Allison Ren and Owens Ehimen
Canada
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Completed in
2023
For our official Equitable Elevation IV competition, our team at EQ Hacks is excited to announce our 1st-place winner feature article on SafeTube by Allison Ren and Owens Ehimen!
Navigating the expanding digital landscape, Allison Ren and Owens Ehimen have developed SafeTube" as a response to the challenges posed by existing parental guidance apps. Seeking to enhance online safety for children, their innovative browser AI-driven plugin specifically targets and filters inappropriate content on YouTube. Our judges believed this project reflects a thoughtful and practical approach to address the evolving complexities of digital parenting. Ren and Ehimen’s project offers a streamlined solution to ensure a safer online environment for the younger generation and help truly protect the youth.
SafeTube isn't just a content filter like most overdone protection add-ons; it's a comprehensive solution addressing both real-time content screening and parental oversight. By combining advanced video preloading with screenshot monitoring, the plugin provides a robust safety net for children navigating the digital landscape. Ultimately, SafeTube is a commitment to enhancing online safety for children—a huge part of why our EQ Hacks judges loved this project.
Safetube’s Jaw-Dropping Features
Advanced Video Preloading: SafeTube employs an innovative safety mechanism by preloading videos 2 seconds in advance. This feature ensures that unsuitable scenes are automatically identified and screened out, providing an uninterrupted and secure viewing experience for children.
Seamless Viewing Experience: The primary goal of SafeTube is to maintain a seamless viewing experience for young users. By leveraging its preloading capabilities, the plugin eliminates disruptions, fostering a safe and enjoyable digital environment.
Proactive Content Filtering: Going beyond traditional content filters, SafeTube takes a proactive approach to content filtering. The plugin actively identifies and filters out inappropriate content, preventing it from reaching the young audience and mitigating potential risks.
Parental Notification and Exact Time Captures: To enhance parental oversight, SafeTube introduces an extra layer of monitoring. The plugin captures inappropriate content during video playback and promptly sends them to parents through email. This comprehensive solution allows parents to stay informed about their children's online activities and act accordingly while also veiling a sense of privacy for the child.
Built for User-Friendly Interaction: The development process of SafeTube prioritized user-friendliness. Through careful design on Figma, the plugin offers a minimalist yet engaging interface, ensuring that both children and parents can navigate the platform effortlessly.
Sad Face, Happy Face Choices: Children can provide active feedback on the videos they’re watching. Once a child feels unsafe or uncomfortable, they can select a “sad-face” option on the Chrome plugin’s popup. Safetube’s AI will take in this feedback and then update the child’s recommendations accordingly to prevent this content from showing up in the future.
Difficulties are expected for ambitious projects.
The intricacies of the SafeTube project presented a solid challenge, notably in efficient time management. The team described the struggles of juggling the multifaceted aspects of development, ranging from meticulous planning to precise execution.
Undeterred, Allison and Owens have achieved noteworthy accomplishments in their project. They take pride in their exceptional ability to devise a comprehensive plan and maintain a meticulously designed Figma project. At EQ Hacks, we highly enjoyed SafeTube’s remarkable attention to detail, which has played a pivotal role in ensuring all the incredibly well-thought features presented throughout the development journey.
Throughout their journey, the team gained invaluable lessons and insights that greatly shaped their growth and professional development. One key area of learning was product management, which granted them a deep understanding of strategic planning, goal setting, and the implementation of effective roadmaps. By honing their proficiency in these areas, the team developed a clear vision for their project and successfully guided its development process.
The team evolved their abilities to communicate and actively listen to others. This not only showed judges that SafeTube’s team is competent in a professional setting, but it also demonstrated how passionately they worked among each other.
“As we strived to meet project milestones, time management became a critical factor, requiring careful coordination and prioritization.”
We’re pretty confident that Allison and Owens will have an easy time working on future projects in other environments!
SafeTube in the future…a dream come true?
In the upcoming phases, SafeTube envisions the execution of usability tests and the collection of feedback from real-world users, helping refine the quality of their plugin. This iterative approach remains crucial, allowing SafeTube to adapt in alignment with user needs and preferences.
Future plans include the exploration and integration of additional features, amplifying not only the plugin's functionality but also its ability to provide a holistic solution to challenges associated with online content safety. SafeTube maintains its dedication to adaptability and user-centricity, actively contributing to the evolution of secure digital experiences for children.
Check out the SafeTube team's work here:
If you liked this article and enjoyed Allison Ren and Owens Ehimen's project, feel free to leave a comment of support on their DevPost page.
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