The angry, polarized state of American politics came up a lot in the news media over the weekend as we all tried to make sense of Saturday's tragic shooting in Arizona (e.g., here's a view from Europe). So when I happened to watch Brene Brown's 20-minute TED talk last night about "The Power of Vulnerability," I was surprised and grateful for her reference to politics at the end. It was a big ah-ha … [Read more...] about After a tragic shooting, help from a social work researcher
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Thoughts for a new year (in the digital age)
Why isn't it good for us to be subjecting ourselves to the constant realtime stream of lightly fact-checked "news," talking heads, and the social drama of school or work? Not so much because of findings like those reported this week in The Telegraph, after all media (including radio and TV, not just Facebook and cellphones) were taken away from volunteers for 24 hours – findings that are … [Read more...] about Thoughts for a new year (in the digital age)
Oz’s tips on location-sharing for teens
Using cellphones for finding out when friends are nearby, for special shopping or dining deals, for discounts from spots where you check in a lot, and for knowing family members are safe and where they're supposed to be is a great thing. And, like all digital technology, it can have its misuses, such as giving out one's location to people for whom, and for whatever reason, that information is not … [Read more...] about Oz’s tips on location-sharing for teens
How the Net industry can help get us all to Online Safety 3.0
This is great, an early sign of the Internet industry's piece of OS 3.0: what the popular teen social site MyYearbook.com is doing for Reachout.com, a nonprofit support and suicide-prevention site for teens on the social Web (it now has a US base too, but since its start in Australia, that country "has seen a 56% reduction in youth suicide rates," the site says). Here's how Reach Out describes … [Read more...] about How the Net industry can help get us all to Online Safety 3.0
Teens’ digital self-abuse: New insight
A just-published observation by social media researcher danah boyd is important for two reasons I can think of right now: 1) it strongly confirms the importance of adults not reacting too quickly to "cyberbullying" incidents or of not acting without calm communication and investigation, and 2) it starts an important discussion about the online versions of self-destructive behavior. Let's look at … [Read more...] about Teens’ digital self-abuse: New insight