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Amy North

Co-founder · Marketing

Amy has spent nearly a decade in safeguarding, building safer spaces for vulnerable children and young people. That work led her to co-found Halo Aware, where she leads marketing and supports the families who use it.

More about the people behind Halo Aware on the About page.

Articles by Amy North

What Age Do You Have to Be to Use PolyBuzz? What Parents Need to Know
3 min read

What Age Do You Have to Be to Use PolyBuzz? What Parents Need to Know

PolyBuzz's own rules say 18+, worldwide, no exceptions. Here's how the age check actually works, what it doesn't catch, and what parents should know before assuming the rule is enough.

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Amy North
You can’t read what your child is saying to an AI chatbot… that isn’t so true.
3 min read

You can’t read what your child is saying to an AI chatbot… that isn’t so true.

A lot of parenting advice says it's impossible to see what your child says to ChatGPT because it's encrypted. That's true, but it's answering the wrong question.

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Amy North
ChatGPT for Teens: What Parents Can (and Can't) See
3 min read

ChatGPT for Teens: What Parents Can (and Can't) See

OpenAI's new teen mode adds quiet hours, distress alerts and stricter content limits, real progress. But there's one thing it still won't show you: what your teen actually said.

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Amy North
Can Bark see ChatGPT conversations?
2 min read

Can Bark see ChatGPT conversations?

Bark can see ChatGPT chats on Android only, never in a browser or on iPhone, and even then no parent reads the actual conversation. Here's what's really covered.

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Amy North
Best Apps for Monitoring Your Child's AI Use
4 min read

Best Apps for Monitoring Your Child's AI Use

Bark, Aura and Qustodio are all good at what they do. But if your worry is what your child says to AI chatbots specifically, here's how they really compare.

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Amy North
Character.AI, Replika, and the Apps Your Kid Might Be Talking To
4 min read

Character.AI, Replika, and the Apps Your Kid Might Be Talking To

Ask most parents about their child's friends and they can name them. Ask about the AI their child talks to every night, and most couldn't. Here's what to know.

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Amy North
Could Your Child Trick an AI Into Ignoring Its Safety Rules?
4 min read

Could Your Child Trick an AI Into Ignoring Its Safety Rules?

Kids are quietly learning how to talk an AI out of its own safety rules. Would you spot it if your child tried? Take this two-minute quiz and find out.

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Amy North
What can Halo Aware See? Your AI monitoring companion
4 min read

What can Halo Aware See? Your AI monitoring companion

Installing something that reads your child's AI chats is a big ask. Here's the honest answer, with nothing hidden in a privacy policy: what the extension can see, what it can't, and where it all goes.

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Amy North
Is the AI Chatbot Your Child Uses Actually Safe? We Built a Tool to Check.
2 min read

Is the AI Chatbot Your Child Uses Actually Safe? We Built a Tool to Check.

A new kid-safety AI app seems to launch every month. We built a free, public tool that scores the ones your child is likely already using, and we're publishing exactly how we score them.

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Amy North
What happens when Halo Aware finds something on the risky side?
4 min read

What happens when Halo Aware finds something on the risky side?

If you are raising a teenager today, you are probably already exhausted trying to keep up with the digital world. You know to watch out for cyberbullying on Instagram and endless scrolling on TikTo...

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Amy North
Bark vs Aura vs Halo Aware: How Three Tools Handle Your Child's AI Chats
4 min read

Bark vs Aura vs Halo Aware: How Three Tools Handle Your Child's AI Chats

Bark and Aura are good at what they were built for. But when your child talks to an AI, how much can you actually see? An honest look at how all three compare, and where the gaps are.

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Amy North
What ChatGPT's parental controls actually do (and what they leave out)
4 min read

What ChatGPT's parental controls actually do (and what they leave out)

OpenAI’s settings force you to choose between secretly reading your teen's private chat logs or flying completely blind. Here is why standard screen-time tracking fails against conversational AI.

