Internet-based abuse (‘cyberbullying’) and privacy / relationship issues are still massively misunderstood. The complexities of online sociality are probably the biggest ‘generational divide’ between modern teens and adults. To help put it in perspective a bit, here are some numbers…
Wired picked up a story yesterday on a lawsuit in Florida dealing with the emerging legal issue of ‘cyberbullying.’ Reading this, I think there is a gap that new law should seek to fill–a law addressing defamatory opinions when wielded against a citizen in an international context when that citizen is not otherwise newsworthy.
More and more teens pour out their hearts into the digital blackness and spend their time with socially networked acquaintances. Secrets that they would hate for their parents to see are only a Google search away. In a digital world designed around speed, convenience, and ego, they will loose a sense of what constitutes a strong relationship and their ability to empathize will suffer. At a time when it is easier than ever to find a reason to hate someone, they will be more likely than ever to be willing to hate. How can we–as parents, as developers, as netizens–put a stop to this progression?
‘Hard words break no bones’ is a phrase that has been in use since the Renaissance, but things may be changing. Teens are putting a great deal of value into terms: names, labels, and the power of specialized language. In a world built entirely on words, the old adage is being revised: sticks and stones will never hurt you, but words may break your heart.
After an all-too-short winter break of hectic traveling and several bouts of illness, I’m back at work and firmly ensconced into my stunted left brain! After a nice, comfortable time cultivating my claim to the titles of “marketer” and “designer,” I’m working on growing into a programmer as well. It has been neither [...]
There is an argument made against privacy that says someone who isn’t engaged in criminal behavior has nothing to hide. This method of thinking allowed the US government to slowly sap away our civil liberties in the wake of the 9/11 attacks–many have just accepted that trading privacy for security is acceptable and used the “nothing to hide” argument to rationalize what was, essentially, a decision based on fear. However, limiting the government’s ability to intrude in our private lives is easy compared with attempting to control how personal information spreads on the internet via gossip. Rather than spies or wiretaps, gossip is often gathered by those we trust and spread online by people who don’t understand or appreciate the potential for the damage it can do. In reality, privacy is about much more than concealing wrongdoing.
Internet-based abuse (‘cyberbullying’) and privacy / relationship issues are still massively misunderstood. The complexities of online sociality are probably the biggest ‘generational divide’ between modern teens and adults. To help put it in perspective a bit, here are some numbers…
