ConnectSafely
ConnectSafely is a Palo Alto-based nonprofit founded in 2005 that produces free, research-based safety guides, podcasts, and educational content on online safety and connected technology for parents, educators, youth, seniors, and policymakers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersPalo Alto, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What ConnectSafely does
ConnectSafely is a nonprofit educational organization founded in 2005 by technology journalist Larry Magid and Anne Collier, headquartered in Palo Alto, California. The organization produces research-based safety guides, podcasts, webcasts, and educational content covering online safety, privacy, digital wellness, and connected technology use — including social media, gaming, virtual reality, and AI platforms — distributed free of charge to parents, educators, youth, seniors, and policymakers. ConnectSafely does not develop proprietary software, APIs, or technology products; its core assets are editorial content, two decades of brand authority, event programming, and its role as the official U.S. host of Safer Internet Day since 2013.
The organization's offerings include Parent Guides, Educator Guides, Quick-Guides (printable PDFs in English and Spanish), podcasts (Doing Tech Right, Media in the Middle, ConnectSafely Live), the twice-weekly ConnectSafely Report distributed by CBS News Radio, and the Ask Trish youth advice series created in partnership with ReThink, Inc. A Youth Advisory Council of approximately 20+ students contributes authentic youth perspective. Distribution is digital-first (website, organic social, email newsletter, podcast platforms) and event-driven (annual Safer Internet Day summits, school grant programs, national webinars), with all guides freely downloadable.
ConnectSafely's revenue model is sponsorship-driven rather than transactional: the organization receives financial support from a roster of major technology companies including Google, Apple, Meta, TikTok, Amazon Kids, Discord, Roblox, OpenAI, Snap, Uber, and Character.ai, supplemented by individual donations. There are no paid products or services; all guides and resources are free. The organization has approximately 12 staff members plus a Board of Directors and Youth Advisory Council, and operates independently without a parent company or institutional investor backing.
ConnectSafely firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ConnectSafely
- Legal name
- ConnectSafely
- Website
- https://connectsafely.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- ConnectSafely is a Palo Alto-based nonprofit founded in 2005 that produces free, research-based safety guides, podcasts, and educational content on online safety and connected technology for parents, educators, youth, seniors, and policymakers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where ConnectSafely is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Palo Alto
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ConnectSafely business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Corporate and Foundation Support: ConnectSafely receives financial support from technology companies including Google, Apple, Meta, TikTok, Amazon Kids, Discord, Roblox, OpenAI, Snap Inc., Uber, and Character.ai. These companies provide funding as part of their commitment to internet safety education.
- Donations: The organization accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support their mission of educating consumers about safe use of connected technology. Donations help fund publications, news, speaking engagements, and educational resources.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
ConnectSafely product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ConnectSafely is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization that produces research-based safety guides, podcasts, webcasts, and educational content on online safety, privacy, security, digital wellness, ethics, diversity, and inclusion. It serves parents, educators, youth, seniors, policymakers, and marginalized communities, and hosts Safer Internet Day in the United States. All resources are provided free of charge.
Product overview
ConnectSafely is a nonprofit educational organization that provides research-based safety tips, parents' guidebooks, advice, news and commentary on all aspects of technology use and policy. The organization operates primarily as a content and resource hub rather than a software product. Its offerings include: Parent Guides and Educator Guides covering popular apps and platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Roblox, Discord, Snapchat); Quick-Guides (short printable resources in English and Spanish); Safer Internet Day programming; the ConnectSafely Report for CBS News Radio; podcasts including Doing Tech Right; ConnectSafely Live webcasts; an Ask Trish series; Family Contracts & Pledges for guiding technology use; and crisis resources for youth. The organization also hosts a Youth Advisory Council and runs the One Good Thing campaign. ConnectSafely does not offer a software product, API, or technical integration platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- One Good Thing: Campaign to surface and celebrate the many ways people of all ages and cultures use connected technology to make the world a better place.
- Safer Internet Day
- Ask Trish
- ConnectSafely Report
Products and services
- Parent Guides Research-based safety guides designed for parents and families covering topics such as social media, gaming, privacy, screen time, and online safety for different age groups.
- Educator Guides Curriculum-aligned guides for K-12 educators covering digital citizenship, online safety, and responsible technology use in classroom settings.
- Quick-Guides Concise guides providing focused information on specific online safety topics for parents, educators, and youth.
- ConnectSafely Report Regular radio segments and reports covering technology news, online safety, and digital wellness, broadcast on CBS News Radio and hosted by Larry Magid.
- Doing Tech Right Podcast Podcast featuring interviews and discussions with experts on topics related to technology use, online safety, and digital wellness.
- ConnectSafely Live Live webcast series featuring expert discussions, Q&A sessions, and audience engagement on online safety and technology topics.
