Internet Safety for Children & Teens – What Parents Should Know

Are you the parent of a child who uses the internet or the parent of a child who will start using the internet soon?  If you are, you should know that the internet is a great way to stay up-to-date on the news, do research for school projects, and communicate with friends, but it can also be very dangerous.  As a parent, it is your responsibility to make sure that your child stays safe online.  Unfortunately, for this to happen you must know your way around a computer and the internet.  Do you?

A child should never know more than a parent does about the internet.  At the very least, you should know about the same.  If you are looking to block adult websites or websites that have offensive language, it will not do you any good if your teenager knows ways to get around the parental controls that you set.  That is why it is important that you know how to use a computer and the internet or learn if you don’t know.

Another reason why you should be well educated on the internet and computer use is because you are better able to fully understand the dangers of them.  You may hear that an internet predator approached or kidnapped a child on the news, but you may automatically assume that it will not happen to your child.  Unfortunately, until you understand how the internet works, you really have no idea.

Does your child use internet chat rooms or social networking websites?  If so, do you know how easy the internet makes it for someone to create a whole new, fake identity?   A good understanding of computer and internet use can better enable you to protect your child.  Do you know that Internet Explorer, the browser that comes standard, has a free parental control option that just needs to be activated?  A few easy steps and you can have certain websites blocked from your child.  Unfortunately, you won’t know this if you donít know all that you can know about the computer or the internet.  Speaking of the internet, additional online safety tools for parents can be purchased online as well.

Now that you know the importance of staying in the know about the internet and a computer in general, you may be curious as to how you can go about doing so.  The good news is that there are a number of ways that you can learn all that you need to know about computer and internet use.  A few of these ways are outlined below for your convenience.

Teaching yourself is an easy way to learn about the internet and computer use.  In fact, what better way is there than to just jump on the computer and see what you can find.  For starters, examine your computer or your internet browser for free internet safety tools for parents. You may also want to visit some of the websites that your child visits, just to see what they are subjecting themselves to.  Visit their online profile for MySpace, Facebook, or another social networking website.  Does it make you uneasy?  Are the discussions taking place in your child’s favorite chat room too adult?

You can also ask a trusted friend or relative for help.  Do not ask your child or teenager for help though.  If they know that you want to set up parental controls or keep tabs on their internet use, they may withhold important information from you.  Instead, invite a trusted friend or relative over for coffee and lunch and let them show you the ins and outs of the internet.  All you really need is a couple of hours.

You can also take an internet or computer education course.  These courses are sometimes offered for free or for an affordable fee by local community groups, colleges, or vocational training centers.  In fact, see if your child’s school offers anything.  Some schools host informational seminars for parents on internet safety about once a year.

Internet Dangers Parents Need to Be Aware Of

5 Reasons Why the Internet Can Be Dangerous for Children and Teens

As important as it is to hear that your child can find themselves in trouble online, if you do not know what internet safety steps can help to protect them, you may be looking for more information.  You also may be curious as to what it is about the internet that can be so dangerous.  For your convenience, five reasons why internet use can be dangerous for children and teenagers are highlighted below.

1 – False Identities Are Easy to Create  Making new friends online is easy and convenient, but it is much different than doing so in person.  Why?  Because you can’t see who is at the other end of the

computer.  The internet makes it easy for someone to be anyone else in the world.  For example, if your child is using social networking websites online, they have to enter in their age.  They could easily lie themselves or they could be talking to someone else who is.

2 – Internet Predators  As it was previously stated, the internet makes it easy to create a new, false identity.  Often times, the individuals who lie about their ages are internet predators.  They are the ones who target children, like yours.  Unfortunately, many children, teenagers, and their parents cannot tell an internet predator until it is too late, like when the predators try to approach your child or contact them in person.

3 – So Many Websites To Choose From  What is nice about the internet is that you have so many websites to choose from.  In fact, that is why it is a good way to research school projects.  With that said, having so many websites to choose from can be dangerous.  Your child can gain access to social networking websites, adult chat rooms, pornographic websites, and websites that are violent in nature.  Unless you have pare

4 – Not All Information Is Private  Unfortunately, many individuals, including both children and parents, do not know that the information that is posted online isn’t always private.  For starters, most teens have their MySpace profiles set to public, as opposed to private.  This means that anyone can view it.  There are also online message boards that are indexed by the search engines.  This means that others can view the conversations that were discussed, even years down the road.ntal controls set up, your child can easily access any type of website with a standard internet search.

5 – They Are In Control  When your child uses the internet, they are the ones who are in control.  This can be okay if your child is older and mature, but you honestly never know.  You may ask your child not to communicate with strangers online, give out their phone numbers, or share pictures with strangers, but that doesn’t mean that they will follow your rules.  For that reason, if you do let your child use the internet, be sure to monitor their use.

4 Signs That Your Teenager May Be In Trouble Online

1 – They Get on the Computer at the Same Time Everyday  What many parents do not realize is that children and teenagers can easily become targets of online child predators.  Many also do not realize that this process doesn’t always happen overnight.  Some child predators pretend to be the ages of their targets.  They then work to gain the trust of those targets.  This can take a few days or a few weeks.  You may be able to tell if this is happening though if your child gets on the internet at the same time, every single day.  This is a good sign that they are communicating directly with someone, who may not have pure intentions.For your convenience, there are four signs that your teenager may be in trouble online.  If any of these signs apply to your child, you will want to take action right away.

2 – They Are Secretive When They Use the Computer  How does your child act when they are using the computer?  Does your child try to hide what they are doing online from you?  If they automatically shut off the computer or put a game on the screen, they may be trying to prevent you from seeing what they are doing online.  This is a good sign that your child may be doing something they shouldn’t be doing online, like having direct, personal conversations with a stranger, who may be a child predator.

3 – They Are Very Happy When Getting Off the Computer  If your child is overly happy when they sign off the internet, they may be on the path to trouble.  This sign can be a little bit tricky though.  Your child may be happy because they just finished a long school project, but you honestly never know.  If your teenager is communicating with someone online, they may be in the process of starting a relationship, which they are happy about.  Unfortunately, many teenagers do not realize that anyone can hide behind a computer.  That is why it is important that you talk to your child about the dangers of starting an online romance.

4 – They Are Very Depressed  As previously stated, your child may be very happy when using the internet, but another warning sign is that they are depressed, especially when they sign off the computer.  What many parents do not realize is that other teenagers use the internet for harassment.  If your teenager has a falling out with one of their friends, they may find themselves being harassed online.  If that is the case, your child may seem very down, depressed, and withdrawn.

The four above mentioned signs are just a few of the many that you will want to look for to see if your child is in trouble online.  With that said, there are additional signs that you will want to be on the lookout for, the biggest being a change in behavior.  If you do suspect that your child has or is about to run into trouble online, be sure to talk to them and as soon as possible.

What to Do If Your Child Runs Into Trouble Online

Are you the parent of a child or teenager who uses the interenet?  As much as we would all like to believe that are children are safe when using the internet, there are certain situations that may, unfortunately, arise.  It is important to remember that most children use the internet to communicate with their friends or to make new friends, not just to do research for school projects.  If your child finds himself in trouble online and comes to you, do you know what you can or should do?

As it was previously stated, numerous situations can develop online that have the potential to be dangerous.  One of those situations is when personal information is exchanged with a stranger.  Has your child recently given away your phone number, address, or their email address to someone who they don’t really know?

If so, be sure to change as much information as possible.  This may involve changing your home phone number or your child’s cell phone number or email address.  Be sure to take additional safety steps, such as always being aware of your surroundings, locking your home and car, and you may also want to contact your local authorities.  Be sure to talk to your child about the dangers of exchanging personal information online.

In keeping with exchanging personal information online, your child may end up talking to an adult, thinking that they are another teenager or close to their age.  If that is the case, your child is likely dealing with an internet predator, who can be old enough to be a parent or a grandparent.

If your child has made contact, intentionally or unintentionally, with an older person online, has any personal information been exchanged?  If so, change that information, like your child’s email address, cell phone, or even if your home phone number.  Make sure that the contact stops immediately.  Contact the authorities, school officials, and make sure that all family members know.  Get as much information you can about the real person behind the computer.  The police may be able to help you do so.

