Ken Leebow

Ken's New Book . . . Feed Your Head

2009-02-27T06:02:00.001-07:00

Please visit my new site

FeedYourHeadDiet.com

MySpace: 90,000 sex offenders removed from site

2009-02-04T06:39:00.002-07:00

Use this article as a starting point to chat with your children who are on MySpace/Facebook.

Court refuses to save Web anti-porn law

2009-01-22T09:22:00.001-07:00

Mom and dad: You're on your own now. Read it and realize that porn on the Net is pervasive. Remember the days when reading Playboy was a "right of passage"? By today's standards, that's very quaint and ancient.

Industry Brief: Pockets of Potential: Using Mobile Technologies to Promote Children’s Learning

2009-01-14T09:08:00.002-07:00

Here's an executive summary of - Using Mobile Technologies to Promote Children’s Learning.

I have experienced the wonders of learning by using the smartphone. Within the next few years, smartphones will be used in our school systems. Think of it as anywhere, anytime learning. Of course, it needs to be interesting information and presented in an exciting manner. Here's an example.

Enhancing Child Safety and Online Technologies

2009-01-14T09:05:00.001-07:00

From the Berkman Center (Harvard), here's an executive summary of : Enhancing Child Safety and Online Technologies

Got a Game Player in the House? Then, Watch This!

2008-12-22T09:56:00.001-07:00

When it Comes to Online Safety, What's Important is Education . . .

2008-12-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, this educator of psychology , from one of our esteemed universities (Columbia), recommends taking away camera phones from teens. This is a typical over-reaction.

No, what needs to be done is: Realize that we are in new terrain and both parent and youth need to be educated.

Ambient Awareness -- Say What?

2008-10-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

Read this excellent article in the New York Times about the current state of social networking. It might be difficult to "swallow", but it's a new world out there: Brave New World of Digital Intimacy.

MySpace Issue

2008-09-18T06:17:00.003-06:00

This is a test. I just sent the following email to MySpace. I am curious how long it will take to reply. I will document it here.

"At one of my Internet safety presentations, I was talking about keeping your MySpace site private. However, an audience participant chimed in that her daughter had found "code" on the Net that can allow the user to get into a private account. Is that true? And if it is true, has that problem been addressed. Thank you."

1. Request sent on 09.17.2008
2. Almost immediately, a canned response about privacy was sent. 09.17.2008
3. I sent back an email requesting a proper response. 09.17.2008
4. Sadly, this was the final response that I got from MySpace. Instead of helpful information, it reads like some government mumbo-jumbo. 09.18.2008

Hello,

Unfortunately, based on the information provided, it is unclear as to the reason why you are
contacting MySpace Support. In order to assist you further it is important that we gather more
information about your question and/or concern. Please provide us further information and specify
the nature of your complaint and/or how we may assist you. Please also be sure to include any of
the following information, should it be applicable:

Web address/URL or links to the profile(s) in question (the URL IS found after http:// towards the top of your browser in the web address bar)
MySpace Friend display name
MySpace Friend ID number
Email address in question
Previous email correspondence with us

When providing us with more information, please reply directly to this email keeping the subject line intact. We look forward to hearing from you so we can address your question and/or concern.Thank you,

MySpace.com

Oprah's Special about Predators

2008-09-16T19:38:00.000-06:00

http://www.oprah.com/dated/oprahshow/oprahshow_20080911_predators
Be Triple-A: Alert, Aware, and always have your Antenna up. Take a look at Oprah's information.

Imagine Getting Kids Excited about Education

2008-08-01T11:46:00.000-06:00

Imagine!

The Wall Street Journal Discusses Young Adults Use of Texting Lingo in the Job Market

2008-07-29T07:17:00.000-06:00

The headline: Thx for the IView! I Wud ♥ to Work 4 U!! ;)
The article.

Yes, times are changing. While I spell words out and punctuate my text messages and emails, that's not a common practice. It's an interesting article about the digital natives use of technology versus the digital naive.

New York Times Article: Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading?

2008-07-28T06:08:00.000-06:00

This NY Times article discusses how digital natives are using the Internet.

