5 Ways Bark Gives Back to Communities

Bark began with a simple mission: to provide families with tools that help keep kids safer online. Over the last decade, we’ve done exactly that, providing reliable parental controls and safer devices to thousands of families. But as Bark’s impact grows, our mission has grown as well. 

We’ve realized that there are many more ways Bark can serve the community at large. Bark proudly offers a variety of free services,  and we partner with industry-leading organizations to extend safer internet experiences to more than just families. Here are just a few of the ways that Bark gives back to communities. 

Offering Bark Services to Schools — For Free    

In the wake of the Parkland tragedy in 2018, Bark realized that schools need supportive online monitoring tools just as much as parents do. In response, we launched Bark for Schools to provide powerful content monitoring and web filtering for school-issued accounts — completely free. Schools should be safer for all kids, and teachers and administrators should feel confident in their ability to monitor for any issues, both online and off.

Making Mental Health Resources Accessible with Talkspace

The mental health crisis is one of the biggest issues facing kids today. In 2023, 40% of teens reported feelings of sadness and hopelessness. No one should have to face mental health struggles alone, which is why we’ve partnered with Talkspace to give teens a place to work through their emotions and feelings in a safer online space. 

Here’s how it works: All Bark users get free access to TalkSpace Go, a self-guided mental wellness course. Additionally, families who need one-on-one therapy can get the Talkspace therapy app with $100 off the first month for those without insurance. 

Providing Bark Phones to Communities in Need  

Many populations need safer internet devices, and our goal is to make them as accessible as possible. Bark’s Community Partners program serves treatment centers, foster care families, special education programs, and public and private schools. This program ensures they can get Bark Phones en masse for those who may not be able to get one independently. The Bark Phone’s customizable controls make it a vital tool for any child or patient, no matter what background they come from. 

Promoting Laws that Help Protect Kids Online

Did you know that Bark has taken steps for safer technology by working with lawmakers? Bark has been a long time supporter of Sammy’s Law, a bill that came about as a result of a young teen named Sammy who tragically passed away from a drug overdose. Sammy’s death involved drug dealers contacting him through Snapchat. After a few short messages, Sammy received drugs that were laced with a lethal dose of fentanyl. 

Sammy’s parents began petitioning social media companies to start allowing apps like Bark to fully monitor their platforms. These companies make it extremely difficult for parents to confidently supervise kid’s online interactions and intervene in life-threatening situations like Sammy’s. 

We proudly stand with Sammy’s parents in the hopes that we’ll see positive reforms in Congress to hold social media companies accountable and help ensure more children are protected online. 

Creating Reliable, Easy-to-Access Resources for All 

One important part of our mission is to ensure that all parents, caregivers, schools, and society at large are educated about online dangers and and can access free resources to help keep children safe. That’s why we’re constantly creating and providing new content and information — all completely free for anyone to use. 

You’ve already found one of our sources of information, the Bark blog! We also have a resource page with app reviews, teen slang guides, tech guides, and content reviews. But we offer more than that, Bark has also participated in reliable and legitimate research to help further the spread of information about online safety. 

Bark’s collaboration with the CDC

In 2021, Bark joined with the CDC to collaborate on a groundbreaking study focused on how teen’s online activities are associated with suicidal ideation and self-harm. One crucial finding from the study revealed that red flags in youth mental health often show up in their online activities. This tells us that, with adequate monitoring, teens can receive the support they need much sooner. 

Bark’s Annual Report

Every year we release an annual report with stats detailing what Bark kids and teens are experiencing online, including percentages around bullying, anxiety, depression, and more. These data points give us an important snapshot of what teens are really experiencing online, making it easier for families to better support them.

Bark’s Continued Work to Serve Communities

The efforts listed here are just a few of the ways Bark gives back, and we’re always looking to help those who can benefit from our resources. We take pride in the work we do, as well as in our ultimate goal of supporting parents as they raise kids in the digital age. Together, we can all help keep kids safe online and in real life.