Many high school and junior high school students use social networking websites, like MySpace.  Unfortunately, many also mistakenly believe that it is a good idea to try to look “cool,” online and at any cost.  Your child may post pictures or videos of themselves online doing illegal activities, like smoking or drinking underage, stealing, or doing drugs.

If this is something that your child has done, be sure to remove the pictures or videos right away.  If school officials or authorities have viewed your child’s pictures or videos, he may be facing punishment.  A lawyer should be called if your child is arrested.  If your child is suspended from school or extra curricular activities, speak to school officials.  What you, the parent, and your child can do?

Online harassment is another common problem that children, namely junior high school and high school students face.  A complete stranger, an online friend, or a friend right at school can do this harassment.  When friends have a falling out or even just a simple disagreement, many turn to the internet to seek revenge, as it is easy to hide behind a computer.

If your child finds himself or herself a victim of online harassment, the authorities should be contacted.  This is particularly important if your child does not actually know, in person, the individual who is making threats or spreading harmful rumors.  If the individual doing so is a former friend or another individual at school, there are a number of steps that you can take.  If you know the child and their parents, consider arranging a meeting, but be cautious and use your best judgment.  Alternatives involve contacting the authorities or the school.

As you can see, there are a number of troubling and potentially dangerous situations that your child can find himself in online.  Just make sure that you, as the parent, take steps to help and protect your child.

Internet and Kids: How Young Is Too Young?

What many parents, especially first time parents, do not realize is that some elementary schools teach their children how to use a computer as young as first grade.  Of course, they may not learn how to surf the internet, but they do often learn the basics.  These basics may include learning how to type, how to turn on a computer, how to use a computer mouse, and so forth.

In keeping with young age, there are many parents who allow their toddlers and preschoolers to play computer games.  Although software for those games can be purchased online or in most media stores, some parents turn to the internet.  The good news about this approach is that many trusted websites, like those for Nick Jr, PBS Kids, and PlayHouse Disney do not have harmful advertisements on their websites that your child could accidentally click on.

Young elementary school children are also likely to use the internet and a computer in general to play computer games.  Towards the fifth or sixth grade, children may start to use the internet to do research for school projects.  This is when it is really important to start monitoring your child’s use of the internet.  Even if your child doesn’t use online social networking websites, use internet chat rooms, or visit pornographic websites, it doesnít mean that they canít accidentally come across them.  Some websites are not very careful with what advertisements they show.

Junior high school and high school students, honestly, need the most monitoring online.  These are students who not only use the internet to research, but to communicate with their friends and to make new friends.  Unfortunately, not all teenagers are educated on the dangers that lurk online, especially where internet chat rooms and social networking websites are concerned.

So, is your child ready to use a computer and the internet?  As stated above, it is your decision to make.  With that being said, be sure to use your best judgment and be sure to establish some firm ground rules.  Children who are at least seven years of age should never be allowed to use a computer alone.  Strict rules should be imposed for older children.

Speaking of internet safety rules, be sure to make your views on social networking websites and internet chat rooms clear.  If you don’t want your child to use them, state so.  If they are allowed, establish rules.  A few rules to get you started involve making a social networking website profiles private, not communicating directly with strangers, not trading personal information online, and not posting personal pictures or videos online. As a reminder, you have the ability to determine when and where you child can access the internet.  Just be sure that if you do allow your child to use the internet that you establish ground rules.  Even toddlers and preschoolers should be able to follow these rules, such as only playing games on the website you get them set on.

Easy Ways to Stay Involved In Your Child’s Internet Use

As nice as it is to hear that you should be active, involved, and in the know when it comes to your child or teenager and the internet, you may be wondering what is so important about doing so.  Although you may use the internet to search for jobs online or pay your bills, it is important to remember that there is so much more out there.  Your child can and may be doing more than just doing research for a school project.  They may be using online chat rooms, private instant messaging programs, and social networking websites.

As for why online chat rooms, private instant messaging programs, and social networking sites are dangerous, it is important to remember that the internet makes it easy to pretend to be someone else.  Your child may unknowingly end up making a 50 year old friend, thinking that friend is their own age.  Information posted online has also been used for harassment or harmful purposes when otherwise high school or junior high school friends have a falling out.

Now that you know the importance of staying updated and in the know about your childís internet use, you may be curious as to how you can go about doing so.  The good news is that it is relatively easy to do so.

The first step is to make sure that you are computer literate yourself.  Do you know how to check your computerís internet history?  Better yet, do you even know what a computer’s internet history is or does?  If not, you will want to take a computer course or ask a trusted friend or relative, other than your child, to give you a crash course. You will want to learn as much as you can about the internet and a computer, but be sure to know about parental controls, a computer’s internet history, and so forth.

Speaking of checking your computer’s internet history, be sure that you do so.  Your computer’s internet history records all of the websites that are visited within the last week or past few days.  To do so, open up a new Internet Explorer window.  Towards the top of the page you should see a number of icons.  Click on the one that has a clock with a green arrow partly around it.  This should be the computerís internet history.  What websites has your teenager or child visited?

Another easy way to stay involved in your child’s internet use is to set parental controls.  Most computers come standard with them.  Make your parental controls password protected.  Do not give your child the password, but do use it to unlock websites that may innocently be blocked on accident, like those needed for a school research project.

Moving your child’s computer into a family room or a frequently traveled room is advised.  In fact, your child should be able to use a shared family computer.  This tends to limit the visiting of potential dangerous chat rooms and social networking websites, as most teens like to view these sites in private.  If you must, limit your child’s use of the computer to certain times, like when you are home or in the room.

Be sure to talk to your child about the dangers of the internet.  Let them know that it is possible to meet internet predators online, especially with the use of private chat rooms or social networking websites.  Let them know that if they are harassed, whether it be by someone they know or donít know, contact you immediately.  You may, in turn, want to contact the proper authorities.

Internet Safety Rules to Establish with Your Children

For starters, let your child know that they cannot give out their personal information online.  There is absolutely no reason why they should give anyone their address or phone number online.  Make sure that your child knows that just because the person they are talking to online claims to be a 16 year old boy or girl, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are.

It is also important to prevent your child from posting personal pictures or videos of themselves online. Unfortunately, this is something that many children do.  Visit MySpace.com, which is a popular social networking website.  You will soon see that just about every member, even children and teenagers, post pictures of themselves online.  This can be dangerous, especially when other information, like a city or town or school, is divulged.  If your child wants to post pictures or videos online, be sure to at least review them yourself first.

Make sure your child knows that they are not allowed to meet, in person, with anyone who they meet online.  This is important, as this is how many children and teenagers fall victim to internet predators and sexual predators.  Yes, the person who they are talking to on the computer may be who they say they are, but are you willing to take that chance?  If an in person meeting does take place and you know about it, attend with your child.  Let multiple people know where you are going and who you are meeting with.  Be sure to do so in a public place.

It is also important that you set rules for the use of internet chat rooms and social networking websites.  For starters, if you don’t want your child to use these things, don’t let them.  Monitor your child if use if they do.  For example, make sure you are in the room if your child is using an internet chat room.  As for social networking websites, make your child set their profile to private.  You will also want to regularly check it yourself to make sure that personal information, like your home phone number or home address, isn’t posted.

One problem that many parents face is checking up on their children online.  It is no secret that most children know their way around a computer nowadays.  You cannot check the internet history of your computer, which tells you which websites have been visited, if your child clears it on a daily basis.  That is why you should establish rules on this and other similar practices.   The above mentioned rules should help to prevent your child from running into problems online, but you honestly never know.  Make sure that your child knows to come to you immediately if they receive threatening, harassing, or sexual messages online.  Make sure they also know to show you the message or to save it for your viewing, as opposed to just deleting it from the screen.  Protection may be available for you by way of your local police department.

Finally, make sure that your child knows that all of the rules you set concerning internet use apply to all computer use, not just on the computer at home.

