On the surface, this is a story about grownups, not teens, but for that very reason it might make a great family discussion point. Joseph Steffen, an aide to Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich (R), was forced to resign last week because of his damaging chatroom posts and emails about the Democratic mayor of Baltimore, Martin O'Malley, the Washington Post reports. "Like millions of Americans for whom … [Read more...] about Drive-by disses
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More Net-savvy, greater risk: Study
The more Net-literate kids are the more likely they are to run into risks online. That was the key finding of a two-year study by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). "It is the skilled youngsters, more than the beginners, who are likely to encounter online risks such as bullying, online porn or privacy risks," reads the study's press release. The researchers, Dr. Magdalena … [Read more...] about More Net-savvy, greater risk: Study
Monitoring teen bloggers
The headline of this Detroit News article is not news to a lot of parents: "Teens spill deep secrets in Web logs." But these articles in local papers always offer insights. This one leads with an online journal entry from West Bloomfield High School sophomore Rachel Hines, "one of millions of American teenagers now turning to the Web, writing in online journals, also known as live journals, Web … [Read more...] about Monitoring teen bloggers
Good idea for picture phones
A UK privacy-rights organization is recommending to cell-phone makers that they make flash standard on all phones, the BBC reports. Privacy International says that camera phones make it a lot easier to take illicit photos without permission - a threat to people's privacy, especially children's. So if a flash accompanies every picture taken with a phone, subject will always know their photo's been … [Read more...] about Good idea for picture phones
Kids ‘n’ cell phones
Fifty-six percent of US kids 13+ have cell phones, according to Common Sense Media, which suggests that parents are dealing with some phone issues. The kids' media literacy organization offers some good advice to head off some of the harsher of these - suggestions such as forging a family contract that establishes who pays for extra minutes each month, deals with protecting young phone-users' … [Read more...] about Kids ‘n’ cell phones