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Tag Archives: family policy

One mom’s cellphone contract for her son

09-Jan-13

When I first read Janell Hoffman’s 18-point contract for her 13-year-old son Greg’s cellphone use, I was a little put off. So it really helped to watch Good Morning America’s video story about it. Why? Because GMA gave it a light touch, and reporter Akiko Fujita pointed out afterwards that “a lot of this was [...]

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Does tracking our kids’ every move make them safer?

09-Oct-12

Reflecting on a cellphone app developer’s claim, I’m thinking that tracking our kids’ movements, moment by moment, isn’t the best way to enhance “family awareness.” Those are the words of Chris Hull, CEO of the company that developed the Life360 tracking app, in an interview for Time. Is that “awareness” as in “surveillance”? Oddly, Time [...]

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Rachel Simmons’s house rules for social tech

15-Sep-11

“Most middle and high school girls need their parents to limit social media use,” writes Rachel Simmons, author of the new, revised Odd Girl Out. “They are not able to do it on their own. Many girls are addicted to social media because, simply put, they are addicted to their relationships.” I’m not sure I [...]

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‘You’re (digitally) grounded!’

08-Sep-10

More and more parents are taking away the cellphone, laptop, or Xbox as a disciplinary measure, and sometimes it even works!

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