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Bark, a now well-established Atlanta-based company building software and devices to combat cyberbullying and signs of depression in kids, is teaming up with Our Place, a local disability support platform, to extend critical online protections to the disability community.
Addressing a Critical Gap
The collaboration responds to alarming statistics showing that children with disabilities face cyberbullying at higher rates than their peers.
“US data shows that kids with disabilities face higher rates of cyberbullying than their peers. They also are a very vulnerable population that can be taken advantage of financially,” Our Place’s executive director Megan Cortjens told Hypepotamus. “By Our Place partnering with Bark we can now let families and caregivers know about a platform that can help them be aware of any type of bullying, financial abuse and so much more.”
Balancing Safety with Independence
The partnership will focus on gradual, supported independence rather than digital restriction. Cortjens emphasized that many parents of children with disabilities want their kids to develop independent life skills, and technology access can be a crucial part of that development.
Bark’s suite of products, which has expanded beyond software to include phones, watches, and at-home internet parental control devices, allows for a phased approach to technology exposure.
“The Bark phone allows parents to come up with a plan on technology exposure,” Cortjens added. “Using the bark phone they can start by allowing access to calls, then maybe text messages then maybe social media. They gain independence while also knowing their child is safe online.”
Cortjens envisions the partnership going beyond basic protection to focus on education and empowerment.
“A successful partnership between Join Our Place and Bark would focus on education and empowerment, not just protection,” she says. “At its core, the partnership would help parents in the disability community build greater knowledge of internet and technology safety, while also giving them tools to support their child in developing independent life skills online.”
The initiative will provide shared educational content, practical guidance, and increased awareness of digital risks, helping families feel more confident navigating online spaces. The goal is to enable individuals with disabilities to participate fully and safely in the digital world while gradually building independence.
“Ultimately, the goal is to help families move from fear and uncertainty to confidence, safety, and independence, ensuring individuals with disabilities can participate fully and safely in today’s digital world,” Cortjens explains.
Expert Insight on Digital Safety
In a recent video interview on Our Place’s website, Cortjens spoke with Bark Program Director Adam Brooks about keeping children and adults with disabilities safe online. Brooks, who has a background in special education, discussed how Bark monitors concerning online behavior, prevents exploitation, and provides caregivers with tools to introduce technology gradually and safely.
You can watch the full video interview here. But one thing that stood out: Brooks emphasized that digital access should grow with maturity rather than age alone, something that is an important consideration for families teaching independent life skills.
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The featured photo was created using generative AI. The article was not.