Digital Smarts Blog

Most kids do not grow up dreaming of becoming a hacker, but that may be exactly what the US needs according to David Brumley, a professor of computer and electrical engineering at Carnegie Mellon. Brumly promotes the idea of a nationwide cybersecurity education program to bolster cybersecurity and protect the nation from attacks, and writes that we need to recognize that the hacking mindset - learning to think differently, being curious, and always experimenting - is very valuable and may be the only way to keep this country safe in the future.

Most kids do not grow up dreaming of becoming a hacker, but that may be exactly what the US needs according to David Brumley, a professor of computer and electrical engineering at Carnegie Mellon. Brumly promotes the idea of a nationwide cybersecurity education program to bolster cybersecurity and protect the nation from attacks, and writes that we need to recognize that the hacking mindset - learning to think differently, being curious, and always experimenting - is very valuable and may be the only way to keep this country safe in the future.

Technology has enormous benefits but can be addictive, authors Ann Myers and Jill Berkowicz write in a blog post. In this piece, they share the science behind technology use and offer tips for helping children develop a healthy relationship with technology. They also share the latest research on physical health and screen time including the physical effects of too much screen time for children and adults including dry eyes, retinal damage, neck and shoulder soreness, and slouching. There is also now research that connects too much screen time for children to diabetes in adults.  In addition, the authors look at the addiction of the instant feedback offered by digital devices and what it does to the brain.

Technology has enormous benefits but can be addictive, authors Ann Myers and Jill Berkowicz write in a blog post. In this piece, they share the science behind technology use and offer tips for helping children develop a healthy relationship with technology. They also share the latest research on physical health and screen time including the physical effects of too much screen time for children and adults including dry eyes, retinal damage, neck and shoulder soreness, and slouching. There is also now research that connects too much screen time for children to diabetes in adults.  In addition, the authors look at the addiction of the instant feedback offered by digital devices and what it does to the brain.

Facebook has announced that it is targeting "the worst of the worst" on its platform to curtail the spread of fake news by shutting down offending accounts and labeling misinformation. The company's shareholders have submitted a proposal asking Facebook to prepare a report on how fake news on the platform could pose risks to democracy and affect the company itself.

Facebook has announced that it is targeting "the worst of the worst" on its platform to curtail the spread of fake news by shutting down offending accounts and labeling misinformation. The company's shareholders have submitted a proposal asking Facebook to prepare a report on how fake news on the platform could pose risks to democracy and affect the company itself.

The recent murder video that was streamed on Facebook has brought up once again the scenario of what you should do if you see a crime being committed online. While no two situations are the same, there are some procedures you can follow if you do happen to see something. If you know where the crime is being committed, call 911. If the video appears on a site like Facebook, report the post by flagging it. Facebook and other companies monitor and check flagged content 24/7. Record the video on your phone to make a record of it. Some don’ts  - don’t share the video, and don’t contact the person committing the crime, as that could prompt them to delete the video.

The recent murder video that was streamed on Facebook has brought up once again the scenario of what you should do if you see a crime being committed online. While no two situations are the same, there are some procedures you can follow if you do happen to see something. If you know where the crime is being committed, call 911. If the video appears on a site like Facebook, report the post by flagging it. Facebook and other companies monitor and check flagged content 24/7. Record the video on your phone to make a record of it. Some don’ts  - don’t share the video, and don’t contact the person committing the crime, as that could prompt them to delete the video.

Have you received iMessages on your iPhone or iPad from your kids or other young people in your life and wonder how they add those special effects like confetti or balloons? Plenty of third-party apps are available for the major mobile platforms that allow you to add animations and other special effects to your text messages, but Apple includes some built-in tools in its iMessage app for iOS 10. While most of the special effects do not fully translate to Android or Windows-based phones, iMessages sent between iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users using the same software should be able to take full advantage of the animations, sound effects, stickers and other features included in the iOS 10 version. Need some step-by- step instructions? Try these.

Have you received iMessages on your iPhone or iPad from your kids or other young people in your life and wonder how they add those special effects like confetti or balloons? Plenty of third-party apps are available for the major mobile platforms that allow you to add animations and other special effects to your text messages, but Apple includes some built-in tools in its iMessage app for iOS 10. While most of the special effects do not fully translate to Android or Windows-based phones, iMessages sent between iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users using the same software should be able to take full advantage of the animations, sound effects, stickers and other features included in the iOS 10 version. Need some step-by- step instructions? Try these.

