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!
The Changing Nature of Adolescent Use of MySpace
Sameer and I have been exploring online social networking generally, and adolescent behaviors on MySpace in particular, for over five years. Since 2006 we have randomly selected several thousand MySpace profiles each year to determine: 1) who is on MySpace and 2) what kind of information they are posting. Our latest article, which is published in […]
Cyberbullicide – What We Can Do
We’ve been discussing cyberbullying and suicide recently, and even though cases are isolated and rare, the link is worth our attention. First, it reiterates the fact that all forms of adolescent peer aggression must be taken seriously both at school and at home, and that online harassment can have grave real-world implications. It also follows […]
Meep
An interesting controversy has emerged in the last couple of weeks over the word “meep.” What does meep even mean? Frankly, it doesn’t really matter. In fact there are numerous and varied definitions of, and uses for, the word meep. The most frequent use among adolescents, it seems, is to replace an inappropriate word with […]
Cyberbullicide – the relationship between cyberbullying and suicide among youth
One major outcome that we have seen in recent years has been the increase in suicides related to an experience with bullying. As a point of reference, in 2004, suicide was the third-leading cause of deaths among those between the ages of 10 and 24. Even though suicide rates have decreased 28.5 percent between 1990 […]
Are teachers and parents really talking to youth about online safety?
As you know, we are endlessly working to have our finger on the pulse of how adults are educating youth about online technology. The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and Educational Technology Policy, Research, and Outreach (ETPRO) recently found that less than 25% of educators feel comfortable teaching students about Internet safety issues. You and […]
Family Internet Use Contract
This is a formal agreement to be signed by both parents and children to help facilitate an open line of communication regarding the appropriate use of the Internet. Feel free to customize for your own needs. Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2009). Internet Use Contract. Bullying beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying. […]
June is Internet Safety Month
June is Internet Safety Month. Parents should take this opportunity to have a brief talk with their kids about what they are doing online. Ask them about any unpleasant experiences they may have had. Tell them that you have heard about “cyberbullying” and wondered if they have had any such experiences. The earlier you have […]
