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)
Parenting
US parenting & the Net: Study
Remember the old "no TV for a week" verdict when we misbehaved? Well, that's being nudged out by the new "no Internet for a week" one, according to the 10th-annual USC Annenberg Center for the Digital Future survey. "Parents are now limiting their children’s Internet access and television use in nearly identical ways," the Center reports. While for years three in five American households restrict … [Read more...] about US parenting & the Net: Study
Help for your family’s tech-support kid!
Is there a teenager at your house playing the role of family CTO (Chief Technology Officer) or doing tech support for the entire extended family? Well, this is pretty cute (and useful): something to that tough job a little easier: TeachParentsTech.org, created by employees of Google who know first-hand what it's like, according to Mashable.com. [Here is a sample list of tech-support tasks the … [Read more...] about Help for your family’s tech-support kid!
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
Holidays: Half of US parents giving kids tech
A national survey found that 49% of parents with kids 12 and under are giving their children electronic gifts – cellphones, computers, music players, gameplayers, etc. – this holiday season, PBSKids.org reports about its survey. "Once these gifts are unwrapped, most parents say they plan to have rules and restrictions to help children stay safe online." The survey found that 86% of parents "agree … [Read more...] about Holidays: Half of US parents giving kids tech