As I always discuss, Times they are a-changin' and we need to be alert and aware of these changes. And one final point: In the 21st century, we need to be better editors and writers. It's a time of information overflow and mass communication and confusion. I do not believe that our education system is teaching us how to be editors of information.

Can We Text . . .

2008-07-15T12:21:00.001-06:00

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0513/p09s02-coop.html
. . . in the classroom? Absolutely. Let's use the tools available to us today to teach, because the tools that adults are used to will be obsolete in a few years.

For example, I'm reading books, newspapers, and watching videos on my iPhone. It's a new world out here.

Cyberbullying

2008-07-15T12:14:00.000-06:00

http://www.usatoday.com
With current technology, cyberbullying is quite easy and it has changed the landscape of schoolyard bullying. Read about it here.

Game Time - The Parents Guide to Video Games

2008-07-09T06:32:00.001-06:00

http://www.whattheyplay.com
If you're digital native is a game-player and you're not, this site will assist with understanding the good, the bad, and the ugly of thousands of games.

iPorn

2008-06-25T08:16:00.000-06:00

I'm sorry to have to say this, but . . . Time magazine predicts that the iPhone is the next frontier for pornography. Ain't anything sacred?

Ernie Allen: Keeping kids safe in a digital world

2008-06-24T11:44:00.001-06:00

Ernie Allen is co-founder and president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He spoke at Google and explored the mission and challenges of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

New: Parental Controls for the New iPhone

2008-06-11T06:11:00.004-06:00

Well, mom and dad, since the new iPhone is really a computer, Apple has created a parental control application for the phone.

It should have a feature that disables text messaging while the car is moving, but I do not believe that is a feature.

Facebook to Address Online Safety

2008-05-09T12:51:00.002-06:00

http://apnews.myway.com
Facebook is adding more than 40 new safeguards to protect young users from sexual predators and cyberbullies under an agreement with officials nationwide that was announced Thursday.

Chat on Facebook

2008-05-06T11:01:00.002-06:00

A new feature of Facebook: Chatting online with anyone who is your Facebook friend. A great feature if your Facebook friends are really your friends. If you don't know your some of your Facebook "friends", then be careful.

Virginia Tries to Ensure Students' Safety in Cyberspace

2008-05-05T09:09:00.000-06:00

http://www.washingtonpost.com
The article states: "Virginia public schools will soon launch Internet safety lessons across all grade levels, responding to a state mandate that is the first of its kind in the nation. Even though today's students have known no life without the Internet, only a couple of states have laws that recommend schools teach online safety."

Be Responsible

2008-05-01T09:33:00.004-06:00

Ironically, when it comes to Online Safety and Internet usage, it appears that Anheuser-Busch has the proper slogan - Be Responsible.

Parents need to learn about technology and when it comes to online behavior (postings, bullying, photos, videos, and more), we all need to be more responsible. Just think: It's not only politicians and celebrities who have cameras aimed at them 24/7. It's you too!

The New Internet . . .

2008-04-23T07:17:00.002-06:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120891052219636621.html
. . . It's on your cellphone.

Here's the bottomline: Within the next few years, everyone will have a smartphone. And, smartphones are getting smarter. While not quite as powerful as a notebook computer, they are getting closer every day.

So, let's be smart when using the camera, video, text message, email, Internet, and other cellphone features. This Wall Street Journal article will bring you up to speed.

Earth Day Tribute

2008-04-22T11:48:00.000-06:00

Originally founded in 1970, Earth Day has become an internationally recognized event throughout the world. Its founder, the late Sen. Gaylord Nelson is credited with bringing environmental issues and concerns into the international spotlight. Earth Day and Beyond, a 28 minute intimate portrait edited from its original 58 minute version provides a clear and compelling story of the founding of Earth Day as well as some of the more prominent issues affecting the sad state of our environment today. An Intimate Portrait of Gaylord Nelson, Founder of Earth Day

The Beginning of the End

2008-04-17T09:13:00.003-06:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/technology/16school.html
The article begins: "Three prominent academic publishers are suing Georgia State University, contending that the school is violating copyright laws by providing course reading material to students in digital format without seeking permission from the publishers or paying licensing fees."

