Proactive Vigilance AI
The Vigil
Practical notes on home security, business resilience, and living thoughtfully with AI.
Family
Kids, guests, and the tools already in the kitchen.
Sep 12, 2026 · Note
Look at the background before you post
A school photo can share more than a smile. The sign, uniform, bus stop, or house number in the background may tell a stranger where a child spends the day. Bef…
Sep 4, 2026 · Note
The first phone needs an agreement
The first phone is more than a purchase. It changes how a child reaches friends, handles interruptions, and asks for help. Set it up together before it becomes…
Aug 27, 2026 · Note
An app does not need every permission
A game asks for contacts. A photo tool wants location access all day. Permission requests are easy to accept while trying to get to the useful part. Come back l…
Aug 19, 2026 · Note
A familiar voice still needs a callback
A caller sounds like someone you love and says there is an emergency. They need money now, and they need you to keep it quiet. The voice alone is not enough to…
Aug 12, 2026 · Note
The chatbot in the bedroom
States spent 2026 writing laws about companion chatbots and kids. Idaho, Oregon, and Washington already require operators to stop bots from claiming they are hu…
Aug 8, 2026 · Note
You cannot supervise what you cannot see
More than one family this year found out about a companion app only after a crisis. The pattern is the same. The child used it late. The parents had never heard…
Aug 4, 2026 · Note
Default to the strict setting
The new family account bills in Congress want the safest settings on by default for anyone under thirteen. That is the right instinct even if the bill never bec…