Archive for the ‘Parenting’ Category

The mobile platform is revolutionizing the way social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Foursquare, etc. are accessed by their ever growing number of users – which range from several different age groups from children to adults. There are more and more people using these networks on their mobile devices, rather than on their…Continue Reading

“My child spends too much time on the computer!” “I wish video games weren’t so addicting for my kids!” “My kids are texting instead of practicing piano!” I’m sure every parent has thought at least some variation of these battle cries, and likely has uttered them in frustrated moments.  We live in a technology-saturated world,…Continue Reading

Mobile device users with an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad are sometimes hit with a surprise on their credit card bill. In-app purchases can occur without warning. Can you imagine receiving a credit card bill for more than $2,000 and realize it was for free apps on your child’s device? In fact, that is what…Continue Reading

The internet can be a wonderful tool for social connections. But do you know enough about online privacy? Do you “overshare” in posts? A surprising study by “Reputation Management and Social Media” in 2010 revealed that adults are more likely to post revealing information than children or teens.  Parents scrutinize, chastise, and teach the youth…Continue Reading

A recent EU Kids Online Survey found that parents who actively mediate their child’s internet use lower risk and, most importantly, lower harm. Active mediation of use means: •    Parents talk to their child about the internet, •    Stay nearby or sit with them while they go online, •    Encourage them to explore the internet,…Continue Reading

According to a 2010 Kaiser Family Foundation survey, kids ages 8 to 18 spent a little more than 7 1/2 hours per day using “digital” entertainment.  And consequently, parents are struggling to stay on top of their kid’s online habits. For example, a growing trend among teens is to create and manage two Facebook accounts.…Continue Reading

This past weekend we attended the Digital Media and Learning Conference in San Francisco organized around the theme, Beyond Educational Technology: Learning Innovations in a Connected World. Over three whirlwind days, presenters and panelists reinforced the theme that educational technology can transform education into a learning experience that is connected—social, participatory, and driven by personal…Continue Reading

There are so many things that a parent is afraid of when they have a child. The world is a scary place and there are so many things that they need to protect their children from.  One thing that parents don’t often think of helping their children avoid is identity theft.  Many believe that a…Continue Reading

Today is Safer Internet Day, and with its theme of “Connecting generations and educating each other,” teachers have the perfect opportunity to highlight how much children and adult family members can learn from each other when then meet online and across digital devices. Fifteen years ago, the internet got a lot of flack. People were…Continue Reading

As an attorney who works with public entities (school districts, cities, etc.), I get calls all the time from clients asking for input on how to respond to cyberbullying or sexting by students. Oftentimes, where an incident involves misconduct with technology, we collectively wonder aloud in these conversations why the involved students’ parents did not…Continue Reading

As children use digital technologies, adults have gone through a series of moral panics about potential dangers.  A few high-profile incidents, some flawed research and, the next thing you know, we’re rushing to create a new safety education program.  David Finkelhor at the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire calls…Continue Reading

Children and technology— it’s a total love connection. Together, they create a buzz in the air that can practically be felt. And with every single connected technology in the house cranked to the max, it’s no wonder. Computers, cell phones, gaming media—the amount of energy used by these devices alone could power a small village…Continue Reading

At Yahoo!, we have always stressed the importance of educating and empowering our kids with tools to navigate the Web more safely. The results of the 2nd Annual Online Safety Survey by Yahoo! and Ipsos (an independent market research company) indicate a heightened awareness on the part of both parents and kids around the need…Continue Reading

On November 9, 2011, the Pew Research Center released their report: Teens, Kindness and Cruelty on Social Network Sites – How American teens navigate the new world of “digital citizenship.” News reports surrounding the document seemed to indicate that Cyberbulling may not be as bad as once feared. While this is certainly great news, we…Continue Reading

Although recently the media has highlighted prevalent teen sexting, new research from the University of New Hampshire Crimes against Children Research Center actually reveals that these concerns are overblown. One study found that a very low percentage of youth actually send nude pictures of themselves. The other found that when teen sexting images do get…Continue Reading

One of the fastest growing crimes in America is identity theft, with consumers reporting an incredible $1.7 billion paid out in fraud related charges and growing at a rapid pace. In 2009 the total for the year was $54,000,000,000. From the moment the theft occurs, identity theives begin to create a “new life” by opening new…Continue Reading

Parents Matter. That’s one of the take aways from two research projects looking into kids digital lives. Cable in the Classroom and the Family Online Safety Institute worked with and helped underwrite a study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, “Teens, Kindness and Cruelty on Social Network Sites“.  The good news is that…Continue Reading

Pati Cinkle shares what she does to raise resilient digital citizens As my daughter, Benni, continues to gain attention in the media for her charitable work and the way she is helping kids her age deal with cyber bullying, I often get asked what I, as her mom, did to raise such a level-headed kid.…Continue Reading

When you hear the term “social networking,” the mega sites come to mind.  However, social networking has many different faces and comes in all shapes and sizes.  Sites targeting younger audiences typically create virtual currency and/or other rewards to motivate users to develop a string of friends.  Some sites include games, chats, and even suggest…Continue Reading

We’re living digitized lives these days. Everything we say and do is captured, uploaded and archived across a number of connected devices. That means that the video of you doing the electric slide in a banana suit at Aunt Marie’s 50th birthday party has a potential shelf life of forever once it has been uploaded…Continue Reading