Opt-Inspire, Inc.

Category: Resources

Guides, toolkits, and trusted links to help families, seniors, and communities strengthen their digital safety skills.

  • Do You Have a Personal Incident Response Plan? How To Build One in 15 Minutes.

    Do You Have a Personal Incident Response Plan? How To Build One in 15 Minutes.

    By Opt-Inspire Board Members, Justin Daniels & Alexandria Lutz

    If you discovered right now that your bank account was compromised, would you know exactly what to do first?

    Most people would not. In a digital crisis, adrenaline runs high and clarity drops fast.

    At Opt-Inspire, we recommend every household maintain a simple, physical Personal Incident Response Plan. This is a short checklist you can reach even if your phone, email, or computer is compromised.

    Take 15 minutes tonight to complete the steps below. Print the plan and keep it in a central location, such as on the refrigerator or in a drawer, where it can be accessed quickly.

    1. Immediate Actions: Stop & Secure

    If you suspect a scam, hack, or unauthorized access, take these steps immediately:

    1. STOP.
      Hang up the phone or close the chat. Do not continue the conversation.
    2. PROTECT.
      Do not click links, download files, or install software.
    3. VERIFY.
      Contact your bank or service provider using a trusted number, such as the phone number printed on your card or official statement. Do not use numbers sent to you by text or email.
    4. RESET.
      Change passwords for any account you believe may have been targeted. Start with email, banking, and financial accounts.

    2. Your Critical Response Table

    Complete this section with your family. Do not write full passwords here.

    Contact or Information NeededDetails
    Bank Fraud Department Phone (fill in)
    Credit Freeze Status (check when complete)☐ Equifax ☐ Experian
    ☐ TransUnion
    Emergency Tech Contact (fill in the person you will call first)
    Primary Email Provider (fill in)
    Cell Phone Carrier PIN (fill in)
    (To stop SIM swapping.)

    3. Reporting and Recovery Resources

    If an incident occurs, these organizations provide free, expert assistance:

    ResourceDetails
    AARP Fraud Watch877-908-3360 (Free support for all ages)
    IdentityTheft.govThe FTC’s official recovery site
    Local Police: Non-Emergency
    (Add your local number)

    How to Use This Plan

    • The 15-Minute Meeting.
      Sit down with loved ones and review & complete the plan together. This is not about fear. It is about preparation.
    • The Safety Net Role.
      Designate one person as the “first call” (third box under #2, above). Their job is not to fix everything, but to slow things down and provide a calm second opinion.
    • The Physical Copy (Print It!).
      Digital notes are useful until you are locked out of your devices. Paper still works when technology fails. A physical plan cannot be encrypted, deleted, or held hostage.

    Stay safe, stay savvy, and remember: you are not alone.

  • AI Safety Just Got Real: A Parent’s Guide to the New Chatbot Laws.

    AI Safety Just Got Real: A Parent’s Guide to the New Chatbot Laws.

    Imagine your child has a “friend” who never sleeps, remembers every secret, and is programmed to keep them talking… But isn’t actually human. For many kids, that’s their AI chatbot. But as of January 2026, California is leading a national movement to put guardrails on these digital companions.

    What Just Happened?

    On January 9, 2026, a major alliance was formed. Common Sense Media and OpenAI joined forces to back the Parents & Kids Safe AI Act. This is a landmark ballot measure that aims to turn safety “on” by default for every child using AI in California, and likely the rest of the country soon.

    The 3 Big Changes for Parents

    This legislation forces a fundamental redesign of AI chatbots. Here is exactly what is changing:

    1. Ending “Emotional Dependency”: The law prohibits AI from pretending to be a real person, simulating romantic relationships with minors, or using “addictive design” to keep kids isolated from their real-world family and friends.
    2. Age Assurance & Filters: If a platform thinks a user might be under 18, it must automatically apply the highest safety filters. No more “guessing” or letting kids bypass protections by lying about their birth year.
    3. Parental Controls 2.0: Parents will finally get tools to set time limits, get alerts if an AI detects signs of self-harm, and, most importantly, disable the AI’s memory. This means every time your child starts a chat, it’s a fresh start rather than a building “relationship.”

    Opt-Inspire’s Action Plan for Parents

    You don’t have to wait for the law to take effect to protect your kids. Here’s what you can do today:

    • Audit the “Friends”: Ask your child if they talk to AI bots on apps like Snapchat, Discord, or Roblox. Ask them, “Does the bot ever try to act like a real person?”
    • Turn Off “Memory”: In your child’s AI settings, look for “Personalization” or “Memory” features and toggle them off.
    • The “Human Test”: Remind your kids that even if an AI says “I feel sad” or “I love you,” it is just a very smart calculator. It doesn’t have feelings, and it shouldn’t replace real-life friends.

