Startup Story
Rachelle Best founded FYI play it safe, a downloadable app that helps parents protect their children from online harm and potential physical danger. She wanted to create a solution she and other parents can use to navigate the harsh realities of managing children’s online safety. Being confronted by the dangers associated with social media platforms and the open world of the internet, led Rachelle to embark on a research study to get a clear view of the available solutions.
While she found useful parental control and content filtering apps, there was no solution that informed parents about specific incidents and alerted them about language being used in social chats or online searches that could be related to cyberbullying, depression, self-harm, suicide, or when children engage in adult content. The FYI play it safe app was developed and Rachelle aims to fill the gap in order to empower parents to in turn, help their tweens and teens. Rachelle’s innovation and business is based on a strong career foundation as a CA(SA) with a focus on technology and technology risk.
LoA spoke to Rachelle Best to learn more about this innovative solution to a big problem and one that can potentially save lives.
What does your company do?
FYI play it safe is a downloadable app that helps parents protect their children from online harm and potential physical danger. Practically, what FYI play it safe does is it monitors the actual content of children’s communication and online activity and then informs parents of any potentially harmful situations, regardless of the application the child uses. So while tweens and teenagers are focused on having fun and meeting new friends online, parents need to balance the tension between respecting their children’s online privacy and navigating the risks presented by social media platforms, online gaming and other chat apps. FYI play it safe benefits parents by alerting them of potentially harmful events, such as cyberbullying, depression, self-harm, suicidal ideation, if they talk to potential online predators, or when they engage in adult content. In turn, it benefits children by giving them privacy in that their parents don’t have to read through all their messages and go through all their social media content.
'“FYI play it safe is a downloadable app that helps parents protect their children from online harm and potential physical danger.”
“FYI play it safe is the only app in the world that monitors every single app that children are using. It uses artificial intelligence to analyze the content of what children are engaging with and alerts parents when there is anything to worry about.”
What inspired you to start your company?
To start with, I’m the mom of a teenage daughter. She’s 15 years old, which means that I understand the challenges of parenting in the digital world too well. She is mainly the reason we started developing FYI play it safe. When I started thinking about giving her a mobile phone, I did research on any apps that could help with protecting her online but couldn’t find anything that was quite good enough. I also couldn’t find anything that will tell me what was really going on, and that would warn me if she was exposed to any harmful situations. At the same time, I wanted her to feel that I respect her privacy and that I trust her. Hence, apps that would give me full access to her messages were out of the question.
I realized that other parents may struggle with the same questions, and lack of answers, and embarked on a research study in 2018. My hypotheses was correct in that 99% of parents who participated in the study were worried about the dangers associated with social media platforms and the open world of the internet, but none knew how to deal with it in a way that will provide them with the right level of comfort.
That’s how FYI play it safe was born. I wanted to develop an app that would protect our children’s online, alert parents when there is something to worry about, but at the same time respect our children’s privacy. We launched our first prototype at the beginning of 2020, but quickly realized that we needed to change the technology completely and officially launched FYI play it safe in May 2021.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
FYI play it safe is the only app in the world that monitors every single app that children are using. It uses artificial intelligence to analyze the content of what children are engaging with and alerts parents when there is anything to worry about.
Because we use natural language processing and machine learning technologies, FYI play it safe also keeps updated with the latest in teen slang.
Tell us a little about your team
We run a very lean team and most of our functions are outsourced. Our lead software engineer is a South African based in the United Kingdom. The development team all works virtually and are from around the world.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
From a young age, I was very interested in technology. At the age of 12 I bought my very first computer with pocket money and started exploring with simple programs to solve problems. I studied part-time to become a Chartered Accountant and joined one of the big-4 accounting firms as undergraduate in their technology risk team. This created more curiosity into the bigger technology field. When I finished my studies and qualified as CA(SA), I wanted to expand my horizons and completed a degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. My journey led me to become a business consultant, solving complex problems for organisations. When I encountered a problem in my personal and parenting life that I didn’t have an immediate answer to, I had to develop the solution myself, which I’m very proud to say is now called FYI play it safe.
“I wanted to develop an app that would protect our children’s online, alert parents when there is something to worry about, but at the same time respect our children’s privacy.”
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
Most importantly, to educate as many parents as we can get to ensure, through FYI play it safe we help them protect their children online. We would also like to make FYI play it safe available on other platforms so we can protect more children on different pieces of technology. We are planning to expand to Apple before the end of 2022, followed by Windows-based laptops and Chromebooks.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
As an entrepreneur, I get to really make a difference and I get to choose where I want to direct my energy. Doing work that has an impact on children’s lives is a very humbling experience. I’m driven by every discussion with a parent on how to protect their children better. I am very fortunate in that I have found my purpose and passion in creating this app that has not only the ability to help parents build a better relationship with their children, but to save children from potentially harmful situations.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Firstly, be brave. In the words of Brené Brown, even if someone else has done it before, it’s never been done by you.
Secondly, when you’re an innovator, don’t be scared to talk about your idea. If you’re going to make it happen, no-one else will steal it and talking about it stimulates more thoughts and ideas to help you build out the solution.
Thirdly, it’s going to be tough a lot of times. Put your head down and do what you have to do. You will succeed.
Contact or follow FYI play it safe
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | EMAIL rachelle@fyiplayitsafe.com
Why LoA loves it…
Some of the world’s most successful and innovative entrepreneurs achieved greatness because they found much needed solutions to key problems. That is exactly what Rachelle Best has done with her FYI play it safe app. As a result, she is helping parents to better protect their children from online harm and potential physical danger. Rachelle is passionate about making a difference and positively impacting people’s lives through her work and her business, and she is now doing just that with her FYI play it safe. Really inspirational! — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa