“Social media seriously harms your mental health” goes the message on the back of smartphones ironically held in the perfectly manicured hands of super models and other social media influencers, two of whom get “hundreds of thousands of likes on nearly every photo they post to Instagram,” the Verge reports. The message is on the back of a clear plastic phone case that has gone viral but not … [Read more...] about Digital wellness: What is, & isn’t, parody
Social Media
DIY community care: 1 sign of a new Net safety era
It’s a sign that we’re in a whole new era in online safety now: young users increasingly taking things into their own hands. You might call it “DIY Internet safety.” It’s not all good news, but it’s also not all bad (not that DIY is the all of the new era – keep reading...). There are both positive and negative aspects in a piece of in-depth reporting on the subject at Buzzfeed News. What … [Read more...] about DIY community care: 1 sign of a new Net safety era
The TikTok sensation
This is not a review of TikTok. You can find many reviews, both credible and not so much, with a quick Web search. This post offers a bit of context on the app, its parent company and where social media's headed – for bigger-picture parenting. (BTW, if your child is a big fan of TikTok, a great family media literacy lesson would be to pick 3 random reviews or articles and, with open minds and … [Read more...] about The TikTok sensation
Digital safety 2019: The new ‘middle layer’ of user care (Part 2)
Part 1 of this series was 2018 highlights. Now it’s time to shine light on some interesting ideas and developments that people have surfaced for a better Internet in 2019 and beyond. We’ll look at a new middle layer of user care that’s being discussed by some – and gradually being built out, little by little, worldwide. Called for by the conditions of our new media environment, it’s a new layer of … [Read more...] about Digital safety 2019: The new ‘middle layer’ of user care (Part 2)
Digital safety, wellbeing: 2018 highlights (Part 1)
This may not be the Internet safety look-back on 2018 you’d expect, what with all the news about data breaches, “fake news,” “tech addiction,” algorithmic bias, election manipulation, hate speech, etc., etc. Not a pretty picture. But it’s also not the whole picture. By definition, the news reports airline crashes, not safe landings. Even if 2018 was truly unique, though, with bad news the … [Read more...] about Digital safety, wellbeing: 2018 highlights (Part 1)