Bottom line: 1. We need everything to be available in a digital manner. 2. Yes, publishers should be paid for their material. 3. If publishers sue instead of getting online, they will eventually be Wikipedia-ized (don't know if that's a word, but it is the reality). Just ask Britannica.

Don Tapscott: Author of Growing Up Digital

2008-04-16T08:27:00.001-06:00

Google's New Site about Online Safety

2008-04-15T09:13:00.001-06:00

http://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/familysafety
Sorry Google, but this information has been floating around the Internet for a long time and it's lame.

Mom and Dad are Getting On the Text Message Bandwagon

2008-04-11T10:42:00.003-06:00

http://www.washingtonpost.com
The Washington Post reports that parents are finally starting to text message. The bottom line: This is the way kids communicate today.

By the way, if you'd like to text message "the old fashion" way, you can send an email to a cellphone. Here's how:

1. Go to your email
2. Send an email to the person you know. The address is: 4045551234@teleflip.com (NOTE: replace the phone number listed here with the real phone number.)
3. Type your message
4. Send it

You just sent a text message via email. Congratulations!

Ever Hear of Twitter?

2008-04-07T10:13:00.002-06:00

It's a very popular service. This is a video that explains it. Candidly, Twitter is not for me.

Not on the Test

2008-04-04T05:59:00.003-06:00

Tom Chapin (brother of Harry Chapin) sings the song "Not on the Test".

Check out his site: Not on the Test.

USA Today: 'Crisis' graduation gap found between cities, suburbs

2008-04-02T14:21:00.003-06:00

http://www.usatoday.com
I was shocked when I read this report. Politicians can talk all they want about lifting people out of poverty. However, if they don't graduate high school, all the hot air in the world won't get these kids out of poverty.

There needs to be a new slogan. While Nike has: "Just Do It"! The U.S. needs a slogan that states: "Just Get Educated!"

Social Networking at Play

2008-03-26T11:02:00.002-06:00

http://www.weplay.com
Yep, get your youth league or any other sports team online with this social networking site. You can read all about it in the New York Times.

Privacy on the Net is a Myth

2008-03-26T09:07:00.000-06:00

Here's just one example: Security lapse exposes Facebook photos

A Filtered Internet

2008-03-24T10:54:00.004-06:00

http://www.kidzui.com
http://www.kidthing.com
There's no doubt, if I had young kids, I would use some type of Internet filter. These are self-contained "sites" that are designed for kids ages 3 - 12.

Here are some articles about these services:
Wall Street Journal
U.S. News and World Report

Headline of This Story: Spy on your cheating spouse

2008-03-24T08:38:00.002-06:00

http://blogs.usatoday.com
The technology might be available, however, is this the direction we want technology to take us? Here's the product mentioned in the article: GPS Snitch.

Law is little help to parents fighting use of children's photos on Web

2008-03-18T09:15:00.001-06:00

http://www.siliconvalley.com
An Orange County mother was shocked last fall to discover that someone had photographed her 13-year-old son in his tight-fitting swimsuit at a high school water polo meet and posted the image on an adult Web site that invited lewd comments.

Scouring the Internet, parents soon found other such photos, hundreds of them. But their horror turned to disbelief upon learning that police could do little to stop the practice.

An Incredible Five-Minute Tour of Underwater Creatures

2008-03-05T08:14:00.001-07:00

Education at its best . . .

How Risky Are Social Networking Sites? A Comparison of Places Online Where Youth Sexual Solicitation and Harassment Occurs

2008-02-29T09:43:00.000-07:00

This article appears in the Pediatrics journal.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/121/2/e350

Be a Google Doodler . . .

2008-02-21T07:24:00.002-07:00

http://www.google.com/doodle4google
Google is brilliant. Now students can get involved in the process of creating Google doodles.

What's a Google doodle? Let the original Google doodle-master tell you.

Dumb and Dumber

2008-02-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

Are we getting dumber? Watch The Today Show's take on it.

Delete, Delete, Delete . . . My FaceBook Profile

2008-02-11T05:47:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/technology/11facebook.html
Evidently, when you delete your FaceBook profile, FaceBook doesn't really delete you. It seems that FaceBook keeps falling on its face.

