Staten Island Kids, Adults: Verizon Helps Families Navigate Technology, Learn Healthy Usage Boundaries, Alternative Activities

The following questions were provided to Verizon, with responses From Donna Epps:

Please tell us about yourself and your work with Verizon.

I am Verizon’s Chief Responsible Business Officer, ensuring that responsible business practices are integrated into Verizon’s business strategy. Our approach is to leverage  Verizon’s advanced technology, networks and other resources to help communities thrive in today’s digital world.

This commitment is at the heart of our Digital Wellness initiative, which focuses on empowering youth, parents and caregivers, and older adults, with the tools and resources they need to navigate the online world safely and responsibly. Whether it’s kids just starting out online, parents seeking guidance, or older adults who want to stay connected safely, we meet people where they are.

We also understand the importance of collaborating with leading organizations and experts in this area, which is why we partnered with Discovery Education, Sesame Workshop, My Digital TAT2 and Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP to enhance and expand the free resources available through our Digital Wellness initiative. 

Can you tell us about the Discovery Education Experience?

Verizon partnered with Discovery Education on the new Digital Citizenship Initiative, which provides K-12 students with free tools, resources, and skills, including a standards-aligned curriculum that helps students develop core competencies to navigate technology and develop healthy digital habits.

Ensuring students understand the impact technology can have on their wellbeing is critical. On average, teens ages 11-15 spend 48.5 hours per week on devices, with a fifth of teens prioritizing online interactions over in-person interactions. As concerning is the 42% of teens who struggle to control their usage of devices. Yet, teens recognize the need to address this issue, with an overwhelming majority (94%) believing schools should teach media literacy.

The Digital Citizenship Initiative is meant to provide educators and students with ready-made, high-quality videos and activities for everyday learning. The Digital Citizenship Initiative takes a deep dive into digital safety and responsibility for K-12 students, exploring topics like the impact of screens on the brain, how personal information is tracked online, and building a positive digital footprint.

Are all NYC schools part of the Discovery Education Experience? Or what percentage are part of it, and are schools in Staten Island involved?

The Discovery Education Experience app is freely available to educators and students nationwide! So all schools in NYC, including Staten Island can take advantage. 

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What is the focus of the research study your company is conducting with Sesame Workshop, and how are those topics being explored?

The study, conducted with Sesame Workshop’s Joan Ganz Cooney Center, is focused on the digital wellbeing of children in developmental ages of 8-12. The findings, which should be available early next year, will address challenges families face with technology use and guide the creation of future digital wellness programs.

Can you tell us about the My Digital TAT2 program, and how parents and children can get involved at their local stores?

In partnership with My DigitalTAT2, Verizon is offering free workshops at select Verizon retail stores to parents and caregivers, providing tools to foster digital wellness in children and navigate emerging media trends. These workshops begin next month, and more info will become available on dates, times and locations across the country. 

How will the Older Adult Technology Services program be brought to older adults in the Staten Island community?

Verizon is offering workshops for older adults, facilitated by the Older Adults Technology Services (OATS), from AARP. These workshops will be provided in select Verizon retail stores across the country, as well as in Senior Planet locations across the country. More information will be available on dates, times and locations in the coming weeks. 

Is this being brought to older adult centers such as those run by the Department for the Aging in New York?

Yes! The workshops are being offered in AARP centers, called Senior Planet centers. There will be a workshop at the Manhattan senior planet location. 

Please tell us about the Verizon Family app, and how it can help protect family members. 

The Verizon Family app is available as an add-on to Verizon plans, and gives access to key features keeping families connected and protected. 

A major feature of the app is location tracking, which uses the Verizon network to show family members’ real-time locations. Verizon Family allows parents to monitor dependents, with features like Location Alerts, which sends a notification when a child arrives or leaves a designated location, and Safe Walk, which enables children to share their locations, mark themselves safe or send an SOS to an emergency contact.

The app also gives parents the ability to monitor for risky behaviors or negative content that can impact children and teens, from Parental Controls and screen time restrictions to Driving Insights, which provide post-trip reports of sudden braking and acceleration, crash notifications, and more. 

Verizon Family is about empowering families to look out for each other and establish healthy habits that keep everyone safe and supported online and offline.

Parents can also get free tips, advice and research-based strategies from the experts to navigate the digital world at verizon.com/parenting.

How is this app’s data protected and kept private for the family using it?

Verizon Family’s privacy practices are covered by Verizon’s Privacy Policy as well as the practices described in our Verizon Family Privacy Notice.

Will the Verizon Arcade Unplugged be coming to or near New York City this summer? Can you tell us about how this interactive experience works?

It is! The Arcade is traveling nationwide – from San Diego to Chicago to the New York and New Jersey areas, and plenty of stops in between. The full tour will be announced in the coming weeks. 

What has Verizon found regarding the need to have play time that doesn’t include digital devices?

It’s all about balance. Verizon helps people connect, and we also help people disconnect. We want technology to be a healthy habit in children’s lives. 

What does a healthy relationship with technology look like for kids? For adults?

A healthy relationship with technology is about both awareness and balance.

For children and teens, it might mean taking note of the times when you’ve been on a phone or other digital device, scrolling for hours. This awareness can be a type of “self-check” when it comes to establishing healthy digital habits. It’s important for children and teens to recognize negative content or misinformation, too.

