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A 2023 study from Common Sense Media found that more than half of the teens it spoke with received 237 or more notifications a day on their phones. If your cellular carrier still charges you
to send or receive texts, or if you have friends or family overseas, where additional charges may come into play, you should consider other mobile messaging options. WHATSAPP, which has
more than 2 billion global users, is a popular choice, says Andrew Selepak, a professor at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. It’s the dominant messaging
service in many parts of the world, including Asia, Europe and Latin America, and lets you send a message, photo, video or even a voice note for free to anyone else with the app, regardless
of where they live. OTHER OPTIONS: Facebook Messenger and Signal. Perhaps most important, it’s secure. Regular text messages aren’t always. Digital eavesdroppers have means of reading those
notes, the Electronic Frontier Foundation warns. While you might not have anything to hide, a lot of personal details can be revealed in texts. Messaging services that use end-to-end
encryption make sure the secrets they’re entrusted with stay between you and your friends or loved ones. HAVE YOUNG GRANDKIDS? START A PRIVATE VIDEO CHANNEL A free, private channel on
YouTube or Vimeo video-sharing services is a great way to stay in touch, especially if your grandkids live far away. But be sure to check the settings so the videos go only to those you
share the link with, rather than the whole world. Getty Images Using your smartphone or tablet, record videos of yourself reading bedtime stories or perhaps telling tales of interesting
things in your life. The kids can watch and rewatch as often as they want. As a bonus, they’ll have those memories of your time together virtually — and maybe even have the videos you
created long-term. To set up a private YouTube channel with videos you recorded, the easiest method is to download the app: 1. Sign in, then click on the YOU circle at the lower right.
