PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Online games are meant to be fun.
What You Need To Know
The Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County launched an initiative to safeguard children online and equip families with vital support called Parent ProTech
Through taxpayer dollars, JWB is making it possible for all Pinellas County parents, grandparents and concerned citizens to receive a free annual subscription to Parent ProTech
Parent ProTech is an online platform that has a vast online library which includes expert-backed guides, videos, conversation starters and safety recommendations on topics like parental controls, social media, AI and more
Katie Blaxberg is a mother of three and says to keep up with the fast-changing online world, this has been a helpful resource for parenting
They entertain us, they connect us, but sometimes it is who they connect us to that is concerning.
Katie Blaxberg is a mother of three. Two of those three are teenage boys.
“They have PlayStations, you know, they have their laptops for school,” said Blaxberg. “And of course, with teenagers, the ever-present phone.”
To keep up with the wonders and also the worries that come with the world of online access, she has been using a new free tool available to all Pinellas County residents now.
It is called Parent ProTech.
“Every video that I’ve watched and I’ve watched a lot are really easily digestible. They’re short. They’re to the point,” said Blaxberg.
The application shares the latest information on just about every game, social media platform and application that kids use today.
Parent ProTech is meant to educate, but also help parents safeguard their kids.
“It’s not only parents, it’s grandparents, it’s caregivers and anyone who touches the child to ensure that they are protected,” said Michael Mikurak, Interim CEO of the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County.
The JWB is funding this free resource using taxpayer dollars.
Mikurak said they worked with law enforcement on finding this resource and it was statistics about predators that motivated the JWB to make this available.
The FBI estimates half a million predators are active online daily. Locally, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office conducted more than 100 investigations into child pornography in 2025 with more than 1,000 counts of child pornography being obtained, shared and viewed.
Parent ProTech has a big goal of helping parents thwart predators by educating and monitoring their children.
For parents like Blaxberg, it is also nice for when kids come to them with the latest app and social media site asking questions.
“For your child to come to you and say, ‘Hey, I want this app,’ and you then as a parent can go to this resource, look it up. If it’s not there, you can message them right away,” said Blaxberg.
To sign up for Parent ProTech, just a name, email and zip code are required at Parent ProTech.
The zip code is necessary to ensure the fee is waived for Pinellas County residents.