Facebook, Google, YouTube and other social media sites recently took a lot of heat for running the ads of mainstream companies with videos that promoted hate speech or extreme racist and radical views. Now it appears that the pendulum has drifted to the other extreme, and the change in YouTube's algorithm affecting display ads has been dubbed "the adpocalypse" by small, independent creators of YouTube content who have been swept up unfairly in the changes and are reporting significant revenue losses. The updates are meant to prevent ads from displaying near extremism and hate speech, but have affected shows on topics including video games, progressive and conservative commentary, and the military.

Facebook, Google, YouTube and other social media sites recently took a lot of heat for running the ads of mainstream companies with videos that promoted hate speech or extreme racist and radical views. Now it appears that the pendulum has drifted to the other extreme, and the change in YouTube's algorithm affecting display ads has been dubbed "the adpocalypse" by small, independent creators of YouTube content who have been swept up unfairly in the changes and are reporting significant revenue losses. The updates are meant to prevent ads from displaying near extremism and hate speech, but have affected shows on topics including video games, progressive and conservative commentary, and the military.

No one says the risks of using social media are not real, but with millions of kids using these kinds of apps every day, only a tiny fraction of them misusing it. Is it okay to stop worrying about your kids and social media just a bit? Common Sense Media takes up the topic in a new article entitled 5 Reasons You Don't Need to Worry About Kids and Social Media, reminding us that social media strengthens friendships, offers a sense of belonging, and offers support to those who feel marginalized. Social media can even help kids do good by providing chances to participate in community service or raising awareness for people in need. Check out this collection of sites that awaken a sense of social responsibility in kids.

No one says the risks of using social media are not real, but with millions of kids using these kinds of apps every day, only a tiny fraction of them misusing it. Is it okay to stop worrying about your kids and social media just a bit? Common Sense Media takes up the topic in a new article entitled 5 Reasons You Don't Need to Worry About Kids and Social Media, reminding us that social media strengthens friendships, offers a sense of belonging, and offers support to those who feel marginalized. Social media can even help kids do good by providing chances to participate in community service or raising awareness for people in need. Check out this collection of sites that awaken a sense of social responsibility in kids.

PiperJaffray, a Wall Street firm that specializes in technology, reports that some less popular social sites such as Tumblr and Kik are seeing user numbers fall as teens aged 14 to 18 concentrate their social networking on Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. The research found that 81% of teens use Snapchat, 79% use Instagram, 56% user Twitter, and 51% use Facebook.

PiperJaffray, a Wall Street firm that specializes in technology, reports that some less popular social sites such as Tumblr and Kik are seeing user numbers fall as teens aged 14 to 18 concentrate their social networking on Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. The research found that 81% of teens use Snapchat, 79% use Instagram, 56% user Twitter, and 51% use Facebook.

Tim Berners-Lee, who is largely thought of as the creator of the Internet, thinks the World Wide Web needs a bit of a rethink to cut down on spying, cyberbullying and the general nastiness often associated with life online. "How come nasty, mean ideas, seem to have traveled more prevalently than constructive ideas on Twitter sometimes? Is that the way it has been designed? Could Twitter be tweaked?" he asks. He also questions why even though the web gives school children from India, China and Syria the ability to interact with each other, people are broadly parochial, choosing to communicate only with others like themselves.

Tim Berners-Lee, who is largely thought of as the creator of the Internet, thinks the World Wide Web needs a bit of a rethink to cut down on spying, cyberbullying and the general nastiness often associated with life online. "How come nasty, mean ideas, seem to have traveled more prevalently than constructive ideas on Twitter sometimes? Is that the way it has been designed? Could Twitter be tweaked?" he asks. He also questions why even though the web gives school children from India, China and Syria the ability to interact with each other, people are broadly parochial, choosing to communicate only with others like themselves.

Are your children interested in computer coding? Is there talk about adding a programming course to the curriculum at your children’s school? A recent article in The New York Times takes up the topic of “Learning to Think Like a Computer” and reveals some of thinking behind what educators see as the advantages of everyone knowing more about how the digital world works.

Are your children interested in computer coding? Is there talk about adding a programming course to the curriculum at your children’s school? A recent article in The New York Times takes up the topic of “Learning to Think Like a Computer” and reveals some of thinking behind what educators see as the advantages of everyone knowing more about how the digital world works.