VR and Metaverse Safety: Top Ten Tips for Parents post thumbnail

VR and Metaverse Safety: Top Ten Tips for Parents

(For a formatted .pdf version of this article for distribution, click on the image above [or click here]). We have all been hearing about the metaverse much more frequently over the last few years, and consideration of its promises and perils has picked up tremendous pace in recent months. It is being designed by multiple […]

The Skinny on Screen Time: Common Sense Over Research (at least for now) post thumbnail

The Skinny on Screen Time: Common Sense Over Research (at least for now)

There has long been a fervent debate about the potential impacts of screen time on youth. When our son was born in 2010, the American Academy of Pediatricians recommended no screen time for children under the age of two. The guidelines have softened a bit in recent years, but the group still generally promotes less […]

Are “Gamers” More Likely to be “Bullies”? post thumbnail

Are “Gamers” More Likely to be “Bullies”?

Conventional wisdom and media headlines would have one believe that those who play video games are more at risk for engaging in a host of anti-social behaviors. There is certainly nothing new about this mentality: It was prominent in my 80s-era adolescence as well. I remember spending many hours playing Mortal Kombat on the classic […]

Discord: A Chat App Not Just For Gamers post thumbnail

Discord: A Chat App Not Just For Gamers

It annoys me so much when well-intentioned adults label certain apps as “dangerous” or “evil.” I’ve recently heard such descriptive words about a relatively new app called Discord. Like most new platforms that have come down the pike, there is nothing inherently problematic about it as the majority of participants use it in positive, productive, […]

League of Legends and Cyberbullying post thumbnail

League of Legends and Cyberbullying

League of Legends (or League for short) is the most popular multiplayer online game in the world, and takes place in a 3-D battle arena setting involving role-playing and real-time strategy elements into its live environment. Players in League (also known as “summoners”) are matched up with others depending on their skill and game level […]