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More than half of teens wish they connected more in-person, new statewide research finds. NewsNews | Aug 31, 2026 Submitted to the Tribune SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A new research report released by the California Partners Project - in partnership with the California Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, Aura, the Family Online Safety Institute, and the Stanford Social Media Lab - finds that California teens are not retreating from in-person friendship - they are actively seeking it. The report, "Belonging in a Digital Age: Teens, Tech, & Third Places" draws on a statewide survey of over 1,000 teens ages 13-18 and focus groups with parents and caregivers. "This research makes clear that teens themselves are asking for more places to gather, belong, and grow up in the real world. The path forward in a digital age runs through real-world investment - in parks, libraries, youth centers, and the community spaces where young people can connect and thrive." Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California First Partner and Co-founder of the California Partners Project. The findings point to a generation of digital natives that values face-to-face friendship and is asking for more third places - spaces beyond home and school - to gather, even as loneliness, AI companionship, and barriers to real-world time together reshape daily life for teens. Key findings include: * More than half of California teens (54.3%) report experiencing some degree of loneliness in the past month. * Among teens who have used AI chatbots for friendship or social advice, 47.8% say they would use AI chatbots less if more places existed where they could connect in person. * Teens who report feeling unsafe (57.3%) or unwelcome (48.2%) in real-world spaces use AI chatbots at notably higher rates than the overall baseline of 36.7% - suggesting that for some teens, technology is filling a belonging gap, not just a logistical one. * When asked what makes a place feel like it's for them, teens rank free or low-cost first (59.8%), followed by friends being there (56.1%) and feeling safe (54.7%). This research reframes the policy question for teens in a digital age. Regulating the platforms shaping young people's lives is vitally important, but the findings make the case for providing clubs, programs and spaces for youth, and building, funding, and sustaining them accordingly. Boys & Girls Clubs and school-based extracurricular activities are exactly the kind of third places this research points toward - spaces where teens find connection, belonging, safety, and independence. "For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs have provided safe, supportive places where young people can grow and connect. This research, conducted with the California Partners Project, affirms what we see every day: teens want in-person connection with their peers, and they need free or affordable spaces where they feel safe and welcome. Across more than 1,000 sites in California, we will continue using these insights to adapt our work for today's teens by providing mentorship, life skills programming, and positive environments where young people can find belonging." - Sarah Bedy, Director, California Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs At Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe, these findings are already shaping local investments in teen programming and opportunities for connection. The expanded teen programs are part of Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe's ongoing commitment to ensuring local youth have access to safe, welcoming spaces beyond school hours. This school year, the Angel of Tahoe Clubhouse will serve as a dedicated hub where teens can build friendships, connect with caring mentors, explore new interests, and develop skills that prepare them for future success. This fall, the Angel of Tahoe Clubhouse will offer specialty opportunities in STEM, art, health and wellness, soccer, and cooking. Teen-focused offerings include Leaders in Training (L.I.T.), E-Sports Club, Dungeons & Dragons Club, Torch Club, LEGO Stop Motion Club, Pottery Club, Young & Hungry: Cooking & Food Skills Academy, BMX Club, and Girls and Boys Soccer Club. Together, these programs provide meaningful opportunities for teens to connect, belong, and thrive in an in-person environment. "We are so excited to provide more opportunities for teens to connect, learn and really invest in their personal interests," said Ali Eller, Program Director. "We'll be changing programs throughout the year to keep things fresh and interesting and teens can come for one program or for everything." The full teen catalogue can be found at: To access the full report, "Belonging in a Digital Age: Teens, Tech, & Third Places," visit calpartnersproject.org/thirdplaces. Aug 31, 2026