What to Do When Your Child Will Not Follow Your Rules

What you will want to do is re-talk to your child.  Be sure that they are clear on your rules.  For example, if your child is allowed to use social networking websites, what are they not allowed to have posted on their profile?  Do you not want them to have personal information or personal pictures or videos shown?  Restate all rules that you have for your child and instruct them to start following them right away.

If your child still isn’t following your internet safety rules all of the way, you will want to give them one final warning.  Let them know that there are serious consequences to their actions.  However, there is one important exception to this step.  If you suspect that your child is communicating with strangers online, like those who may be sexual predators, bypass the final warnings, as your child may already be in over their head.

As for what steps you should take next, you can ban your child from using the internet.  This is the strictest form of punishment and likely the one that will send the clearest message.  If your child must use the internet for school, like for a school research project, only let them do so when you are sitting right next to them.  You can also make them do their research at their local library.  This is a great way to make your child understand the importance and consequences of not following rules.

Another approach that you can take is to block the websites that you want to keep your child away from.  For example, if you asked your child or teenager not to post personal pictures or videos of themselves online, but they still continue to do so, block the social networking websites that they use.  If you have Internet Explorer, this is easy to do.  First, open a new internet window.  Then, from the dropdown menu select “Tools”, and then “Internet Options”, and then click on the “Content Tab”.  Finally, under the heading of “Approved Sites”, you can also enter in the websites you want blocked.

You may also want to let your child use the computer when you are home or in the room.  If they have their own computer, make them relocate it into a well traveled area, such as your living room.  Speaking of which, if your child uses a family computer, you should always make sure that it is in an area where you can easily see what your child is doing online.  This is a nice approach, as your child is still able to use the internet, but you are able to keep a close eye on them, making sure that they are following your rules.

Talk to Teens About Being Responsible on Social Media

 

 

Social media isn’t just a fad for high schoolers, it’s second nature. 

But some adults say that teens’ social media use could affect their futures. 

“I am all too aware of the danger of social media,” Laurie Weingarten, a mom of two teenagers and an independent college counselor, told U.S. News on Facebook.

“I tell my kids every horror story I hear of students being rejected from college or an accepted student having his/her admission rescinded because of something they wrote on Facebook or something they tweeted. It is very hard to eliminate a ‘social footprint,'” she said. 

More than one-third of college admissions officers have visited an applicant’s social media page to learn more about them, according to a survey released last month from Kaplan Test Prep. 

 

“Admissions officers are increasingly open to what they once viewed as a dubious practice, while teens have come to terms with the fact that their digital trails are for the most part easily searchable, followable and sometimes judged,” Christine Brown, executive director of K-12 and college prep programs for the company, said in a release.

Parents can help their kids make good choices online by talking to their teens about how to use social media safely and responsibility. 

“The minute they are handed a keypad we should be discussing digital time and digital citizenship and everything that goes along with it, even beforehand,” says parent and family Internet safety advocate Sue Scheff. 

She says that discussions about a child’s life online shouldn’t be separate from discussions about offline life.

“Every single day, when you ask your child, ‘How is your day? Do you have homework today?’, ‘Anything new in cyber life?’ It’s an everyday chat,” she says.

 

Teens may think twice about publishing questionable content, for example, or take a step away from social media if they are starting to feel uncomfortable, she says.

Others say that parents need to be forthright with their teens about the realities of social media.

 

source:http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2014/12/01/adults-discuss-talking-to-teens-about-safe-social-media-use

The Case Against Reliance on Commercial, Proprietary-Protected, Filtering Software–In More Detail

On May 8, the National Research Council (NRC) released its report entitled Youth, Pornography and the Internet. A major conclusion of this report was:

 

(S)ocial and educational strategies to develop in minors an ethic of responsible choice and the skills to effectuate these choices and to cope with exposure are foundational to protecting children from negative effects that may result from exposure to inappropriate material or experiences on the Internet.

 

In the preface to the report, Dick Thornberg , former Attorney General and committee chair, indicated that the report would “disappoint those who expect a technology ‘quick fix'” and chided school officials and others for seeking “surrogates to fulfill the responsibilities of training and supervision needed to truly protect children from inappropriate sexual materials on the Internet. ”

 

The report noted that much of the focus of attention has been on technology solutions and public policy. “Technology solutions seem to offer quick and inexpensive fixes that allow adult caregivers to believe that the problem has been addressed, and it is tempting to believe that the use of technology can drastically reduce or eliminate the need for human supervision.” But that technology is not a “substitute for education, responsible adult supervision, and ethical Internet use.”

 

No technology protection measure is or ever will be 100% effective in protecting young people from exposure to material that is potentially harmful. There is simply too much material on the Internet, with more material posted every second, for any technological system to be truly effective. Virtually every young person will, at one time or another, have unsupervised access to the Internet through an unfiltered, unblocked, and unmonitored system. Any time a technology is created that seeks to block access to material, another technology will emerge to get around such blocking actions. Technically proficient young people can easily obtain information on effective strategies to get around these systems.

 

Schools have become the universal location where young people are learning about the Internet. Certainly, then, schools should have an important obligation to help young people learn to use the Internet in a safe and responsible manner regardless of the presence or absence of any kinds of protective technologies. Schools are also an important conduit of information for parents — many of whom are not as technically literate as their children.

 

Interestingly, when the NRC Committee asked educators a slightly different question from the one above “What is the benefit of having filters?” In virtually every school the committee visited the primary reasons offered for filters were to avoid controversy in the community and to avoid liability for exposing children to inappropriate material.

 

Essentially, it appears that the primary reason schools have filters is not to protect kids–but to protect the school. This is unacceptable.

 

The most concerning finding in the NRC Report is the degree to which young people have had to learn Internet safety skills on their own. As noted:

 

Virtually all of the high school students to whom the committee spoke said that their “Internet savvy” came from experience, and they simply learned to cope with certain unpleasant Internet experiences. They also spoke of passing their newfound expertise down to younger siblings, hence becoming the new de facto educators for younger children in the “second wave of digital children.”

 

While it can be expected that young people are going to have superior technical skills than most adults, but the fact that caring adults appear to be totally lacking in this picture should raise significant concerns.

 

Constitutional Concerns

On May 31, 2002, the US District Court for the Third Circuit issued its ruling in a case that the American Library Association, American Civil Liberties Union, and others brought challenging the constitutionality of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), ALA v. US. The court ruled that CIPA was unconstitutional because the actions required under the law would violate the constitutional rights of library patrons, adults and minors, to access constitutionally protected material on the Internet.

 

In brief, the court found:

 

Filtering software blocks access to substantial amounts of material that is constitutionally protected for minors.

 

Filtering software companies are not blocking in accord with local community standards.

 

There are lesser restrictive alternatives that can be implemented to address the very real concerns of youth access to inappropriate material on the Internet (these are the same social and educational alternatives that the NRC Report advocates).

 

The ability to override the filtering software does not cure the constitutional defects.

 

The ruling in ALA is not directly applicable to the situation of the use of commercial filtering software in schools because the court applied what is called a “strict scrutiny” standard. It is probable that the standard of analysis that will be applied will be that such use must be reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns and not result in viewpoint discrimination.

 

Courts generally grant significant deference to the authority of school officials to make decisions for their local school community. This deference is grounded in the perspective that the business of school is conducted in an open environment, where information about how decisions are made is readily available, and that school officials can be held publicly accountable to their local community for their decisions.

 

When school officials delegate authority to commercial filtering software companies to make the determinations of what material students can and cannot access on the Internet , there is no access to information about how such decisions are made and there is no public accountability on the part of the company for such decisions. Such delegation of authority is made under the following conditions:

 

Blocking decisions are not being made by professional educators or librarians.

 

Category definitions and categorization decisions of the companies are made without reference to local community or school standards.

 

Lists of blocked sites, as well as the specific methods that filtering software companies use to compile and categorize lists, including search/block keywords and blocking processes, are considered proprietary protected information.

 

There is no vehicle to ensure public accountability on the part of the commercial filtering software companies. Such companies are not subject to freedom of information/access to public records laws. Their board of directors cannot be held accountable to the citizens of a community through an election process.

