Given the nature of the sexting case that federal judge Jennifer Coffman decided not to dismiss, it seemed like a good decision. A 14-year-old boy allegedly pestering for months an emotionally vulnerable girl his age into making and sending him a sexually explicit video of herself, the video then getting circulated around their school and in other area schools, with prank calls, vandalism, and a … [Read more...] about Greater sensitivity needed in handling of sexting cases
mobile technology
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?
Playing & learning with our kids easier than ever
Mobile gaming (on cellphones, iPads, etc.) is doing a lot more than entertaining kids. Yes, it's bringing out their inner scientist (with Project Noah) or cartoonist (via Toontastic) and fueling their outdoor adventures (see HiddenPark.com), and yes it's occasionally a digital babysitter. But it also offers lovely, gentle changes in family dynamics. Mobile gaming can add to the household scene … [Read more...] about Playing & learning with our kids easier than ever
Sexting: What to tell a kid sent nude photos via cellphone
Delete them, plain and simple. That's what criminology professor Justin Patchin at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire advises teens in his blog. Parents, this is not what you'll hear from law enforcement people or school personnel because their jobs require them to obtain and report evidence of a crime. But if kids "follow this advice, they risk prosecution for possession of child porn if a … [Read more...] about Sexting: What to tell a kid sent nude photos via cellphone
Disable geotagging on kids’ smartphones!
If your kids love to take, post, and tag photos with their cellphones and they use smartphones like an iPhone, sit down with them and figure out how to disable geotagging. What's geotagging? It's a bit of software code that smartphones automatically embed in digital photos when you take them, so that – when they're posted online – people can fairly easily map exactly where the photo was taken, … [Read more...] about Disable geotagging on kids’ smartphones!