Aura vs IdentityGuard (2026): same owner, different plans. Comparison shopping? See why readers pick PrivacyOn - 100+ brokers covered, family plans, from $8.33/mo. Aura and IdentityGuard are both owned by the same parent (Aura Sub LLC after the 2019 merger), so "Aura vs IdentityGuard" is really a choice between two product tiers of one company. Aura bundles every feature into every plan; IdentityGuard is cheaper at the entry level but locks the good stuff behind Ultra. For proactive data broker removal with dark web monitoring, PrivacyOn is the stronger 2026 pick from $8.33/month - more coverage, transparent pricing, family plans for 5. The common-ownership twist most reviews miss. Aura and IdentityGuard are commonly reviewed as head-to-head competitors, but both are operated by Aura Sub LLC after the 2019 combination of the two brands. Product teams share technology, threat intelligence, insurance underwriting, and support infrastructure. What you are really choosing between is: * Aura - the newer, all-in-one bundled offering (identity, credit, VPN, antivirus, password manager, parental controls on every plan) * IdentityGuard - the legacy tiered brand (identity monitoring, AI-driven risk scoring, tiered features that lock advanced protections behind the top Ultra tier) Neither is a bad service. But the same company owning both means the "which is better" question is less about who to trust and more about how you want the product packaged - and whether either is actually the best value on the market. Aura vs IdentityGuard: 2026 Head-to-Head. | Feature | Aura | IdentityGuard | | Ownership | Aura Sub LLC | Aura Sub LLC (same parent) | | Starting price | $12/month (billed annually) | $8.99/month (Value tier) | | Top tier price | $50/month (Family) | $29.99/month (Ultra Family) | | Three-bureau credit monitoring | Every plan | Ultra tier only | | Data broker removal | 200+ sites, included | Ultra tier only | | Dark web monitoring | Every plan | Every plan | | VPN | Every plan | Not included | | Antivirus | Every plan | Not included | | Password manager | Every plan | Not included | | Parental controls | Every plan (family) | Ultra tier only | | Identity theft insurance | Up to $1M per adult | Up to $1M total | | 24/7 U.S. support | Yes | Weekdays + Saturdays only | | Family plan (5 members) | Yes | Ultra Family only | Where Aura wins. * Everything in every plan. No entry-level version stripped of the features that actually matter. * Extra security stack. VPN, antivirus, and password manager are bundled - a legitimate value if you would otherwise pay separately. * 200+ data broker removal. Included at every tier; IdentityGuard makes you buy up. * 24/7 U.S. support. IdentityGuard's support closes evenings and Sundays. * $1M insurance per adult. IdentityGuard caps at $1M total across the plan. Where IdentityGuard wins. * Cheaper entry price. $8.99/month Value tier undercuts Aura's starting price. * Cleaner, lighter dashboard. Some users prefer it to Aura's busier interface. * AI risk scoring. IdentityGuard's IBM Watson-derived risk model has been in market longer. * Lower Ultra Family top-tier price than Aura's Family plan. The IdentityGuard Value tier is a trap for privacy buyers At $8.99/month, IdentityGuard Value looks like the best deal in the category. But it excludes data broker removal, three-bureau credit monitoring, and social media insights - the very features most buyers are shopping for. To get those, you have to jump to Ultra, which is more expensive than Aura's equivalent bundle. Why readers pick PrivacyOn 100+ broker sites covered, dark web monitoring, and family plans for up to 5 people - from $8.33/mo with a 30-day money-back guarantee. 4.8/5 · Trusted by thousands of families Which should you choose? Choose Aura if: * You want a single bundled security suite (identity + VPN + antivirus + password manager) without upgrade friction. * You want data broker removal, three-bureau credit monitoring, and family coverage from day one. * You want 24/7 U.S.