami Margolis, continues to be bullying. It can lead to low self-esteem, health problems, poor grades and even suicidal thoughts. Margolis answers some common questions about bullying at school and offers tips for parents of children who are bullied or are bullies.  Click here to read more.

Instagram a “one-stop shop for the bully” because everything they need is there: an audience, anonymity, an emphasis on appearances, and channels that range from public feeds to behind-the-back group chats.  Instagram executives acknowledge that as they try to attract more users and attention to the platform, each new feature brings with it a fresh opportunity for abuse. “Teens are exceptionally creative,” says Instagram head of public policy Karina Newton.  A step in the right direction for kids bullied via @instagram. Instagram launched new AI feature notifying users when a comment they write could be considered offensive before they post it  Click here to read more  

If your kids play games on mobile devices, there’s a good chance they’re able to purchase items without your knowledge.These are called “bait apps” in class-action lawsuits. Children who persistently spend their parent's money on extras are dubbed “whales,” a term traditionally used by casinos to describe high rollers. Many parents say it’s far too easy to do and it can be costly.  In 2017, Amazon agreed to refund $70 million worth of app purchases made by children. Click here to read more.  

Help your child build resilience in the face of obstacles including bullying, moving, divorce, and anxiety with these tips from an expert.  All children are capable of working through challenges and coping with stress. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from stress, adversity, failure, challenges, or even trauma. It’s not something that kids either have or don’t have; it’s a skill that kids develop as they grow. Click here to read more.

An app is once again making it easier for teens to talk trash about each other. There is growing worry among parents, digital watchdog organizations, and schools about an app called Tellonym.

The app lets users ask and answer questions about each other anonymously — a concept that the app creators hope will encourage open and honest conversation, but experts say is enabling cyberbullying and cruelty.  The idea is that users make a non-anonymous profile. Then, on that profile, users anonymously leave "tells," or messages intended to "tell me what you think of me." If the user chooses to answer an anonymous "tell," the conversation will appear on their profile.Click here to read more 

Speak Out Against Bullying Inc advocates prevention.  Too many children play online without adult supervision.  Predators prey on the most vulnerable. Parents please monitor your child's online activity.

.....Fourteen minors were among the nearly 50 victims of human trafficking rescued during a sting across California that netted 339 arrests, law enforcement officials said Tuesday.

Some of the victims found by law enforcement were as young as 13 while other cases involved children as young as 6, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said during a news conference alongside other authorities. Ninety-three human trafficking task forces and teams from various counties were part of the 3-day operation. Click here to read