Read the latest news and brand new pieces on youth, social media, and emerging technologies! We focus on preventing harm and promoting positive online behaviors.

What is your Online Reputation? post thumbnail

What is your Online Reputation?

I have been talking a lot lately about online reputation with teens.  I think it is important for youth to recognize that anything they put online and anything they do offline that gets posted online, could end up being immortalized on the World Wide Web.  I advise students to start thinking about their online reputation […]

Should Teens Have a Computer in Their Bedrooms? post thumbnail

Should Teens Have a Computer in Their Bedrooms?

If you look at any “Top Ten List of Ways to Keep Your Kids Safe Online” that you find on the Internet, no doubt one of the recommendations that you will find near the top is: “Keep the family computer in a common area of the house.”  While this is sage advice, it is also […]

Should Teens Have a Computer in Their Bedrooms? post thumbnail

Should Teens Have a Computer in Their Bedrooms?

If you look at any “Top Ten List of Ways to Keep Your Kids Safe Online” that you find on the Internet, no doubt one of the recommendations that you will find near the top is: “Keep the family computer in a common area of the house.”  While this is sage advice, it is also […]

Should Parents Ban Access to Facebook? post thumbnail

Should Parents Ban Access to Facebook?

Our colleague Anne Collier from NetFamilyNews made us aware of an email that Anthony Orsini, a middle school principal from New Jersey, sent to parents a couple of weeks ago imploring them to prohibit their children from participating in social networking sites. As reported on CBS and elsewhere, the letter Orsini sent to parents included […]

Formspring, Cyberbullying, and Alexis Pilkington post thumbnail

Formspring, Cyberbullying, and Alexis Pilkington

Formspring.me, launched in November 2009, is a user-to-user question and answer web site. If you sign up, the site presents visitors to your page with the ability to anonymously ask you anything via a web form.  You can then post your answer, along with the question, for all to see.  A benefit of Formspring is […]

What Teachers and Administrators Can Do About Cyberbullying – Podcast post thumbnail

What Teachers and Administrators Can Do About Cyberbullying – Podcast

I was featured on *Audio Ed* to discuss in detail how administrators, teachers, and staff can prevent and respond to cyberbullying among school students.  Please click here to download and listen (8 minutes, MP3 file).  Justin and I are passionate about training and working with public districts as well as private schools to meaningfully inform […]

Podcast – Cyberbullying Advice to Help Parents Protect Kids post thumbnail

Podcast – Cyberbullying Advice to Help Parents Protect Kids

I recently appeared on WNYMedia’s “Parent Talk” radio show to discuss what parents can do to protect their child from online harassment.  Please click here to download and listen (47 minutes, MP3 file), and let me know if you have any follow-up questions!