Today, 37% of teens use video chat and close to 1/3 create and share videos online. While these numbers are on an upward trend, they are not that surprising.
There is no substitute for video. It’s the next best thing to connecting with someone far away. And for aspiring film-makers, performers, and professional communicators, it’s a fantastic creative outlet that’s accessible to the masses thanks to the Internet and affordable cell phones with video-capture capability.
But as with any other mode of online communication and expression, it’s important to keep in mind that video chat or online video sharing happens in a public space. Here are some things to keep in mind when guiding your kids about online video use:
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How to Teach Kids to Steer Clear of Cybercrime
Posted on 27. Apr, 2012 by lynette.
Hackers. Spammers. Identity Thieves. These are not words that elicit the level of concern and emotion that bullying, sexting, or online predators do when kids are involved. But your kids (and you) are more likely to encounter the work of cybercriminals than possibly any of the other risks we talk about in the world of online safety.
While kids are not necessarily the target of such crimes, cybercriminals set up their elaborate traps where many people are, to increase the likelihood of succeeding in their deception. Social networks, mobile app stores, popular websites, gaming downloads, and even texts – the places where young people spend most of their time online – are not entirely cybercrime-free.
The goal of cybercriminals can be anything from getting you to download software that spies on what you’re doing, steals your personal information, or takes over your system along with thousands of others to deliver spam or take down a website on their behalf.
There are many more methods, too many to enumerate. But here are just a few of the ways that kids could fall for the tricks of cybercriminals and what you can teach them.
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End of Piracy? New Copyright Enforcement Program to Launch July 1
Posted on 20. Apr, 2012 by lynette.
Starting this July 1, most of the major U.S. internet service providers such as Verizon, AT&T, and Comcast will launch a graduated response program, which will begin warning you to stop if you are downloading pirated material. This program, sponsored by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), is a minimum 5-step copyright alert system. It is a voluntary initiative among ISPS that helps formalize and create consistency among them in how they will alert consumers about downloading illegally copied material. Whether or not you are knowingly doing it, all consumers will be warned a few times before final legal action is taken.
Given the launch of this program 10 weeks from now, here are some tips for parents, kids, and schools.
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eReaders and Parental Controls
Posted on 13. Apr, 2012 by lynette.
Over the next 10 weeks, we’ll be highlighting resources on multiple topics as it relates to helping your kids with safe and responsible technology use. This week, we’re featuring a few tips on parental controls and 3 of the more popular eReaders: the Nook, Kindle Fire, and the Apple iPad.
eReaders are a fantastic way to encourage reading among kids. While there is a big upfront cost for the reader, they give you access to huge libraries of books at no or low cost. In the end, it may be a cost savings for you, depending on how much your kids like to read.
Most of the newer eReaders have a browser, a way to get out onto the vast world of the Internet. They can also download apps, movies, and music. They’ve all been designed for the masses, and not necessarily with parents and kids in mind. Ideally, this will shift over time, but for now there are many families who need to know what they’re getting into when they decide to buy their kids an eReader.