 Is this content helpful? Is this content hurting how I think about myself or how I perceive others? Is this content something I would post myself or want my peers or family to see? 

These are some of the questions that children and teens might consider when they are navigating the digital world, recognizing that the internet can empower and connect, while also posing risks and dangers. That’s why the Discovery Education curriculum is paramount to teach kids how to answer these questions and make those adjustments to ensure their technology habits are healthy. 

Parents and caregivers play an important role in helping children and teens create a pathway to healthy digital habits. Among other strategies, they can help by having regular open and honest conversations with young people, which can build trust and make it easier for them to set boundaries.

For older adults, many might have knowledge gaps about how to use technology or how to spot risks or threats. Verizon’s partnership with Older Adults Technology Services (OATS), from AARP, is meant to meet the unique needs of this population by building their confidence to use technology effectively, while giving caregivers the peace of mind of knowing their loved ones are protected in the process.

What does Verizon want families to know about using technology in healthy and safe ways?

It’s not too late to establish healthy digital habits. In fact, it’s more important now than ever, and Verizon is proud to provide accessible resources that empower children, older adults, parents and caregivers to improve digital wellbeing for themselves and their families.

The initial information from Verizon is below: 

In celebration of Global Day of Unplugging, Verizon is launching new initiatives to promote healthy digital habits.

Kicking off the day, the company is hosting its first ever Verizon Digital Wellness Summit hosted by Drew Barrymore in NYC, and unveiling the Verizon Arcade Unplugged – a family-friendly in person pop-up with thrilling challenges, unexpected twists and the kind of genuine, face-to-face moments we often miss in our hyper-connected world. The pop up will be going on a nationwide tour this summer, hitting California, Texas and other major cities starting in April.

The summit and the new initiatives were launched to help students, educators, caregivers, parents and older adults build healthier relationships with technology.

NEW YORK – With the average Verizon home internet household boasting 18 connected devices and counting, Verizon recognizes the increasing challenge of managing screen time and its impact on overall well-being. That’s why, today, at the first-ever Verizon Digital Wellness Summit hosted by Drew Barrymore, Verizon is unveiling a series of initiatives aimed at promoting healthy digital habits for families.

“Building healthy habits in our digital lives is essential for overall well-being. Verizon is empowering families to have peace of mind around their children’s online lives by providing resources and tools that promote digital safety – and encouraging kids to put the phones down from time to time,” said Sowmyanarayan Sampath, CEO, Verizon Consumer. “We’re committed to making sure that technology enhances our lives, rather than detracts from them, and our new initiatives are a significant step in that direction.”

Addressing the Digital Dilemma Head-On with Strategic Partnerships and Programs:

Discovery Education: Collaborating on a new Digital Citizenship Initiative to provide K-12 students with free tools, resources and skills needed to thrive in today’s digital world. Content is free on the website and to classrooms within the Discovery Education Experience, an essential K-12 companion for engaged classrooms.

Sesame Workshop: Conducting a research study with the Joan Ganz Cooney Center focused on digital well-being of children during key developmental ages of 8 to 12. The findings will address challenges families face with technology use and guide the creation of future digital wellness programs.

My Digital TAT2: Partnering to offer free workshops in select Verizon retail stores for parents and caregivers, providing tools to foster children’s digital wellness and navigate emerging tech trends.

Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP: Developing a new digital wellness course for older adults, delivered both in-person and virtually through SeniorPlanet.org, focusing on safe and effective technology use, privacy protection, and staying connected.

“At Verizon, we’re committed to putting technology into the hands of those who otherwise might not have access to it. But access alone is not enough,” said Donna Epps, Chief Responsible Business Officer, Verizon. “Verizon wants to ensure everyone has the knowledge and skills to use technology safely and responsibly. That’s why we’re launching our digital wellness programs—empowering users of all ages with the training and resources necessary to build healthy habits and a healthy relationship with technology.”

Showcasing the importance of offline connections at the Verizon Arcade Unplugged:

IRL Gaming: To coincide with the Global Day of Unplugging, Verizon is launching the Verizon Arcade Unplugged pop-up experience, transforming digital games into life-sized, interactive challenges to encourage screen-free family time. The activation will be open to select partners on Friday, March 7 and A Parently Kidding member families on Saturday, March 8. Limited general admission tickets are available here. Verizon Arcade Unplugged is also gearing up for an exciting nationwide tour this summer hitting California, Texas and major cities starting in April. Stay tuned for more updates as the experience makes its way across the country.

Tools that help provide peace of mind in a digital world:

All-in-One Protection with the Verizon Family app: With features like location sharing, Parental Controls, Safe Walk with SOS, Crash Detection and Roadside assistance to keep families connected and protected. The Verizon Family app is available for all Verizon mobile customers on postpaid plans through the App Store and Google Play. More information is available at verizon.com/verizonfamily and Parenting in a Digital World.

Banner Image: Kids using technology.  Image Credit – Jelleke Vanooteghem

Staten Islander News Service Staff Writer

This byline indicates that this article was penned by a member/members of the Staten Islander News Organization office team. Our staff writers are the backbone of our newspaper, performing all sorts of important tasks like conducting interviews, investigating leads, besides writing the news stories you see.