The Future of Information Overload:Twitter

2008-02-07T08:11:00.002-07:00

Never heard of Twitter? Consider yourself lucky.

My Digital Native Taught Me This Incredible "Trick"

2008-02-06T06:35:00.000-07:00

http://www.teamster.net/index.php?showtopic=25003
By following the simple directions at the above site, my Comcast DVR easily skips through commercials.

It kinda makes you wonder why Comcast didn't make this a standard feature. Of course, the answer is obvious. It will be great when we watch our "TV" via the Internet.

Please . . . TBS . . .

2008-02-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

Think
Before
Sending

To understand this video, first, you'll need to read this article. However, the important thing to note: Big Brother is not the government. Big Brother is you and me. Thus, we need to be careful before we send a voice mail, email, or post something online. It's almost impossible to take it back.

Now for the voice mail that was turned into a YouTube video.

WSJ: It's Hard to Hide From Your Friends

2008-01-30T07:11:00.000-07:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120164900173426771.html
Online privacy is a big issue. As it relates to social networking sites, specifically FaceBook, The Wall Street Journal addresses the subject.

Not related to Facebook, however, a "fun" video about privacy.

FaceBook Privacy

2008-01-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/20080123/quoted-13
That could be an oxymoron. Read all about it.

And for my favorite privacy "commercial", click here. Ah, ain't technology grand?

FaceBook and Politics

2008-01-22T13:06:00.000-07:00

Frontline: Growing Up Online

2008-01-16T12:19:00.001-07:00

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline
Watch a one-hour PBS special about: "Growing Up Online".

And, an article in the New York Times about: Growing Up Online.

My Favorite Toy

2008-01-16T12:14:00.001-07:00

Dr. Phil's Show about FaceBook . . .

2008-01-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

http://www.drphil.com/shows/show/1008
. . . Internet Mistakes

Facebook Gets 60 Minutes of Fame

2008-01-14T10:20:00.001-07:00

Facebook Privacy?

2008-01-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/01/10/kare.facebook.suspensions.cnn
Photos that you post on Facebook could get you suspended from school. Watch this short CNN video.

Cyberbullying - A Legal Perspective

2007-12-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1197281074941
"Cyber-bullying" is triggering widespread litigation and legislation, with everyone from teachers, parents and school districts pursuing legal action over nasty and threatening remarks posted by students on the Web.

Your Very Own Truman Show

2007-12-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.yourtrumanshow.com
The site says it all: "Your Truman Show is the place for personal video stories on the Web. Your stories, your friends sagas, the compelling tales of the random people you come across everyday. True stories, fictional tales and quasi-fictional accounts. Your Truman Show makes it easy to share them online!"

Yahoo! for Teachers

2007-11-30T11:08:00.000-07:00

http://beta.teachers.yahoo.com
Here's a place for educators to find, create, and share standards-based classroom materials. And, the good news: It's free.

I'm Game: Are You?

2007-11-16T14:25:00.000-07:00

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/1700ap_video_games_ap_poll.html
Based on the study from this news article, many parents do not play video games with their kids.

It's one of the "Ten Technologies Every Parent Should Know." Read about 'em here.

Phishing Anyone?

2007-11-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

https://www.paypal.com/fightphishing
Are you familiar with phishing?

On the Net, many people want to "scam you". If you can't easily spot a phishing email, be sure to take PayPal's online phishing quiz.

Check Your Facts

2007-11-08T06:35:00.000-07:00

The Fact Checked Mission: "Our aim is to help students learn to be smart consumers of these messages, not to accept them at face value; to dig for facts using the Internet, not to stop looking once they get to Wikipedia; and to weigh evidence logically, not to draw conclusions based on their own biases."

Below, is a lesson plan that examines the resource Wikipedia. It uses a Steven Colbert video as the starting point. Check it out!

http://www.factchecked.org/LessonPlanDetails.aspx?myId=19

How Mainstream is MySpace?

2007-10-16T07:23:00.000-06:00

http://www.trickortreats.com
Well, at this Hershey's Halloween Web site, there are templates and graphics for MySpace.