 

Several filtering companies have extensive marketing relationships with conservative religious organizations. The primary target market for many filtering companies is employers in government and business. It is unknown how the existence of such other markets may be impacting the� blocking decision-making of these companies.

 

Under such circumstances, the delegation of authority and abdication of responsibility by school officials will likely not be considered to be reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns.

 

Safe and Responsible Use of the Internet: A Guide for Educators

I.ABSTRACT

The Internet has emerged in the last decade as an extremely important conduit for information and communications. The objective of schools is to prepare students for active and effective participation in society. The information and communication resources of the Internet have become an essential component of this preparation. Schools are uniquely positioned to serve as the primary vehicle through which young people can develop the knowledge, skills, and motivation to use the Internet in a safe, responsible, and effective manner.

 

Most schools are placing primary reliance on filtering software, in the false hope that by installing a technology “quick fix” they have done their job in this area. They have not. School officials are using filtering as a surrogate to fulfill important responsibilities of education and supervision. Such misplaced reliance has been the result of intense pressure exerted by politicians and the influence of the technology industry–which likes to think that technology tools can solve all human problems.

 

Two events occurred in May 2002 that cast much-needed light on the advisability and constitutionality of such reliance. In early May, the National Research Council (NRC released a report entitled Youth, Pornography and the Internet., which strongly advocated for the recognition that neither technology nor public policy are going to be able to effectively address the dangers and concerns present on the Internet. Rather, the NRC urged that the primary focus must be shifted to social and educational strategies.

 

In late May, the ruling was issued in a case that the American Library Association and the American Civil Liberties Union brought challenging the constitutionality of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), ALA v. US. While this ruling is not directly applicable to public schools, the findings and analysis lead to the conclusion that the use of commercial, proprietary-protected Internet filtering software in schools presents concerns that students are being unconstitutionally restricted from access to appropriate material on the Internet.

Core Components of a Comprehensive Approach in School to Support the Safe and Responsible Use of the Internet

Focus on the Educational Purpose

Use of the district Internet system should directed to those activities which support education, enrichment, and career development, with the option of limited “open access” times. Districts must support the educational use of the system through professional development, technical and instructional support, Internet-based lesson plans and an educational web site.

 

The best way to promote the safe and responsible use of the Internet is to ensure that teachers are prepared to lead students on exciting, educationally-enriching learning “adventures” on the Internet. When the computers are being used for such activities, the opportunity for misuse is significantly limited.

Clear Policy that is Well-Communicated to Students

Students should have a clear understanding of the kinds of activities that are and are not considered acceptable. Students should be aware that they have a very limited expectation of privacy when they use the Internet at school. They should have a full and complete understanding of the degree to which their activities will be monitored, how this monitoring will occur, and the circumstances under which a specific investigation of their online activities will occur.

 

The policy should address access to inappropriate material, the safety and security of students when using electronic communications, illegal and inappropriate activities, and the protection of student personal information. The policy should address responsibilities of both staff and students.

 

The policy should serve as the foundation for the district’s education program regarding the safe and responsible use of the Internet–not simply just another document included in the start-of-school informational packet.

Safe Internet Places for Younger Students

The primary focus for elementary students should be on maintaining a safe and secure environment. Elementary students should use in the Internet is an environment that specifically restricts their use to sites that have been previewed to determine their appropriateness and educational value. If it is ever necessary for a student to seek information on the more open Internet, such access must only occur with “:over-the-shoulder” adult supervision. Elementary students should use electronic communications in a fully secure environment, such as a classroom e-mail account. Elementary students must know that there is the possibility that they may encounter material on the Internet that “yucky” and that if they ever have concerns about what they encounter, they should turn off the computer and tell a teacher. A variety of technologies can be used to assist in the establishment of safe Internet places.

Education About the Safe and Responsible Use

Teachers, administrators and students should receive instruction related to the safe and responsible use of the Internet. Education for students should be appropriate to their age and understandings. Young people should be empowered to independently handle a wide range of interactions and activities on the Internet that could be harmful to their safety and well being. Educating older students regarding how to avoid the inadvertent access of inappropriate material and appropriate, effective responses if they accidentally access such materials, especially if the site has “trapped” them and will not allow them to exit, is essential. Further, it is necessary to address why such materials are considered to be inappropriate. Additional safety concerns include being the target or recipient of sexual predation, hate group recruitment, invasion of personal privacy, Internet fraud and scams, harassment, stalking, and harmful speech.

 

We also must address other issues related to the responsible use of the Internet by young people. In addition to the intentional access of potentially harmful material, these issues include copyright infringement, plagiarism, computer security violations (hacking, spreading viruses), violation of privacy, Internet fraud and scams, harassment, stalking, and dissemination of harmful speech or other violent or abusive material. We must prepare young people to understand their responsibilities as Cybercitizens.

Supervision and Monitoring

Student use of the Internet should be supervised by teachers in a manner that is appropriate for the age of the students and circumstances of use. The type and level of monitoring is somewhat dependent on the circumstances of the school. Supervision and monitoring must be sufficient to establish the expectation that there is a high probability that instances of misuse will be detected and result in disciplinary action. When students are fully aware that there is a high probability that instances of misuse will be detected and result in disciplinary action, they are unlikely to take the risk of engaging in such misuse. The existence of effective monitoring, and student knowledge of such existence is generally sufficient deterrent for misuse.

 

In small schools with a limited number of students, limited number of computers, and low level of Internet traffic, an approach that involved staff supervision and staff review of Internet records will likely be sufficient to establish the expectation of high probability of detection of misuse. With larger schools, more students, more computers, and a higher level of traffic, supervision and staff review of Internet usage logs will likely not be sufficient to achieve a high probability that instances of misuse will be detected. The lower the probability that misuse will be detected; the greater the temptation for engaging in such misuse. This is where the use of a technology tool becomes an appropriate consideration. Technology tools allow for the more effective and efficient review of Internet usage and significantly enhances the probability that instances of misuse will be detected.

 

While it is not possible for districts to enforce a wide range of individual family values when students are using the Internet in school, districts can address parent concerns and support student Internet use in accord with personal family values by allowing parents to have access to their child’s Internet use records upon request.

Appropriate Discipline

Misuse of the Internet by students should be addressed in a manner that makes use of the “teachable moment” both for the individual student and other students in the school. The focus of such instruction should be on the reasons for the rule–the issues or concerns the rule is designed to address–rather than a focus on disobedience.

Conclusion

We cannot resolve the real concerns of student misuse of the Internet by reliance on technological “quick fixes.” By developing a comprehensive approach to address such concerns, schools can help young people develop effective filtering and blocking systems that will reside in the hardware that sits upon their shoulders.

source:http://www.ntia.doc.gov/legacy/ntiahome/ntiageneral/cipacomments/comments/willard/Chapters.htm

 

“Being responsible when it comes to the usage of internet social sites”

12 Things Students Should Never Do on Social Media

1. Post Illegal Activities

Granted, high school and college students experiment with many activities and substances. But the second you post a video of last weekend’s bong hit or trash-can tipping adventure, you become vulnerable not only for school expulsion but also for criminal prosecution; in other words, consequences that affect the rest of your life. Even if your profile is set to private, a friend can always download and save incriminating photos that he or the authorities can use against you in the future.

Once or twice per year, perform a thorough review of the information and content accessible on your social media profiles. That way, you’ll be able to locate and remove that photo of your underage keg stand before you apply for your next job.

2. Bullying

Bullying is one of the most serious problems in schools today. Vicious treatment and hateful words between students often lead to violence, suicide, depression and discrimination among the student body.

When a student turns to social media, blogs or virtually any online space as a forum for hurtful speech, the risks are unmeasurable. Not only does that student face expulsion, but also serious criminal prosecution.

3. Trash Your Teachers

Bullying doesn’t just apply to student-to-student interactions. Students who speak poorly of their teachers (or post embarrassing photos of them) run a huge risk, too. After all, your instructors have a right to privacy and respect.

