When young people in the Balkan country of Macedonia create fake news sites like WorldPoliticus.com and make good money off of all the American voter traffic their uber-grabby headlines generate (true story, from BuzzFeed), this is not the new Nigerian Internet scam. I think we're seeing that this is a history-changing problem that affects everybody, not just the people who were duped. Fake news … [Read more...] about Fake news & how media literacy is protective
IBPA 2016: Focus on the positive
It's fitting that the last day of a bullying prevention conference focusing on empathy, kindness and resilience happened to be Election Day 2016. Whether or not they were thinking about it, some 750 educators, students, researchers and practitioners together capped off possibly the most divisive, indecent, relationally challenged presidential election season in our history by modeling and … [Read more...] about IBPA 2016: Focus on the positive
Insights from under 18 Net users in 4 countries: Research
Young people worldwide are beginning to see the Internet "as a human right, a necessity." That's from Global Kids Online, a research project and network now encompassing 33 countries (and counting). It just released findings from South Africa, the Philippines, Serbia and Argentina, summarized here. "My favorite apps are social media – Whatsapp and Facebook. Also Instagram," 15-year-old Siyanda … [Read more...] about Insights from under 18 Net users in 4 countries: Research
About the AAP’s media guidelines for parents
The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated its guidance on screen time for families by de-emphasizing the term "screen time." The AAP's focus is now more on the "how" of media use than the "how much." "The key is mindful use of media within a family," the AAP's press release quoted Megan Moreno, MD, lead author of the Academy's policy statement for school-aged children and … [Read more...] about About the AAP’s media guidelines for parents
Youth cybersecurity concerns & what will reduce them: Research
This being National Cyber Security Awareness Month, we might ask how secure young people are feeling online. According to two just-released studies, not so much. But there's some light in there, so stay with me. A Microsoft survey of 13-17 year-olds in 14 countries found that 43% had experienced unwelcome contact at some point. The study also surveyed adults and found that 58% of young people … [Read more...] about Youth cybersecurity concerns & what will reduce them: Research