Teens and Online Strangers

2007-10-16T07:21:00.000-06:00

http://www.pewinternet.org
The Pew Organization has a report about Teens and Online Strangers. It's a short report that you will probably find interesting.

Google is in the Zone

2007-10-09T06:57:00.000-06:00

With Google's stock and online presence reaching new heights, it seems timely to revisit this video.

Here She Comes . . .

2007-10-04T10:19:00.000-06:00

http://www.missamericakids.com
. . . Miss America -- with a Kid-safe browser.

The Three 'Cs' of Internet Safety

2007-10-03T12:10:00.000-06:00

MarketWatch has an article about the three Cs. What are the 3 Cs?

To ensure your child's safety, it's important to follow the three "Cs": keep current, keep communicating and keep checking. Read the article for details.

Give the Kids a lot of TLC

2007-09-21T13:55:00.000-06:00

When it comes to the Internet, online safety, and technologies that the kids are involved with:

Talk
Listen
Communicate

By doing this, you'll learn a lot and so will they. Oh yeah, don't be too judgmental -- just talk, listen and communicate.

Online: You Cannot Hide

2007-09-17T07:39:00.000-06:00

http://www.rapleaf.com
Here's one example of a site that searches multiple sites to identify individuals. For example, in one profile, it had my age, occupation, and a listing of some social networking sites to find more information.

While the above site is somewhat primitive, it's only a matter of time before a free site will do an amazing job of accumulating its findings.

Video . . . Wikipedia Founder: Jimmy Wales

2007-09-14T08:27:00.000-06:00

Your kids use it and most likely, you use it too. So, listen and learn from the gentleman who founded Wikipedia -- Jimmy Wales.

College Basics: Now and Then*

2007-09-10T09:08:00.001-06:00

Here's something to think about:

1977..............................................2007**
Typewriter...................................... Laptop with WiFi
Turntable........................................ MP3 Player and Speakers
Hallway Phone................................ Cell Phone and VoIP
Desk Calendar................................ PDA, Google Calendar
Letters Home.................................. Webcam, e-mail, blog

Now give some thought to what the tech-world and society will be like in 2037.

* Source: BusinessWeek, September 2007

** Dateline September 29, 2007. While attending a UF football game, I was at a fraternity and witnessed many rooms with huge HD televisions. I witnessed many other things, but as Jack Nicholson so eloquently stated: "You don't want to know the truth."

The Wikipedia Economy

2007-08-29T14:38:00.000-06:00

http://www.slate.com/id/2172703
An interesting read: Wikipedia Unmasked: A new Web site reveals the sneak attacks and ego-fluffing of your friends and co-workers.

Texting and Driving . . .

2007-07-14T05:35:00.000-06:00

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2007-07-09-teens-risky-driving_N.htm
Can we talk? Most likely, not a good a idea.

Parents: Have you ever heard of this site?

2007-07-12T09:36:00.000-06:00

http://www.stickam.com
Stickam. It's a Webcam oriented site. It can also be added to a site like MySpace. Here's an interesting article about it in the New York Times.

Remember: Give the kids a lot of TLC - Talk, Listen and Communicate.

A Guided Tour of the iPhone

2007-07-10T06:16:00.000-06:00

http://www.apple.com/iphone/usingiphone/guidedtour_large.html
Here's an easy way to learn about all the features of this new phone. While you might not own one today, within the next five years, all phones will have this type of functionality (and more).

While everyone is excited about this product, I'm excited about the direction of the "cellphone" -- an all-in-one computer. It's a little early, but we'll be saying goodbye to the laptop computer soon.

Digital Technology 101

2007-07-09T09:18:00.000-06:00

http://www.theantidrug.com/e-monitoring/index.asp
This anti-drug organization offers a crash course in the most popular communication tools used by teens today. It offers guidance and advice to help parents monitor their teen’s activities on these devices.

I Know Where You Were Last Night

2007-06-30T05:54:00.000-06:00

Why?

2007-06-29T07:43:00.000-06:00

When chatting with most adults/parents about FaceBook, MySpace, SecondLife, texting, and other applications, they typically ask: "Why do they do that?" or state: "I don't get it."

