Musical.ly just may've replaced Instagram as kids' starter app. This is an educated guess. I remember a few years ago my friend Trudy Ludwig, the award-winning children's author, observing that, based on all the elementary schools she visits throughout the U.S., Instagram was huge with 4th and 5th graders. Don't get us wrong, we know the official minimum age of these apps is 13. The reality, … [Read more...] about Musical.ly inclined: App huge with younger users
cyberbullying
Online harassment 2016: Fresh data
I get a lot of press releases in my email in-box. This one about harassment in social media truly surprised me because it was balanced, cited data responsibly, did not appeal to people's fears and represented clear understanding of today's media environment. The survey of Americans 18+ – a project of Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist.com and craigconnects.org, and social impact consultants … [Read more...] about Online harassment 2016: Fresh data
Handling toxicity: Insights for parents & teachers from Riot Games
There's real wisdom for parents, coaches and educators – not to mention gamers, athletes and social media users – in this business story about what toxic behavior does to a team. The game in question? League of Legends, a 30 million-player "team-based game" along the lines of Capture the Flag "or, more aptly, 'destroy the enemy base'," according to Google's re:Work's description. The game company … [Read more...] about Handling toxicity: Insights for parents & teachers from Riot Games
Major update on bullying, cyberbullying in the U.S.: Study
Bullying. Why haven't we solved this social problem yet? Because, according to an important update from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering & Medicine, bullying is one very complex problem. "Composition of peer groups, shifting demographics, changing societal norms, and modern technology are factors that must be considered to understand and effectively react to bullying in the … [Read more...] about Major update on bullying, cyberbullying in the U.S.: Study
True school safety: A ‘compassion network’ in & around schools in Morgan County, W.V.
It's Kindness Week, and there's no greater kindness – for and from people of all ages – than what's being demonstrated in Morgan County, W.V., where great need is being met with great cooperation. County residents have created a web of youth-focused programs supporting kids in and out of school. I've been hearing about the growth of this amazing web of care since I met Gary McDaniel, a clinical … [Read more...] about True school safety: A ‘compassion network’ in & around schools in Morgan County, W.V.