“Posting a negative comment about any teacher at your school is like getting on a microphone to announce that you will be burning down a bridge,” says Heather Starr Fiedler, associate professor of multimedia at Point Park University. “You never know which one of your professors will hold the keys to the next great internship or job announcement.”

You should even be wary of school or teacher-related posts you think are harmless — you never know whose feelings you’ve accidentally hurt. Dan Farkas, instructor of strategic communication at Ohio University, describes a scenario gone wrong. “I had several students tweet with excitement when I cancelled a class, ready to have a slightly easier Monday,” he says. “What they didn’t know was that I cancelled class to take my wife to the emergency room. It still makes my blood boil.”

The same goes for institutions or persons of authority in general, not just teachers. High school seniors should be careful not to negatively post about specific colleges or geographical areas — these days, admissions officers thoroughly investigate the social media activity and personalities of applicants. One negative tweet could seal the fate of your college acceptance.

4. Post Objectionable Content From School Computers or Networks

Many schools prohibit all computer activity on campus not directly related to coursework. That almost always includes social media use, especially that which is objectionable (e.g. profanity, harassment, etc.). And don’t assume you can get away with a tweet here and a status update there — many schools have implemented systems that track logins and IP addresses. In other words, you’re on the clock.

5. Post Confidential Information

This piece of advice goes for every social media user, not just students. But young people are especially vulnerable to online predators and identity thieves.

Let this experience, from communications representative Jennifer Newman Galluzzo, be a warning: “This weekend my niece, who is going into her junior year of high school, posted her class schedule on Facebook. Took a picture of it and threw it right up there because she was so excited to share the info with her friends — complete with her social security number, student ID, address, full name, birthday and all the other personal information. I called her mom and informed her right away and her response was ‘Well, all the kids do that!’ I almost fainted.”

Think about how easy it is to share content on Facebook; if a single person shared that photo to his public profile, that sensitive information would be accessible by anyone, no hacking required. Identity stolen — just like that.

6. Overly Specific Location Check-Ins

Similar to protecting your identity, try not to get too specific with your social check-ins. Although your parents may appreciate the heads-up, posts like these make it easy for predators to locate you. And especially don’t check in on social media when you’re by yourself and/or in a remote location.

Social media analyst Brad Hines advises, “It is usually wise to do little sharing of where you are if you are by yourself, or have left your home by itself.”

7. Lie/Cheat/Plagiarize

Picture this: You convinced your professor to give you an extension on your term paper so you can visit your “sick” grandmother. Only instead, you blow off the paper to attend a Foo Fighters concert — and you post a status update to Facebook, check in on Foursquare and upload a photo of the performance to Instagram. Don’t be surprised when you return to a big fat F and an academic investigation.

The same goes for lying about professional/academic achievements when applying to a college or an internship. People will investigate. Just as they will investigate your social media for charges of plagiarism or cheating.

8. Threaten Violence

Threatening a person or group of people in any situation is unbelievably serious. Even posting an anonymous, empty threat to an obscure online forum full of strangers will raise red flags. And as soon as authorities have located a threat, they have the right to investigate — and they will.

A student named Alexander Song posted his intentions to Reddit: to “kill enough people to make it to national news.” Police located the young man and arrested him at school, despite the fact that he carried no weapons.

In other words, social media is not the place to vent your frustrations and violent thoughts. Talk to a school counselor about your concerns.

9. Ignore School-Specific Policies

School policies vary widely, according to religious affiliation, type of school (public vs. private), geographical location, district, gender (co-ed vs. single-gender), etc. Therefore, technology and social media policies are different for nearly every school. Behavior that may fly at one school is reason for expulsion at another.

For example, one Catholic high school’s student handbook reads, “When a student is using online social media (of any variety), she must always bear in mind that the material she posts reflects upon the school, our Diocese and the Roman Catholic Church as a whole.” That means, posting your opinions about sensitive subjects like abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, divorce or birth control, for example, could jeopardize your standing as a student.

While many types of content posted to social media are protected by free speech, your school may nonetheless find reason to use such opinions toward disciplinary action.

10. Unprofessional Public Profiles

Whether you’re a high school student applying to flip burgers at a local diner or a recent college grad looking to land a career, your social media presence needs to reflect responsibility.

11. Never Rely on Privacy Settings 100%

Although most major social networks update you with privacy improvements, the changes are often too frequent to follow and can get complicated. However diligently you may protect your social media identity, it’s best to assume anything you post is fair game — potentially seen by your school, by your parents and by strangers.

“Students should never rely on privacy settings over good judgment,” says Andrew Moravick, social media specialist at SnapApp. “If you don’t want something to be seen, don’t post it on the Internet.”

12. Post Emotionally

We’ve all said and done things we regret. It’s human nature to react without thinking through the consequences. However, whenever possible, take a moment to imagine how your social media posts affect the feelings, safety and well-being of those around you — even your worst enemies. Posting an angry tweet in the heat of the moment may feel cathartic, but the momentary pleasure you get from writing it isn’t worth the potential harm it could create. Take a moment to breathe, think and reboot.

“While searching for a job, I made sure to take down any questionable photos from my college days,” says recent James Madison University graduate, Christine Borkowski. “I took every red cup I could spot off my Facebook. It may seem a little extreme, but Facebook offers the ‘Download’ option of each photo.” That way, she could save any photo she removed from the social network.

Whether it’s a Google search or a social media examination, chances are a company is looking into your history. And sometimes, even a completely private social media profile sets off red flags for employers. In today’s age of transparency, a professional (albeit public) profile is the ideal.

“Whenever I evaluate a potential employee, I always take a look at what is publicly visible on their Facebook profile,” says Ryan Cohn, vice president of social/digital operations at What’s Next Marketing. “On two separate occasions, I have rejected entry level prospects (finishing their senior year of college) for featuring firearms in their profile picture. Both were qualified in terms of experience and otherwise would have been worthy of an interview.”

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Revolution in the Age of Social Media: The Egyptian Popular Insurrection and the Internet

An accessible guide to the enduring struggle between people and power in the digital age

Egypt’s January 25 Revolution of 2011 was a dramatic demonstration of the role social media has come to play in radical activism. A key moment was the appearance of the Facebook page “We Are All Khaled Said,” which linked activists across the country. But how useful are social media in radical politics? And how readily can they be turned against the activists?

Revolution in the Age of Social Media looks at the role of that seminal Facebook page and the conspiracy theories that swirled around its administrator, Wael Ghonim. Herrera reveals the immense power struggles that took place in virtual arenas, showing how social media can serve not only as a site of liberation, but also as a place where powerful forces—such the US State Department, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Egyptian military—vie for control over the hearts and minds of the young.

The Egyptian uprising, while in many ways a distinctly Arab event, is also a universal story of power and insurrection in the age of social media.

source: https://www.versobooks.com/books/1651-revolution-in-the-age-of-social-media

Crackdowns and Detainments: A review of “Media, Revolution and Politics in Egypt: The Story of an Uprising”

Wednesday, May 25th, 2016

From graffiti slogans to national anthems, Media, Revolution and Politics in Egypt places her reader in the center of Tahrir Square before and after it became the epicenter of Egypt’s burgeoning democracy. Author Abdalla F. Hassan provides a detailed account of the interwoven role that media and politics played in Egypt’s 2011 revolution. Giving his readers a front row seat to the action, Hassan skillfully captures Egyptians’ use of media prior, during and after the revolution. This is because, “more than becoming just the struggle of Egyptians for basic freedoms against a dictatorship, the media made this a revolution that the world watched.”

Ultimately, Hassan traces the perplexing story of how Egypt’s army came to be both the enemy and eventual hero of the Egyptian people. By the time of current president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s intervention through a coup d’etat in 2013, “talk show hosts on private Egyptian satellite channels rejoiced in news of Morsi’s removal, scrawled on Egyptian flags, crying tears of joy, singing along as the national anthem was played, and uttering words of praise to the valiant public guardians—the army and police.”² This, only to face “a government [that] went further in restricting the press, pressuring the cancellation of a television drama and a popular satire programme, and jailing journalists under the guise of waging war against terrorism.” The book concisely tells the story of Egypt’s attempt at a free media, her revolutionaries, and the rotating political circumstances that fought their way to create and improve Egypt’s nascent democracy.