Well, here's an application that will have you wondering -- Twitter. Here's one live example of it: While standing on line to purchase his new iPhone, Steve Rubel is Twittering.

I don't Twitter, but if I did, this is what a few entries would be like:

1. Just got done exercising
2. I'm watching CNBC (my favorite station) with the sound off
3. I have my iPod playing (that's why the sound is off on CNBC)
4. The Sun is shining
5. I'll probably go boating this afternoon
6. I won't be Twittering while on the boat

Wow, ain't Twittering exciting? I hope your Twitter entries are more interesting than mine!

MySpace TV

2007-06-28T14:33:00.000-06:00

http://www.myspacetv.com
Combine social networking with video and what do you get? MySpaceTV, of course.

Here's a sample that can be posted to your MySpace account or to any Web site.

Check out this video: Dane Cook - Exaggeration

Add to My Profile | More Videos

iPhone Mania

2007-06-28T08:35:00.000-06:00

http://www.ilounge.com

It's the future: And, at iLounge, everything you ever needed to know about the new iPhone.

The real exciting thing about this device: It's the beginning of a real hand-held computer. It's got up to 8-gigabytes of storage. Just think what this device (and others) will do in 5 years. Ah, times, they really are changing!

Teen Driving

2007-06-27T14:35:00.000-06:00

http://www.allstateteendriver.com
As important as Internet safety, is teenage driving. Allstate has a site that is dedicated to safe driving.

Going Mobile

2007-06-27T07:53:00.000-06:00

http://googleblog.blogspot.com
Slowly but surely, everything is moving to the cellphone. Now, thanks to Google's Picasa photo product, you can access all your photos on your cellphone. BTW, you can also *map your Picasa photos using Google's mapping products (Google Earth or maps.google.com).

In the next five years, almost everyone will have a smart phone: Blackberry, iPhone, or one of the other phones that will be available.

*It will be interesting when this is done automatically and in real-time.

How Can You Keep Up with FaceBook Happenings?

2007-06-25T15:48:00.001-06:00

http://www.allfacebook.com
With the All Facebook blog, of course.

NoSlang Drug Translator

2007-06-25T06:09:00.000-06:00

http://www.noslang.com/drugs
Kids say the darndest things. With this site, you can learn the latest drug slang terms kids are using.

Scams on Facebook . . .

2007-06-22T08:10:00.000-06:00

I'm selling furniture on Facebook. Here's a Facebook email that I received. Seems a little phishy to me.

Hello,
we just place a look on your item you placed on the webiste and we are
intrested in purchasing the item..before we move further i will like to ask
some question.
1.What is the Condition of the item?
2. Do you accept (MONEY ORDER or CERTIFIED CHECK) that will be issued and mail out from U.S Bank as a mode of payment?
3. What is the final asking prize of the Item?
4. Will you let our Local Private Shipping Company to come to your! house
for the pick up of the item, coz the shipping fees will be include to the
sales amount of your item.
5. Will you be able to send excess funds (shipping cost) back to the Local Private Shipping Company via western union money transfer same day you recieve and cashed the Check Payment,so that they can make the use of the
funds to come and shedule pick up the item from your home down
6.if You are okay kindly send your full
NAME :
ADDRESS :
CITY :
STATE :
ZIPCODE CODE :
COUNTRY :
TEL # :
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
IF YOU ARE INTRESTED IN THIS TRANSACTION YOU CAN REACH US DERICTLY TO OUR MAIL ADDRESS AT (email address deleted in this post)

Matt Lauer: "It's so over my head."

2007-06-15T08:47:00.000-06:00

Recently, the Today Show profiled Webkinz -- the stuffed animal and interactive Web site. When the segment was over, Matt stated: "It's so over my head."

That's one reason that this site exists: To simplify the fast-paced technology world. I wonder what Matt would say about SecondLife?

National Poll on Children's Health

2007-06-01T07:48:00.001-06:00

To read more about the report, click here.

It's Not Big Brother Watching You . . .

