Washington, DC (February 8, 2022) – On Safer Internet Day 2022, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) recognizes Bark with its monthly Dignity Defense Alert for championing child protection. Bark’s award-winning technology monitors content, manages screen time, and filters websites. In 2020, Bark revealed details of its undercover investigation of the immediate harms children can face in the digital world.
“The threats children face online are constant, relentless, and growing – a reality that no one, especially parents, can dismiss or ignore any longer. Bark employs technology to equip caregivers and communities with innovative tools and resources to defend kids from a myriad of online harms, and we are pleased to recognize the company with our Dignity Defense Alert,” said Lina Nealon, director of corporate and strategic initiatives for the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.
Bark is currently rated the number one monitoring app for children, with over 5.9 million children covered (in partnership with parents and schools). It allows caregivers the peace of mind that they will be alerted to any dangerous commentary or content via text messaging, emails, and on over 30 popular apps and social media platforms, all without invading the privacy of the children. Bark sends alerts on anything related to self-harm, suicidal ideation, mental health, cyberbullying, inappropriate sexual content/language, threats of violence, and interaction with predators. Bark also extends their app to over 2,900 school districts nationwide at no cost. This is vitally important as countless children are exposed to harmful content and even predators through school-issued devices and accounts.
While the creators of Bark know their product is powerful, they also make clear that it’s not enough. Parents – and in fact the entire community – need to be involved, educated, and committed to the safety and wellbeing of children. According to Bark’s Chief Parent Officer Titania Jordan, “We are the first generation of parents having to raise children with an unprecedented amount of access to harmful content and people, and we need all the help we can get.”
NCOSE’s Dignity Defense Alert is a campaign recognizing the people, companies, and nonprofits, who are taking action to defend human dignity from any form of sexual abuse or exploitation. Read more at: https://endsexualexploitation.org/articles/dignity-defense-alert-bark/.