    Why This Matters to Us

    Our mission is to empower vulnerable populations to stay safe online. By supporting privacy by design and better AI guardrails, we ensure that technology for all generations remains a tool for education and authentic human connection(not a predator in the pocket).

  • You’re the Chief Security Officer of your family (whether you applied for the job or not). Here’s your 2025 closing strategy.

    You’re the Chief Security Officer of your family (whether you applied for the job or not). Here’s your 2025 closing strategy.

    If you’re reading this, you know the burden.

    You are the one who gets the screenshot at 10:00 PM. The forwarded email with the subject line: “Is this real???” The anxious text that starts with, “I think I clicked something…”

    Somewhere along the line, you became the unofficial Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for your entire family tree: managing the digital safety of your iPad-obsessed child, your busy siblings, and your aging parents simultaneously.

    At Opt-Inspire, we see this dynamic every day. The threat landscape in 2025 shifted dramatically with the rise of AI-driven scams and deepfakes. Bad guys became more polished, but our defense doesn’t need to be more complicated. It just needs to be more intentional.

    As we close out the year, let’s skip the technical lectures. Instead, here is a strategic, 5-step audit to upgrade your family’s cyber hygiene and close out 2025 with confidence.

    Step 1: Implement the “One Rule” Protocol

    Stop trying to teach your family to spot every specific lie. It’s impossible. Instead, implement one “Master Rule” that covers 90% of phishing attacks and social engineering:

    The Rule: If a message creates urgency, involves money, or demands secrecy…pause immediately.

    This single heuristic works across generations:

    • For Gen Alpha/Z: It catches “limited time” game skins or influencer giveaways.
    • For Adults: It flags fake IRS threats or “account suspended” delivery texts.
    • For Seniors: It stops the “grandparent scam” or emotional pleas for bail money.

    Step 2: Move From Memorization to Pattern Recognition

    In 2025, scams became personalized. We can’t memorize them all, but we can recognize the threat patterns.

    • The “Account Problem” Pattern: Whether it’s Netflix, Amazon, or your bank, the pattern is always: Link > Login > Steal.
      • The Fix: Never click the link. Go to the app directly.
    • The “Help Me” Pattern: This targets grandparents specifically. It relies on emotional shock—an injured relative or a legal emergency.
      • The Fix: Establish a “family code word” or verify by calling the person’s known number, not the one calling you. (You can do this with your family today!)
    • The “Too Good to Be True” Pattern: Crypto investments, free Robux, or unclaimed packages.
      • The Fix: If you didn’t initiate it, it doesn’t exist.

    Step 3: Address the AI Elephant in the Room

    We cannot talk about online safety in 2025 without talking about Artificial Intelligence.

    AI voice cloning and generative text have removed the “typos and bad grammar” we used to rely on to spot fakes. Today’s scams sound professional, calm, and terrifyingly human.

    Takeaway: Stop trusting your ears and eyes. In the age of AI, “audio evidence” is no longer proof. If you get a call that sounds like a loved one asking for money, hang up and call them back. Verification is the only antidote to AI deception.

    Step 4: The “Zero-Trust” Gut Check (5 Questions)

    Corporate security teams use a model called “Zero Trust.” You should use a simplified version at the dinner table. Before clicking or paying, ask:

    1. Is this rushing me? (Fear overrides logic.)
    2. Is money or data involved? (The ultimate goal.)
    3. Is secrecy required? (“Don’t tell Mom/Dad.”)
    4. Did I invite this interaction? (Inbound vs. Outbound.)
    5. Can I verify this elsewhere? (Go to the source.)

    If the answer to any one of these is “Yes,” pump the brakes.

    Step 5: Build a Culture of “Psychological Safety”

    This is the most innovative step on this list.

    The biggest reason people lose money to scams isn’t stupidity; it’s shame. People (especially seniors & teens) are terrified to ask for help because they don’t want to lose their independence or their device privileges.

    As the family CISO, your job is to remove the shame.

    • Celebrate the near-misses: “Wow, good catch asking me about that text.”
    • Kill the “I told you so”: If they click, help them fix it without judgment.
    • Make help accessible: Be the person they run to, not the person they hide from.

    Closing Thoughts

    Normalize open communication about digital safety.

    If you are the person holding the digital thread together for your family: Thank you. You are doing the work that matters. By simplifying the rules and keeping the conversation human, you aren’t just protecting devices, you’re protecting the people you love.

    At Opt-Inspire, we’re dedicated to scaling this kind of protection for seniors and families nationwide. We are here to walk this path with you as we close out 2025, in the new year, and beyond.

  • From Rotary Phones to Robots: What Everyone Should Know About U.S. Online Privacy Laws

    From Rotary Phones to Robots: What Everyone Should Know About U.S. Online Privacy Laws

    This is Not Legal Advice (But Hopefully Very Helpful!)
    This post, inspired by research conducted by Opt-Inspire Founding Board Member, Justin Daniels, is meant to guide and inform, not to give you formal legal advice. (Think of it as sitting down for coffee with a lawyer friend who promises not to speak in legalese.)