2007-05-31T06:33:00.000-06:00

. . . It's Google. Take a look at its new Street View feature. It's only a matter of time before mapping is real-time and . . . as the rock band Chicago sang: "The Whole World is Watching."

MySpace: A Great Place for Marketing

2007-05-31T06:13:00.000-06:00

http://myspace.com/BarryEisler
This author has over 12,000 friends on MySpace. MySpace is one of the places he is promoting his new book.

Teens Text the Darndest Things

2007-05-29T10:21:00.000-06:00

http://www.chicagotribune.com
And when they do, the bill can get very large. Read all about it here.

Social Networking for the Young'ins

2007-05-26T08:40:00.000-06:00

http://www.webkinz.com
http://www.clubpenguin.com
Business 2.0 reports on the very successful sites that are attracting the under ten crowd.

25 Ways to Make Kids Safer

2007-05-25T06:30:00.000-06:00

http://www.take25.org
Twenty-five safety tips at home, on the Net, at school, and out and about from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

CNet: Keep your kids safe online

2007-04-17T09:03:00.000-06:00

http://www.cnet.com/2001-13384_1-0.html
The Web can help kids learn, communicate, and socialize, but it also exposes them to risks. Helping a child develop sound instincts for exploring the Internet safely is a challenge--find out what you can do.

It’s a Generational Thing!

2007-03-26T07:12:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/ytawards
The thing I enjoy the most about sites like YouTube, FaceBook, MySpace, blogs, and more is that older people and the media have a tuff time getting it.

When talking with my son about instant messaging via cell phones and being in constant communication with his buddPublishies, he said: “Dad, it’s a generational thing.” Boy do I feel old.

Did You Know?

2007-03-23T15:05:00.001-06:00

To Catch a Predator

2007-03-22T15:07:00.000-06:00

While online predators are only one aspect of online safety, if your child uses chat rooms, instant messaging or any other online communication, it's a good idea to be aware of this issue. Chris Hansen has a new book based on Dateline's show To Catch a Predator.

Safer cyber-playrooms?

2007-02-28T09:09:00.000-07:00

http://www.usatoday.com
Social networking sites are all the rage. The different types of sites are too numerous to mention here. Today, USA Today reports on sites that are designed for the under 10 age group. So parents, be aware that all things high-tech are filtering down to the very young. Be sure to check out the sites that your kids will be hanging out on.

Build Your Own Social Network

2007-02-27T09:44:00.000-07:00

http://www.ning.com
Thanks to Marc Andreesen (Netsape fame), you can actually build your own social networking site -- clique, clique, clique.

Just a reminder: The mission of this site is to help you cross the digital divide.

How To Fight the New Bullies

2007-02-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

http://www.parade.com
Bullies used to be big kids who picked on smaller ones. But instant messages, cell phones and the Internet have changed that. Today, young people are using technology against each other: It’s called cyberbullying, and it can be as frightening as face-to-face aggression. While most parents worry that their child will fall victim to a sexual predator online, cyberbullying often slips under the radar. Here’s what you need to know . . .

Be Careful When You Send Text Messages

2007-02-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17307671
The headline reads: Texting 101: Don’t send pot messages to cop -- Kentucky teacher sent trooper drug-deal details intended for dealer

I'm usually not at a loss for words, however, this one has me stumped. I guess I could say: "I'm glad this isn't my kids' teacher."

SecondLife?

2007-02-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=2496361n
Not sure what SecondLife is all about? David Pogue, tech writer for the New York Times, did a segment about it on CBS Sunday Morning News. Watch it here.

Social Networking for the Very Young

2007-02-23T08:38:00.000-07:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17266131/site/newsweek
How young is too young to be on a social networking site? Well, there are many sites that are geared for the 8 to 13-year-old (pre-MySpace age). Newsweek has an article about the pre-teen sites and phenomena.

The Girl Scouts are Hip to the New Internet

2007-02-22T10:08:00.000-07:00

http://www.myspace.com/GirlScoutCookieSale
You can find them on MySpace, YouTube, and other video and social networking sites. Way to go Girl Scouts. Not only are your cookies incredible, you get the Net.

For your viewing pleasure, a vintage commercial.