Hassan begins by extensively covering eight years of independent media and social media activity despite a heavy state hand that was embedded in Egyptian society long before the revolution. He reveals to the reader that activism has long simmered in Egyptian society, but it was social media that prompted political activity.

By chapter two, Hassan, in journal entry form, details the first 18 days of what is now known as Egypt’s Arab Spring. In doing so, he deconstructs the state’s narrative, debunks skeptics who believed it was led by foreign interests, and reinforces the “purity” of the revolution which centered on “political freedoms, unemployment and poverty since they were issues of concern to all Egyptians.”⁴ Hassan makes a strong case that the original revolution was an organic Egyptian-led movement, citing civil society accounts, reports from journalists who were imprisoned by the state because of their activism, and the sheer number of crowds that came out in Tahrir, Alexandria, and Upper Egypt. Interweaving and recounting events from the citizens’ perspective at that time with the corresponding state response and vice versa, Hassan elegantly paints both the state’s and the citizens’ narratives.

Although the bulk of the book quotes Egyptian state and independent media shows’ conversations, Eighteen Days reads like an inside scoop story. More subtly, and perhaps unknowingly, Hassan traces not only the political revolution, but also the evolving psychology of Egyptians that came as a result of the political atmosphere. He writes, “unlike the uprising that ousted Mubarak two and a half years earlier, the element of fear was absent,” begging the question: with such unprecedented civic zeal, will Egypt ever be the same? This insight into the modern Egyptian revolutionary presents itself as an unintentional insight to the reader.

Hassan’s key strength lies in his ability to contrast the pre- and post-revolution media, citizens, and politicians. Additionally, an unexpected, but important, inclusion in the text is Hassan’s continuous discussion of violence against women and minorities. He highlights that even during the revolution, Egypt’s historical struggle with social issues regarding the state’s ambivalence towards gender- and religion-based violence, namely against women and Coptic Christians, went uncontested. He succeeds at highlighting the more frightening parts of the revolution, and conveys a heroic, yet gruesome picture of Tahrir’s realities.

A point of weakness in the book is Hassan’s abrupt transition into Morsi’s victory as president. In comparison to his thorough analysis in earlier chapters, this section seems rushed and unexplained. Had he extrapolated this significant event, it might have served to edify his argument on the role media played in Morsi’s election, of which the reader is left unconvinced. In addition, he only briefly touches on the role of Arab states’ foreign political interests in propping up both Mubarak and Morsi. Nonetheless he returns to his usual precision when chronicling Morsi’s demise, continuing to use private and state media as his point of reference.

Overall, Media, Revolution and Politics in Egypt tells a story of Egypt’s path to a modern and active civil society through the use of media. Hassan is undaunted by his complicated task of summarizing the role of media in Egypt’s revolution. Instead he approaches the task by captivating the audience with the story of a nation finding its democratic footing, for once, through the media, with or without the state’s permission. Hassan reminds us that in Egypt, just because press freedom remains in constant demand, it doesn’t mean politicians or the world should underestimate the power of the press.

The New Media Revolution: A Radical shift – Changing everything!

The New Media Revolution: The disruptive, Evolutionary shift that has forever changed the world as we know it. What does it all mean, what is involved, and perhaps most important, where do you fit in.

There was the Industrial Revolution, the Technology Revolution, to the present day, New Media Revolution. It’s here, its now, and it is exploding globally across every market and industry, affecting everyone, everywhere…..and it’s just the beginning, with so much more to come. Ben Silva

Now this article is not for the faint of heart, there is a lot to take in. It is similar to when you attempt to understand just how big the universe is, and for a split second, you almost grasp it then it’s gone. Hopefully, after l break it down, fill in the gaps, and connect the dots, a light ignites over your head, it fades into focus, and you suddenly comprehend the magnitude of what’s truly happening, excited by the infinite possibilities enabled, both now and what’s coming.

There is a lot to understand; the technology, delivery, devices, social networks, and monetization. From a technical perspective it’s complex. That said, you will realize by the end of this article, the New Media Revolution, here and now, is a complete, disruptive, evolutionary change for all things content: creation, distribution, delivery, consumption, monetization and revenue. Everything has finally converged, and the last piece of the technology puzzle developed, the unprecedented glue that makes everything possible, ushering in a new Era in all things content. Unlike glimpsing the size of the universe, you will be able to grasp the infinite size of this New Media Revolution, understand with absolute clarity, the equation that makes sense of everything both now, and where it’s all going. It is an incredible time to be in this industry, as we have a front row seat to history in the making, and a future so bright with limitless possibilities. Exciting.. as it has always been, the beginning of a truly new Era, is brought about by a series of events that all converged, enabling the future… to happen Now. We see it clearly, we know what it is, we know what to do, we know what to invent, and we know how. New industries are born, new products made, new companies forged, wealth changes hands, new wealth obtained (this will be the biggest by far), and life as we knew it, changed forever.

I have been involved in the “entertainment” industry for over 25 years, first in Hollywood as a creative and business type, to my present day titles of Executive SVP of Worldwide Sales, Marketing and Business Development, Chief System Architect, and Chief Strategy Officer – New Media. As Chief System Architect/Chief Strategy Officer – New Media, I am both the designer of extremely complex, media based delivery systems based on available technology, and the strategist that figures out the future, as in what’s going to happen next. With this knowledge I know what to develop, and who the best strategic technology, delivery, device and monetization partners to integrate with (you can’t build it all yourself) in order to get there. This usually includes content partners, that will drive the eyeballs, generating revenue ( My Tech friends say this makes me both Technical and Cool). My systems designs include: broadcast/terrestrial TV, cable & satellite TV, IPTV, OTT, and MobileTV, plus designing and selling solutions/systems/platforms for major studios, content creation companies, and all other content/digital media/entertainment/gaming centric industries worldwide. Since I have been designed and architected some of the largest countrywide OTT, IPTV and Hybrid video systems globally, it became obvious to me nearly 10 years ago, that are on our way to a complete evolutionary metamorphosis of the entire TV/Media/Entertainment industries as we know them, effecting every single business, industry, and person on this planet.

My first hand experience plus my relentless pursuit of digital media technology knowledge, meaning I am constantly assimilating all of the new technology out there (and coming). Allowing me to see with extreme clarity, that we have finally crossed over the precipice of convergence, to a whole new era in media/entertainment/content consumption, enabled devices, Social media, advertising, marketing, mobile, wireless, and so much more. All one has to do is look at the jobs listed on Linked in, Google, facebook, Yahoo, Bing, Amazon and every online job/recruiting site, you will see the majority of jobs for every major (and minor) company in the USA and globally, are all trying desperately to hire digital marketing people, data analyst, strategist, social media marketers, and developers to build new products and platforms for New Media. All of them must have experience in one or all aspects of social media, online media, video, audio, advertising/digital advertising, digital campaign development/design, mobile, content, digital lead generation, audience retention and expansion, or SEO experience in all of the above. Why?…because every company out there today has realized it, or will shortly: That if you want to compete, hold your market share, gain brand awareness, or acquire new customers. Deal with and make sense of this massive Cloud and user data. Understand who, why, and when to integrate Social media, Search, social sites, financial, micro transaction, and all other relevant networks & organizations, specifically for the cognizant connected user data (I will explain this in a minute). Now more than ever, businesses need the ability to have access to, and communicate with, the actual user/customer directly, on all devices, across all networks, and in ways that have never been possible before. If you want all this, and you should, then you have no choice, you MUST revamp and transform your entire advertising, marketing, and strategy departments, including staff, in order to accomplish any of it.

