When the New York Times reported that Google is "trying again in social networking," I thought it meant a significant new product on the level of Chrome or Picasa. Then I read down further: "Google’s +1 is remarkably similar to Facebook’s Like button," except that you're "liking" search results. It's personalized search. When you find a store, news article, recipe, photo, advertisement, etc. and … [Read more...] about Google’s new social tool ‘+1’
Social Media
New phone app: Color me (& us) careful!
The new Color photo-sharing app for iPhone and Android smartphones, is free, potentially fun, and has no age restrictions. And it will probably have a lot of appeal for our highly social, digital photography-loving kids who love to share and tag. It also has staying power. Color "has all-star founders who have an impressive track record," reports ReadWriteWeb, and they raised $41 million to get … [Read more...] about New phone app: Color me (& us) careful!
Guest post: How about some FACTS on UK teen sexting?
The research-reporting impairment that unfortunately afflicts so many, so often, flared up at the UK tabloid the Daily Mail late last week. YouthFacts.org, experts at debunking disinformation and misinformation about youth, looked at both the reporting and the study (of British 11-to-18-year-olds conducted by the UK's South West Grid for Learning and the University of Plymouth) that received the … [Read more...] about Guest post: How about some FACTS on UK teen sexting?
2 key SXSW themes: Anonymity & meaningfulness
Two distinct, game-changing themes that emerged from the complexity of South by Southwest (SXSW) this year are worth following wherever they turn up – in Washington and other places where policymakers gather, in business, and in people's Internet use: anonymity and meaningfulness. Sometimes they intersect. Both are vitally important to all of us. The former is good and bad but always essential to … [Read more...] about 2 key SXSW themes: Anonymity & meaningfulness
Toward social media tools in school
You all may have noticed I'm a strong proponent of educational social media in school – in the core curriculum, pre-K-12. Why? So students can not only collaborate in basic civic engagement (the class being a tiny community in which they're engaging) and maybe broader participation beyond the classroom, but also practice media, tech, and social literacy (citizenship) while they're in core classes. … [Read more...] about Toward social media tools in school