Tag Archives: kids
Bad Apple? Who’s To Blame For Kids’ In-Game Shopping Sprees?
Posted on 13. Mar, 2013 by lynette.
This is a story about Apple and a group of angry parents whose kids did something they shouldn’t have.
It involves allegedly deceptive marketing practices, app-loving minors, parents who can afford to let their kids have or use Apple devices, and a class-action lawsuit against one of the most cash rich companies in the world.
Continue Reading
Can You Trust That Link?
Posted on 21. Sep, 2012 by lynette.
In an age when everyone can author or share information to a mass audience almost instantly, it is more critical than ever to develop and sharpen our ability to discern the credible from the implausible things we see online.
There are many purveyors of false or biased information on the Internet – a company seductively advertising the effectiveness of its weight loss product, a politically-motivated organization hoping to persuade you to vote for their cause, a hacker attempting to fool you into clicking on something that infects your computer with malicious software.
Thankfully, among the mounds of information we find online, there is also the credible and the safe. It’s a good habit to have and teach others how to figure out which is which. I believe the skill to do this is made up of 2 basic things: information literacy and information security.
Continue Reading
5 Ways to Teach Kids to Use Technology Safely
Posted on 31. Jul, 2012 by lynette.
It is safe to assume that our schools will most certainly be wired for improving learning and teaching, if not today, then soon. We expect and should continue to expect that obtaining the tools of technology are not the end, but a means to helping our kids learn the skills that will propel them into jobs and careers that will later benefit themselves and society.
But I challenge the assumption that the job of teaching kids to be good citizens of the Internet is solely within the purview of schools. Parents are most often the first to introduce kids to technology. Kids are also able to connect online both at home and at school, but increasingly in the places in between. This is largely driven by the rise of mobile devices in more and younger hands, without adult supervision. So a community approach to teaching kids to think critically on their own about what they are saying, doing, and sharing online is more important than ever.
Continue Reading
4 Things You Can Do This Internet Safety Awareness Month
Posted on 15. Jun, 2012 by lynette.
June is Internet Safety Awareness month in the U.S., but it’s a great time for everyone everywhere to stop and take a few moments to educate yourself and your family about all matters concerning digital literacy, safety, and responsibility.
Here are a few things you can do immediatley to help you learn or teach your kids about safe, responsible technology use. Take 15 minutes to do one of these things this month. And do them all at some point soon.