- Ask Trish Content series hosted by youth advisor Trisha Prabhu, addressing questions and topics relevant to teens and young adults navigating technology and online life.
- Family Contracts & Pledges Tools and templates for families to create technology use agreements, screen time contracts, and digital citizenship pledges.
- One Good Thing Campaign Campaign initiative promoting positive online behavior, kindness, and constructive digital citizenship practices.
- Resources for Youth in Crisis Resource hub providing crisis support information, hotlines, and guidance for youth experiencing online harassment, mental health concerns, or other technology-related crises.
- Video Library Collection of educational videos covering various online safety, privacy, and digital wellness topics for diverse audiences.
Quantifiable outcome
- Safer Internet Day reaches 100+ countries with ConnectSafely as official US host
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ConnectSafely
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
ConnectSafely technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ConnectSafely partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Naver Z Corp (ZEPETO)minorConnectSafely and Naver Z Corp announced a partnership in May 2022 to create a safer metaverse experience. The partnership addresses concerns about personal safety in the metaverse, with nearly half of Gen Z and Millennials citing safety as a major concern.
- ReThink, Inc.minorConnectSafely and ReThink launched the 'Ask Trish' blog and TikTok series featuring Trisha Prabhu. The project provides practical advice and support for young people dealing with online-induced stress.
- The Meet GroupminorConnectSafely and The Meet Group collaborated to provide educational resources to help people safely use online dating services and tools.
- CBS News RadiocoreCBS News Radio distributes the ConnectSafely Report, a twice-weekly one-minute radio segment on technology safety, privacy, and security. ConnectSafely produces the content for distribution through CBS News Radio affiliates.
- Comcast Internet EssentialsminorConnectSafely partnered with Comcast Internet Essentials to publish The Senior's Guide to Online Safety, released at an educational event in San Francisco.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ConnectSafely competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Edutopia: George Lucas Educational Foundation publication providing educator-facing resources including on technology integration and digital citizenship. Comparable educator audience and free-content distribution model, though broader than safety specifically.
- PBS Kids: Large public-media educational brand producing media literacy and digital citizenship content for children. Overlaps in K-12 digital citizenship education but operates at vastly larger scale and with a media-production business model.
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC): Larger, established nonprofit addressing child safety online (including CyberTipline). Overlaps in the online child safety mission but is a much larger, federally-supported organization with a different operational focus (reporting and response vs. education).
Direct peers
- Common Sense Media: Largest U.S. nonprofit dedicated to providing parents and educators with reviews, ratings, and advice on media and technology for children. Most direct functional peer — same audience (parents, educators, kids), same free content/guide model, similar nonprofit sponsorship structure.
- iKeepSafe: Nonprofit providing digital citizenship, safety, and privacy education for schools and families. Highly comparable educational resource model, including educator guides and K-12 classroom materials.
- National Cyber Security Alliance (NCA): Nonprofit that runs National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and produces consumer-facing cyber safety education. Overlapping educational content mission, similar tech-industry sponsorship, and shared focus on broad public digital literacy.
- Internet Society: Global nonprofit advocating for an open, secure, and accessible internet, with policy and education programs. Comparable in being a nonprofit with policy influence, though more policy/research-led and less consumer-guide focused.
- Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI): Nonprofit focused on online safety policy, education, and convening industry stakeholders. Closely comparable mission, similar sponsor base of tech platforms, and similar convening role (annual conference, policy work).
Emerging players
- CyberWise: Smaller nonprofit producing digital literacy and online safety content for parents and educators. Comparable content mission but with significantly smaller reach and institutional profile.
- ReThink, Inc. Organization focused on combating cyberbullying and online hate; strategic partner of ConnectSafely on the Ask Trish initiative. Comparable youth-online-safety focus but more product/tool-oriented.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ConnectSafely social profiles
Digital presenceConnectSafely financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ConnectSafely leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
ConnectSafely funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ConnectSafely M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ConnectSafely
What does ConnectSafely do?
ConnectSafely is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization that produces research-based safety guides, podcasts, webcasts, and educational content on online safety, privacy, security, digital wellness, ethics, diversity, and inclusion. It serves parents, educators, youth, seniors, policymakers, and marginalized communities, and hosts Safer Internet Day in the United States. All resources are provided free of charge.
Is ConnectSafely a public or private company?
ConnectSafely is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ConnectSafely founded?
ConnectSafely was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ConnectSafely based?
ConnectSafely is headquartered in Palo Alto, United States, in the North America region.
How does ConnectSafely make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Corporate and Foundation Support is the primary driver. The others are donations.
Who are ConnectSafely's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Edutopia, PBS Kids and National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). Direct peers are Common Sense Media, iKeepSafe, National Cyber Security Alliance (NCA), Internet Society and Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI). Emerging players are CyberWise and ReThink, Inc..
Does ConnectSafely have an API?
No public API is recorded for ConnectSafely.