    Why This Matters

    If you’ve ever felt like the internet is one giant game of “gotcha,” you’re not alone. Seniors are some of the most frequent targets of scams, fraud, and misinformation online, but really, it affects all of us. Whether you’re 17 or 77, we’re navigating an online world built on laws that predate smartphones, Google, and social media.

    Every pop-up ad, text message, or surprise phone call can feel like a trap. That’s why it helps to know what protections exist under U.S. law (and where the gaps are). Spoiler alert: the laws we currently have in place weren’t designed for the world we live in now.

    Privacy & Security in the U.S.

    Here’s the reality: unlike Europe, which has a powerful, one-size-fits-all privacy law called the GDPR, the United States has no single national privacy law. Instead, it’s a patchwork quilt. Several states have strong protections. For example, in California, you can ask companies what data they have about you, demand that they delete it, and even stop them from selling it.

    But move across state lines, and your rights might look completely different. As of the date of this post, nineteen states now have their own privacy laws in effect, but the details vary, and most of the country still doesn’t have broad protections. At the federal level, there are only narrow laws covering specific areas like health records (HIPAA), bank information (GLBA), or children under 13 online (COPPA). For adults using Facebook, Google, or YouTube? There’s no broad federal law keeping your data safe.

    The Old Internet Law That Shaped Big Tech

    Back in 1996 (when most people were just getting used to dial-up internet), Congress passed the Telecommunications Act. Buried inside was a short section with a big impact: Section 230.

    This law basically says that online platforms aren’t legally responsible for what users post. If a newspaper prints something false, it can be sued. But if someone posts something false on Facebook, Facebook itself isn’t liable. At the time, this seemed like common sense; it was written for small online forums, not for billion-dollar companies.

    Fast forward to today, and tech giants like Google and Meta have used Section 230 as a shield. It has allowed them to grow massively without being legally responsible for the endless stream of content on their platforms. Some argue this protects free speech and innovation. Others believe it lets platforms dodge accountability for scams, lies, and harmful material.

    Artificial Intelligence: The New Wild West

    As if the internet weren’t complicated enough, now artificial intelligence (AI) has entered the scene. Congress has held hearings, but so far there’s no national law regulating AI. A few states (like California, Colorado, and Utah) have started to pass rules. New York City has even required audits of AI used in hiring. But most states haven’t taken action that will move the needle.

    The problem is speed: AI is moving far faster than lawmakers. Deepfake videos, fake voices that can mimic your loved ones, and AI-powered chatbots that run scams are already here. Laws, meanwhile, are still playing catch-up.

    What All of Us Should Keep in Mind

    So where does that leave you? The truth is, your level of protection depends a lot on where you live. Don’t assume Google or Meta will catch scams for you. They aren’t legally required to. And when it comes to AI, you should be extra skeptical. If a phone call, email, or video feels even a little “off,” trust your gut.

    The best defense right now is good digital habits: use strong passwords, ignore links from strangers, and never give out personal information unless you’ve initiated the contact with a legitimate source, or if you’re absolutely sure who’s asking.

    Main Takeaways

    The laws that still shape our online lives were written before smartphones, before Google, and long before artificial intelligence. Section 230, once meant for tiny chat rooms, became the shield for Big Tech. Meanwhile, AI is racing ahead, creating risks lawmakers haven’t yet caught up with.

    Until stronger protections are in place, awareness and caution are your best allies. Stay alert, stay curious, and most of all: stay safe out there.

  • Online Safety Tools Every Family Should Know About

    Online Safety Tools Every Family Should Know About

    Staying safe online isn’t just about knowing what threats exist. It’s about having the right tools at your fingertips. With scams growing more sophisticated and AI making it easier than ever for bad actors to impersonate people we trust, families need simple, reliable resources to protect themselves.

    At Opt-Inspire, we’ve created practical tools designed to empower both kids and seniors—and the families who love them—to stay secure in today’s digital world. A few highlights:

    #1MSecureTogether Campaign – A national initiative designed to reach one million individuals with cybersecurity education between October 2025 and October 2026.

    The Make It Personal Toolkit – A step-by-step guide to helping seniors practice everyday digital safety, from spotting scams to managing passwords.

    Our Kids + Parents Toolkits – Tailored by age to build healthy tech habits early, with exercises families can do together.

    Volunteer-Led Presentations – Live and virtual sessions where trained volunteers walk through real-world examples of scams and safety basics, leaving families with resources they can use right away.

    Every family deserves to feel confident online. Explore these resources + more on our website, and share them with someone you love. Because when one person is safer, we all are stronger.