Most of us have heard the terrifying predictions from AI experts about the potential end of humanity.
Of course, it’s important that people speak up and take action instead of just hoping the potential risks of AI will go away.
And, as tempting as it is to freak out, most of us know that panicking will make things worse, not better.
The reality is that the experts may be right. AND, they may be wrong.
Either way, what we have been teaching in Kidpower for the past 37 years has helped people navigate many frightening times in the face of forces outside of our control.
Here are 3 Kidpower safety strategies to help you protect your loved ones and yourself:
1. Choose not to let your emotional triggers rule your behavior.
Feeling scared about the threats of AI is a normal response to the potential danger.
And, allowing yourself to become consumed by hopeless, helpless, enraged, and horrified feelings will not help you be safer or help you protect yourself, your loved ones, your family, or humanity.
Being consumed can also cause us to make knee jerk decisions about who to trust and what to do that might be destructive to our best interests.
To avoid becoming consumed, take charge of your media diet so it helps you without harming you. Unless an immediate emergency threatens the safety of your loved ones and having accurate updates will inform your safety decisions in the moment, getting the news can wait.
Our article 12 Emotional Safety Skills for All Ages provides practical tools for managing your emotional triggers so that you can think clearly and make wise choices – and for supporting your loved ones in doing the same.
2. Take charge of online safety.
Digital life and risks will always change – AND, the basic strategies to protect yourself and your loved ones in digital environments will remain the same.
As we confront the threats of AI, we can accept that, while much of what happens is not in our personal control, a great deal IS in our control.
Let’s not let scary AI doomsday scenarios stop us from recognizing there ARE steps we can take right NOW to protect ourselves and our loved ones from so many of tomorrow’s and next week’s online threats, harassment, and scams.
One step that parents can take right now is to assess carefully the risks of having our children’s photos online in social media spaces because their images can so easily be misused with AI.
Act now to help yourself and your loved ones be safer online right away. Our Online Safety Resource page and our articles Kidpower Strategies for Safety Online – And Everywhere Else and Strategies for Adults to Protect and Empower Youth Online provide guidance on how to do this.
3. Focus on what we CAN do, instead of fueling panic.
If you are reading this newsletter, you have survived a global pandemic.
You have very likely endured natural disasters and the fear or the reality of war or mass shootings.
You have a LOT of experience with the ways people talk about tragedies and terrifying threats.
Decide that you will be one of the ones who tries NOT to fuel panic. You have the power NOT to share, repost, or like messages.
As long as you have the power to choose your words and actions, you also have the power to protect safety and prevent harm by focusing on what you CAN do instead of what you cannot.
To learn more, see: How to Choose Safety in Scary Times.
Finally, please remember – Kidpower is here to help you, your loved ones, and causes important to you.
Published: September 17, 2026 | Last Updated: September 17, 2026
Irene van der Zande, Kidpower Founder and Executive Director
Kidpower Founder and Executive Irene van der Zande is a master at teaching safety through stories and practices and at inspiring others to do the same. Her child protection and personal safety expertise has been featured by USA Today, CNN, Today Moms, the LA Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Publications include: cartoon-illustrated Kidpower Safety Comics and Kidpower Teaching Books curriculum; Bullying: What Adults Need to Know and Do to Keep Kids Safe; the Relationship Safety Skills Handbook for Teens and Adults; Earliest Teachable Moment: Personal Safety for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers; The Kidpower Book for Caring Adults: Personal Safety, Self-Protection, Confidence, and Advocacy for Young People, and the Amazon Best Seller Doing Right by Our Kids: Protecting Child Safety at All Levels.