-based support. Choose IdentityGuard if: * You already have your own VPN, antivirus, and password manager and only need identity monitoring. * You want the absolute cheapest entry-level plan and are comfortable without data broker removal. * You prefer the IdentityGuard dashboard. Why PrivacyOn beats both in 2026. Both Aura and IdentityGuard have the same fundamental gap: their "data broker removal" feature is a supplementary line item on an identity theft product. PrivacyOn is built the other way around - proactive data broker removal is the core, with dark web monitoring and family coverage layered on top. Because removal is the primary product (not an upsell to shore up an insurance-heavy identity theft SKU), the coverage is broader and the pricing is dramatically lower. | Feature | Aura | IdentityGuard | PrivacyOn | | Starting price | $12/mo | $8.99/mo (removal locked) | $8.33/mo | | Data broker removal included at entry tier | Yes (200+) | No | Yes (100+, actively verified) | | Continuous re-listing detection | Limited | Limited | Yes, continuous | | Dark web monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Family plan (5 people) | Yes | Ultra Family only | Yes | | Transparent published pricing | Yes | Yes (but Value tier misleading) | Yes | | Independent ownership | Aura Sub LLC | Aura Sub LLC (same) | PrivacyOn (independent) | Its recommendation Between Aura and IdentityGuard, choose Aura - the bundled plan avoids IdentityGuard's upsell traps and includes data broker removal from day one. But for privacy-focused buyers who want serious data broker removal without paying for an unused antivirus and VPN bundle, PrivacyOn is the better 2026 pick - from $8.33/month with 100+ broker coverage, continuous re-listing detection, family plans for 5, and independent ownership. The bottom line. Aura and IdentityGuard are two brands from the same parent company that let you choose between an everything-included bundle (Aura) or a tiered upsell path (IdentityGuard). If you want identity monitoring with security-suite extras, Aura is the better of the two. If your primary concern is getting your name, phone, address, and household details off data broker sites (which is where identity thieves and stalkers actually get your info), PrivacyOn is a better value than either - and starts at $8.33/month with a free scan to see your current exposure. Frequently asked questions. Are Aura and IdentityGuard owned by the same company? Yes. Both are operated by Aura Sub LLC after the 2019 merger that brought IdentityGuard's legacy business under the newer Aura brand. Product teams share threat intelligence, infrastructure, and insurance underwriting, though the brands maintain distinct interfaces, pricing, and packaging. Which is cheaper, Aura or IdentityGuard? IdentityGuard's Value tier is cheaper at $8.99/month, but it excludes data broker removal, three-bureau credit monitoring, and social media monitoring - the features most buyers actually want. To match Aura's feature set you need IdentityGuard Ultra, which costs more than Aura. On a like-for-like basis, Aura is the better value at $12/month starting. Which has better data broker removal, Aura or IdentityGuard? Aura includes data broker removal from 200+ sites on every plan. IdentityGuard restricts removal to its Ultra tier. If broker removal matters, Aura wins between the two - but neither matches PrivacyOn's continuous re-listing detection, which is the harder part of keeping broker data down long-term. Do Aura or IdentityGuard offer family plans? Aura offers a family plan for up to 5 adults plus unlimited children. IdentityGuard offers family coverage only on its Ultra Family tier. PrivacyOn also covers up to 5 people on its family plan and starts at $8.33/month. Is Aura or IdentityGuard better for identity theft recovery? Both offer up to $1 million in identity theft insurance, but Aura covers up to $1M per adult while IdentityGuard caps at $1M total across the plan. Aura also offers 24/7 U.S.-based recovery specialists, versus IdentityGuard's weekday-plus-Saturday hours. Aura is the stronger recovery-side product. Is there a better alternative to Aura and IdentityGuard for 2026? Yes. If your primary concern is privacy and reducing your exposure to data brokers (the root cause of most identity theft and stalking), PrivacyOn is its top pick. It offers 100+ broker removal, continuous re-listing detection, dark web monitoring, family plans for up to 5, and transparent pricing from $8.33/month - without paying for VPN or antivirus features you likely already have. Try PrivacyOn's free scan to see how much of your data is currently exposed on people-search sites. Privacy Research & Removal Operations Operates removal across 100+ data broker sites Guides verified against live opt-out processes Content reviewed and updated continuously The team that operates PrivacyOn's data-removal service - publishing opt-out guides and privacy research based on handling real removal requests every day.