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Amy North
Can You Keep Kids Safe Online Without Spying on Them?
4 min read

Can You Keep Kids Safe Online Without Spying on Them?

Reading your child's messages feels wrong because it is. Here's how to keep them safe online without spying, and build trust instead. Three steps, plus how Halo Aware helps.

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Amy North
Is Your Child's AI Chatbot a Bad Influence? Take the Quiz
3 min read

Is Your Child's AI Chatbot a Bad Influence? Take the Quiz

Have a go and see if you can detect AI

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Amy North
Is My Child Too Dependent on AI? 5 Signs To Watch For
3 min read

Is My Child Too Dependent on AI? 5 Signs To Watch For

Worried about AI dependency? From "blank page panic" to avoiding complex thinking, learn the 5 signs your child may be over-relying on chatbots and how Halo Aware can help them find balance.

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Amy North
Is ChatGPT Safe for Kids? 5 Hidden Risks Every Parent Should Know
4 min read

Is ChatGPT Safe for Kids? 5 Hidden Risks Every Parent Should Know

ChatGPT isn't always the safe helper it seems. Here are 5 hidden risks every parent should understand, from made-up facts to an AI that never forgets.

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Amy North
Deepfakes and Kids: What Every Parent Should Know
3 min read

Deepfakes and Kids: What Every Parent Should Know

Worried about AI but not sure where to start? Let's look at deepfakes and data privacy, and how we can help our kids stay sceptical (and safe) in an AI world.

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Amy North
AI Chatbots & Kids: How to Set Parental Controls That Actually Work
4 min read

AI Chatbots & Kids: How to Set Parental Controls That Actually Work

Are parent control apps enough anymore?

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Amy North
Your Family Agreement for Using AI
3 min read

Your Family Agreement for Using AI

Sitting down and talking about AI does more than any setting ever will. Here's a simple family agreement to read, fill in, and sign together. Copy and print it.

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Amy North
The AI Talk: 5 Conversation Starters for Your Child’s First Chatbot
3 min read

The AI Talk: 5 Conversation Starters for Your Child’s First Chatbot

We can't lock the door on AI, but we can give our kids the keys. Here are 5 low-pressure questions to start the conversation with your child, without the lecture.

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Amy North
Have Your Child's AI Conversations Crossed a Line?
3 min read

Have Your Child's AI Conversations Crossed a Line?

A chatbot has algorithms, not a moral compass. Here are 5 signs your child's AI conversations may have gone too far, and what to do about each one.

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Amy North
Your Child Can Reach AI Without a Phone
3 min read

Your Child Can Reach AI Without a Phone

Taking the phone away at 9pm feels like a win. But AI isn't in the phone, it's an account, waiting on every other screen. Here's why the "no phones" rule falls short.

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Amy North
Digital Curiosity vs Digital Safety: Helping Your Child Explore AI
3 min read

Digital Curiosity vs Digital Safety: Helping Your Child Explore AI

Your child's curiosity about AI is a good thing. Here's how to let them explore it safely, without stumbling into misinformation or leaning on it too much.

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Amy North
Signs Your Child Might Be Having Unsafe AI Conversations
4 min read

Signs Your Child Might Be Having Unsafe AI Conversations

AI chatbots can be genuinely useful for kids, but the risks aren't always easy to spot. Here are the warning signs worth knowing, and what to do if you see them.

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Amy North
The Real Risks of AI for Children
6 min read

The Real Risks of AI for Children

AI is a completely new kind of risk for children, one most parental controls were never built for. Here are the real dangers every parent should understand.

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Amy North
What Do Kids Use ChatGPT For? A Parent's Guide
4 min read

What Do Kids Use ChatGPT For? A Parent's Guide

If your child has mentioned ChatGPT recently, you might have had some thoughts about it, “is that the AI thing everyone is using?” You might be worrying that they’re cheating at their homework.

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Amy North