Equally as prevalent and in direct response to the needs and requirements stated above, are tons of new jobs with all of the new technology companies that are developing the solutions that enable the New Media Revolution: Digital advertising platforms/services, content & digital media delivery, SaaS solutions, Cloud systems, digital marketing, online media, mobile, content management, online delivery, incorporating the new force to be reckoned with – Social Media – and the digital content/video/audio/gaming advertising systems and delivery platforms that can support, enable, and expand their reach. All of this new technology is already enabling bold, evolutionary, game changing new services, business models, and revenue streams, with completely new and creative, (even inspiring) advertising and marketing programs for OTT, Social Media, online media, Cloud, and the emerging hybrid systems (eventually replaced by pure play content over IP networks) which are a mix of traditional TV and digital over IP. All of this new technology, new media/advertising delivery platforms, and new service offerings, most SaaS and Cloud based, have given way to a new mega industry known as Big Data and Analytics.

Since everyone is now connected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (24/7) by one device or another, researching, surfing, interacting with, buying/bidding on, creating, socializing, watching, listening and consuming all forms of content, across all network types, everywhere in the world, to infinite devices. This is creating a massive amount of user data, which as many know, is the most valuable asset of all, further giving birth to a new industry of Big Data systems and that of the new, seriously creative, data analysts. A great analyst is capable of taking the tsunami of data that is generated, and turn it into the most precise, targeted, actionable, real-time, GPS location accurate, interactive, bi-directional user/customer/client/subscriber/audience marketing information the world has ever seen. In addition, and in response to, comes a bunch of new technology companies all looking to cash in on this evolutionary and historic convergence of the internet, content, applications, social media, search engine, gaming, mobile, financial, Retail/E-Tail, e-commerce, research, health, education and enterprise, all either delivering now, or will be soon, content and media to any screen, over any network, to any device.

With this epic, revolutionary convergence of all digital media, social media, advertising, social networks, OTT, mobile, mobile phones, smartTVs, and all other connected devices, the obvious question is “HOW”. How do you take all of this convergence, and really provide (as in not a futuristic pipe dream) these new highly personalized marketing and advertising capabilities that drive the revenue to fund it all. Capabilities enabling businesses to directly (personally and accurately) interact with the individual user’s experience, accurately predicting and affecting what the user wants or will want, will or won’t do, all in real-time. These convergence enabled features and services will generate unprecedented revenue that will ultimately be the driving force behind this. Providing users/viewers what they want, when they want it, at the exact point or before they even know they want it. Doing it in a way that is not only acceptable to the viewer/user, but requested, even demanded that such new features and services are available to them as part of the overall offering and experience.

Content, apps on devices, mobile and IP content delivery networks, social media, advertising, Cloud and Big Data are all known markets, entities and technology. NOW, for the game vaporizing, most powerful, evolutionary glue, that both changes and enables everything we talk about above. The new technology that makes sense of all this, and allows it to be monetized in ways never possible or even conceived of before. Allow me to introduce: COGNITIVE COMPUTING. Technology developed specifically to make sense of all of this data, in the same way the human mind does, only faster. A Cognitive computing platforms learns, reasons and anticipates, just like the human brain, all of the data that is coming in from all the different sources: Social media, personal connected devices, apps/apps in use now/apps history, viewing/listening/gaming currently/previously/historically, financial –credit info, purchase/purchasing/purchased, Location – now/previous/future, etc. Think “Person of Interest” TV show, but used in a way to understand everyone’s behavior, where they are, what they are doing right now, what they like, don’t like, what they buy and perhaps more important, what they want or need right now and in the future. Cognitive computing combines the power of computing with brain-like intelligence to make sense of data, capable of accurately predicting and anticipating future actions, trends and events for any market, industry, OR an individual (don’t be afraid, John Conner has not been born yet).This is the glue, the Cognitive Fabric between People, Businesses, devices and Machines (see Saffron Technology as an example). The Cognitive platform learns incrementally and adapts in real time, ingesting data from any and all disparate sources and automatically connecting the dots to illuminate the knowledge that really matters to both businesses and individuals. Cognitive computing exponentially increases the volumes at which data can be processed but also critically improves the accuracy of the results. Businesses can anticipate market trends, optimize processes, and mitigate risk. For media purposes, it can and will, with the ultimate accuracy, allow for media/advertising/marketing to be delivered, unique and dynamically created, specifically designed for, personalized customer/user/viewer/subscriber experiences, enabling unprecedented revenue streams.

Cognitive computing technology enables organizations to embrace “The Intelligence of Every “Thing” delivering automatically, data sensemaking decisions to all devices. This cognitive technology enables true “Thought Processes” providing enhanced pattern and anomaly detection combined with the natural anticipatory qualities of human decision making. Storing and managing large volumes of data is a first step towards unlocking value through data but it does not represent a competitive advantage in and of itself. The competitive advantage comes from an organization’s ability to rapidly illuminate actionable knowledge from this data to understand what is or isn’t working, what happened and what will happen next, what the want is, do not want, the must have and the must have NEXT. Cognitive platforms are inspired by the automaticity of human reasoning. The human brain is expert at recalling past experiences to make sense of the world, see similarities, recognize when something new and different is occurring and automatically use this information to anticipate what will happen next and how to prepare for it. Cognitive technology extends these abilities at scales that far exceed human memory to provide a comprehensive landscape of actionable knowledge for faster, more informed, more accurate decision making. Cognitive technology gives businesses the ability to provide very precise, personalized ad/marketing campaigns, custom content, and so much more. Let’s use Pandora as an example: By using a cognitive computing platform, Pandora now knows you opened the app, has accurately already chosen the channels and music or music videos for you. It also knows what device you’re on (plus what device you might switch to) and knows exactly when to ask you “would like to purchase” or download the new song or ringtone that it already knows you really like, based on all behavioral patterns that led you to purchase music previously. Then while your experiencing Pandora, it delivers an audio or video ad (it decides based on what device you are on, display screen, or whether you have headphones on or not) during or at the end of the song, a video, or audio, or animated/graphic ad, or digital coupon, offering a 50% discount for your favorite sandwich at Subway, since it knows you are next door to the Subway shop. Now for the crazy, fascinating, but absolute reality: It actually sent the 50% discount for an exact sandwich at Subway because it is fully aware that not only do you like Subway, it knows that you like a very particular person working in that specific Subway shop. It knows your favorite Subway sandwich, and knows that now is the time you like to eat. All based on all of your past and present purchases, social media, device GPS/location now and historical, browsing history, social media discussions, posts, likes, dislikes, and comments plus 1000s of other additional and now completely available personal data points.

Now that we are aware of the “how”, let’s add in the next convergence ingredients: The massive amount of content available, exponentially more than ever before, plus the new content direct from end users and independent new media types, that is being generated, created and consumed, over all of these new content delivery networks (OTT, IP, Mobile, Social, Search, Amazon etc) across all the 24/7 connected devices, Next add the new technology to the content, which gives the content extended capabilities, new features, new services, and new programs that ultimately allow this content to generate (finally) an incredible amount of money/revenue, and do it in ways never conceived of or capable of, prior to this convergence of all things connected.

This revolutionary convergence where Social Media, Search, OTT/Mobile/CSP/Content networks/operators, Commerce/Financial, all converged together seamlessly with mainstream audio, video, TV, movie, animation, and gaming content, along with big enterprise, small business, education, health, DIY, and user created/generated content (and so much more) all converged and delivered over new and existing networks to any device, anywhere in the world, 24/7. Who is the target audience….EVERYONE. Today nearly everyone in the world is always connected to at least one network, on at least one device (mobile, tablet, PC, game console, or SmartTV) or a combination of devices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The absolute largest group of (bi-directionally & interactively I must ad) truly accessible and addressable, eyeballs and ears, significantly more than ever before, always connected one way or another, to one device or another, all consuming content of one type or another, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Do I hear a ChaChing!!

