Before any more laws aimed at protecting young people's online privacy get passed, I wish lawmakers could spend more time with kids using social media – kids of both sexes and various ages, at least their own children or grandchildren – and less time reacting to constituents' concerns and news reports about kids in social media. Certainly not all they'd observe and discuss with kids would be … [Read more...] about Flawed early laws of our new media environment
Privacy
Students in social media: There’s monitoring & then there’s monitoring
There's an upside and a serious downside to monitoring students in social media, and the upside doesn't involve outsourcing (that was an understatement). You'll see what I'm talking about when you get to the downside down there, but let's start with where and how it would actually help.… In her thoughtful commentary, "What inner city kids know about social media, and why we should listen," … [Read more...] about Students in social media: There’s monitoring & then there’s monitoring
Teens & social media: Parents’ other job
An interesting myth about social media is the one about tension between teen privacy and teen safety. Because of all the scary messaging about the Internet that has been in circulation for almost two decades, many parents seem to believe it's their job to monitor their children's Net use closely. The assumption is that privacy (from parents) jeopardizes their safety. That assumption deserves to … [Read more...] about Teens & social media: Parents’ other job
Most US teen Net users seek out privacy advice: Study
Privacy in social media is important to US teens (and undoubtedly all teens). We knew this but just got further confirmation today from the Pew Internet Project's new study, "Where Teens Seek Online Privacy Advice." "The majority of teens set their profile to either fully or partially private," the authors report, and it they can't figure out how to manage their settings themselves, they get … [Read more...] about Most US teen Net users seek out privacy advice: Study
State of privacy illustrated (by a tech-literate law student)
Its creator, 27-year-old Brendan O'Connor calls it "CreepyDOL" (because it is certainly creepy). You could also call it Personal PI, since anyone with a portable, very hide-able little device like this would hardly need to hire a private investigator. In fact, this spying device written up in the New York Times indicates not only that the private-eye business is on the wane, but also that we have … [Read more...] about State of privacy illustrated (by a tech-literate law student)