SASKATOON -- A technology author worries that kids are on inappropriate social media platforms in the days of physical distancing.

“I worry because kids are getting into an online world that was really built for them and what that means is their privacy isn’t being protected in a lot of ways and with children privacy concerns can often lead to safety concerns,” says Sean Herman, who grew up in Saskatoon and now lives in Vancouver where he wrote a book called Screen Capture: Helping Families Explore the Digital World in the Age of Manipulation.

Parents need to check in with their kids to see with whom they are sharing their online presence while using apps such as Tik Tok and What’s App, he said.

His book talks about the positive effects of technology and how it can be used for good which he says resonates even more now, as people seek real connections on social media rather than likes.

He is encouraged by the movement he’s seeing where people are trying to leverage technology to have real relationships with people they care about.

He’s hopeful that this shift in the use of technology will be one of the positives that comes out of the COVID-19 situation.

Herman also developed a family friendly messaging app called Kinzoo which provides a safe method of communicating for kids so they also stay connected.

Saskatoon Police Service Chief Troy Cooper said he hasn’t seen an increase in predatory activity online since physical distancing started.