Yet another article on Twitter by an expert in something (like authoring or marketing books) who's new to Twitter ran in the New York Times this week. I think it's much more interesting to read articles about Twitter by anybody (not necessarily an expert) who's not new to Twitter – in other words, someone who knows that Twitter use is highly individual and not all trivial pursuits, celebrity … [Read more...] about Developing self in the digital age
Youth
Bullying, cyberbullying & suicide: New study
Links between an increase in suicidal thoughts and bullying are well-established, so the emerging one between suicidal ideation and bullying online and on phones is not surprising but very important. A new study by cyberbullying experts, authors, and Profs. Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin is a vital step toward substantive help for the only age group (10-19) showing "an upward trend" in suicide … [Read more...] about Bullying, cyberbullying & suicide: New study
Kids under 13 prefer face-to-face play: Study
"Playreport," a new Ikea-sponsored survey of parents and kids (7-12) in 25 countries found that "kids overwhelmingly prefer playing with their parents (73%) over watching TV and using the Internet." They even more overwhelmingly prefer playing with their friends (89%), but parents did come in second, with Internet and TV coming in a distant 3rd and 4th (14% and 11%, respectively). The children … [Read more...] about Kids under 13 prefer face-to-face play: Study
Avatars & virtual penguins vs. real-life dolls
Sales of Barbie, Liv, Moxie Girlz, and other dolls have declined 20% in the US since 2005, and kids as young as 8 and 9 are passing them up for the live "doll play" – or avatar play – of virtual worlds, the Philadelphia Inquirer recently reported, citing NPD Group figures. It tells of 8-year-old Paige, who says she finds playing with dolls boring after a while, and of a Manhattan dollmaker, who … [Read more...] about Avatars & virtual penguins vs. real-life dolls
Employers checking the Web: Study
This isn't about summer jobs for teens, necessarily, but teens may want some hard evidence that their social networking profiles and other online activities could factor into their job searches going forward. So here's some data from Microsoft: a survey of "1,200 hiring and recruitment managers and 1,200 consumers in the United States, the UK, Germany, and France." In its coverage, a MediaPost.com … [Read more...] about Employers checking the Web: Study