Now imagine that many of these new content delivery networks and operators, content creators (big, small, your neighbor, even you) are all given the ability to have (or become part of) broadcast type, searchable programming (think program guide on your TV, or cable box), which in this new era, would give advertising, marketing, sponsorship, AVOD (ad supported VOD) and subscription capabilities to ALL content, paving the way for a new breed of independent internet broadcasting companies, channels or individuals. This new breed of content producer, no longer hindered by traditional constraints in producing and releasing content for TV. iContent, iProducers, iChannels, iAggregators, and iNetworks, can produce and release unconstrained, uncensored, uninhibited, unrated content to a global audience, 24/7. Think Howard Stern, and he was starting out today on the internet rather than radio (censorship no longer an issue), he would be able to produce and deliver his show, his way, regardless of subject matter, to the masses, and get paid directly for it. There are already many New Media Internet (YouTube/Social/Bloggers/Twitter, etc) Stars, even Superstars, attracting a lot of attention, massive viewership and (if they know how) making money. In this New Media era, content popularity can be accurately measured (even influenced), provide real time data on so many different levels, overlapping metrics, touch and data points. Ultimately providing the most accurate and comprehensive viewer data combined with significant personal information for all users/viewers/subscribers/and audiences of any content, delivered to any device. Now we are able to measure, monitor, influence and interact with, users, viewers, followers, friends, multi-viewers, groups, audiences, social media, social reviewers, public influencers, and viral igniters, that all contribute to content success. Even the music industry looks at what online musicians are getting the most online views and hits, if the number is significant, they go after them. A perfect example is Justin Bieber. When all of the technology is integrated, it will be easy to find the best content, the best performers, the best of any type of content, delivered to any device, that I want, and monetized in ways acceptable to me, but more than likely, chosen by me. This allows the independent producers of internet delivered content to no longer be tied to Google Ad sense alone in order to generate revenue. The New Media era, allows for all content to be automatically monetized in many different ways, depending on popularity, views, trending, and more, that is acceptable to everyone consuming the content.

The more popular the content, the greater the revenue. Revenue previously only available to the big studios, broadcasters, cable, and satellite TV service providers alone. Collectively they owned, operated and completely controlled not only all content distribution to the home, but all of the clients and agencies that paid money to be seen in the content, with popular content producing the highest revenue. Those days are eroding faster than cigarette lighters in a car. Content revenue will still be based on popularity; however, the revenue is no longer limited to just the studios, broadcasters, and service providers alone, but available to everyone. Content popularity can now be truly and accurately measurable (in real time – right now), and the ads/sponsorship etc. are all delivered and customized to an individual person, group of people, or particular audience that not only has an interest in that particular product/service, but most likely have requested it, or we know with great accuracy, it is what they want or need, based on an incredible amount of data at our fingertips, in real time, with pinpoint accurate location information and much more as well.

For the very polished New Media OTT content giants like Netflix that shocked the world and made by history by not only producing outstanding original content/programming (House of Cards), but for being nominated for 22 Emmy awards and WON! Further proving that this New Media Revolution is not only here, but is rendering the entire Television industry as we know it, inside out, and may ultimately be responsible for their extinction. In the beginning of the broadcast era, there was CBS, NBC, and ABC, get ready for the new iBC (Internet Broadcasting Company). It is very obvious that the next “Google” perhaps even larger will be the emerged market leader in this New Media world, the one that can claim to be the first true iBC company. There is a whole new breed of independent OTT producers (iProducers) emerging, specifically creating content and channels for OTT delivery. Content that is fully interactive, socially measurable, on personal 24/7 connected devices, not just in the home, but everywhere, any user goes, on one device or another, 24/7, with the real time ability to see and measure…well.. nearly everything. Sorry Nielson, but everyone is connected now and the old “Nielson home” ratings paradigm has given way to Cognitive sensemaking data that is a quantum leap forward in user/viewer/content data. All of the new technology mentioned above, utilized, developed and pushed to the limit by all of these New Media employees everyone is hiring, creating next generation services, customer acquisition, and revenue streams, using cognitive computing, real-time data, targeted, GPS location, and delivered anywhere to any device, personalized, device specific, social-eco-geo based marketing and advertising campaigns, call-to-actions, couponing and info, complete with bi-bidirectional direct communication with viewers/users/subscribers/consumers/and audiences on a global scale.

There will be a host of all new ways to market and promote products, companies, and services using iAds and iCampaigns (yes I am naming things now) and with new content operators – iChannels, and iNetworks comes new sponsorship opportunities as well. Sponsorship and advertising opportunities that can be instantly and dynamically created, changed, and inserted based on user/viewer information, location, popularity and trending data. It can be done with or without human intervention based on preset, highest bidder automation (think Google Ad Sense, only bigger, better, and dynamic, for Video, Audio, Gaming and rich digital media). Now replace the Google ads on the side of the browser with inserted, targeted, user requested, location specific, language specific, real time data specific, rich, digital media advertising. In this new world, the ads can be different for every users/viewer/subscriber based on specific pre-defined data scenarios, allowing advertisers to reach exactly the audience they want, where they want them, what products they want to show them, and when they want them to see it. New sponsorship opportunities for any program, channel or network that can be instantly approved, executed and then inserted into the content automatically based on specific data scenarios defined by the sponsor and the content owner. Sponsorship ads that can seamlessly and instantly be created, changed, and approved based on real time data, then inserted into any content, channel or network based on the number of viewers, location, trending, popularity, etc. These new capability are now attracting all of the big name advertisers, agencies, and businesses. After all, it is the Holy Grail of what we/they have always wanted.

The new independent content networks – iNetworks, and iAggregators which enable anyone to get their content seen or distributed globally, allowing the public to decide (by viewership) who is really creating the best programming/content in the world, then using the new advertising and marketing technology solutions, the content can be monetize for the producers in bold new ways, on a worldwide basis. There is a lot more to be done to facilitate this New Media Era, the good news is, this era can’t be stopped, it is here, it is growing, and will be the largest market by far. So you have to ask yourself, do I have the skills to fit into this new era? Is my company prepared for this? If not, now would be a good time to ensure your position before it’s too late.

As a visionary that executes vision to reality, I am personally involved with many of the companies that have developed (or are currently developing), key pieces of the technology for New Media. Game changing technology that is truly amazing. NDAs prohibit me explaining further, but suffice to say, when you finally get a chance to experience a fully integrated, end-to-end, New Media Network in action, bring an extra pair of socks, so when your first ones get blown off, you have a spare pair to put on.

I am still on the hunt, investigating, watching, and listening, every single day, ear to the ground, and eye on the world, using the world’s best, most advanced research, data mining & information gathering, communication monitoring, find & forward, LHR2 (listen, hear, record, report) and MDFR (Metadata find and report) across the entire web, all other media (radio/television) and communication networks, literally fine tooth combing through every single piece of content, text, chatter, images, audio, video, meta, communications, radio/TV, and news globally. Keeping a very keen watchful eye to see who will become known as the Original (like Apple was to pre-press, publishing and content creation) “the first one” that made it all happen. They will be the next “Google” or “Facebook” unless of course…. it is Google or Facebook that become the first and original. The race for market dominance and the coveted title “The First New Media – X” is well underway. Google, Yahoo, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, and a host of other – top of the food chain – companies are all in this race. None of them have all of the technology or pieces required for full New Media Network, they have huge key chunks of it, but none of them have “everything”. Often not playing nice with other big name players in the space, intended to keep their respective efforts to be “the first” under shroud of secrecy, away from the prying eyes of the others in the race for New Media market dominance. This company will dazzle the world, and perhaps become the new household word/name that replaces the word TV. As the world’s first, fully iEnabled, New Media IPerator, Their name becoming the common word (plus new acronyms) used to describe the New Media (like “Goggled”) post convergence term used to mean “everything” as in full up, interoperable, interactive, All Big Data source connected, CogComp (Cognitive Computing) driven; Find/makesense/prediction/decision/auto-approve/action/reaction/microtransaction (bill/collect/pay). Univertically integrated for new functionality and automated adverting and marketing services, plus searching, finding, watching, interacting, creating, advertising, distributing, monetizing, analyzing, personalizing, consuming, content socializing, (and so many more thought of and yet to be), in a multi-media, any-content, any-device, any-screen, any-time, any-where, any-language, any-one, completely converged with, completely connected to, real time, uber intelligent, Cognitive data driven, prediction actionable, outcome decisioned, insert revisioned, New Media World Giant ushering us into the most amazing era the world has ever seen. I am searching to see who this giant in the making might be, so we can join forces. I know one thing, I plan to be a significant contributor, riding this wave long, prosperously, and into the history books. How about you?