by Larry Magid

When Anne Collier and I wrote our long out-of-print book,  MySpace Unraveled, we pointed out that MySpace was the largest referrer to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. We noted that kids were alive because of the way friends had reached out to save their friends.

Facebook, of course, took MySpace’s place in that regard but now Facebook and the Lifeline have teamed up to make it easier to report friends in distress and for people who are suicidal to have a live chat with a prevention specialist.

In a CBS News CNET podast interview, the Lifeline’s Lidia Bernik told me that “a lot of people would rather communicate via chat or text, as opposed to calling.” To that end, Facebook offers a direct link to a Lifeline page where people can have a live confidential chat with an expert.

In her blog post about the announcement Anne Collier called this the “911 of the social web,” adding that friends can be “first responders.” She said, “Neither a Web site nor a national hotline can immediately or fully be ‘there’  for someone if the people on that person’s friends list – the people he or she interacts with from day to day – aren’t there to notice.”

Important development

To me, this is a natural evolution in the long term relationship between Facebook and the Lifeline and it’s an important development for anyone who understands how important social media has become in so many people’s lives.

The bottom line is that friends need to help friends. And being a friend today means using any means available – including social media — to support each other.

Bernik said that if you see someone who is in distress, the best response is to reach out to that person directly but “if you’re not comfortable doing that,” you can use the Facebook reporting tool to make sure that Facebook reaches out. Facebook will only pass on information to the Lifeline or authorities in the event of a “life threatening emergency.”

The National Suicide Prevent Lifeline can also be reached at 800 273-TALK (8255).

For more, see the guest post of U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin linked from Facebook’s safety page.

Disclosure: Larry Magid is co-director of ConnectSafely.org, a non-profit Internet safety organization that receives financial support from Facebook. ConnectSafely also serves on Facebook’s Safety Advisory Board and helped organize a meeting last year between Facebook officials and suicide prevention specialists, including Lifeline staff.

This post also appears on Forbes.com.

This post appeared in the San Jose Mercury News on December 12, 2011

by Larry Magid

Credit: YouTube

Google has launched a YouTube for Schools service to make educationally relevant videos available for use in school. It’s a great idea, but for it to actually be used in schools, many districts around the country will have to modify their filters to allow teachers to access at least this portion of YouTube.

Most schools have some type of filters in place designed to block pornography and other inappropriate material, and it’s common for these filters to also block social media, including all of Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. Schools that accept federal E-rate funding are required to block materials that are obscene, depict child pornography or are harmful to minors — but there is nothing in the federal rules that require schools to block social media.

Treat social media like books and sports

It’s a good thing schools don’t treat books and sports the way most treat social media.

There have always been books that are inappropriate for a school setting. But rather than ban all books, schools allow the ones that support their curricula and encourage children to explore literature in general. When it comes to sports, schools recognize that there are dangers — every year, lots of children are injured and some die from sports related injuries. But rather than ban sports, schools embrace them and make sure that kids have good coaches, safety equipment and rules to ensure fair play.

Of course we could just let the kids play in the street without any training, Of course we could just let the kids play in the street without any training, supervision or mandatory safety equipment. That’s how many schools approach social media — including such things as videos on YouTube or resources on social networking sites.

It’s not as if kids are staying away from social media just because they can’t use it at school. They’re using it at home, at friends’ houses and — via their mobile devices — anywhere they happen to be. It’s not as if kids are staying away from social media just because they can’t use it at school. They’re using it at home, at friends’ houses and — via their mobile devices — anywhere they happen to be. Their non-school hours are filled with use of technology and social media. Maybe schools ought to put a sign at the front gate that reads, “You are now leaving the 21st century.”

Teachers and parents as social media partners

It’s time for teachers — and parents — to become young people’s partners in the use of social media. Just as we teach reading and supplement the use of books with great mentors in the classroom and encourage fair play and skill development with coaches on the athletic field, we need to incorporate educators into our kids’ use of social media.

I’m not suggesting that kids be allowed to polish off their Facebook profiles in school or dish the dirt with their online friends while they should be paying attention in class. But completely blocking domains like Facebook.com or YouTube.com denies kids access to some incredibly useful material.

There are thousands of Facebook pages dedicated to a wide variety of subjects that can be used in schools. If you search for “Facebook education,” you’ll find links to numerous ways that Facebook and other social media can help teachers supplement their existing materials. One article that comes up in that search, “100 Ways You Should be Using Facebook in Your Classroom” lists some incredibly useful projects like encouraging kids to follow news feeds relevant to course material, share book reviews, practice a foreign language, create their own news source, keep up with politicians, post class notes, brainstorm and lots more.

Even more than Facebook, Google’s YouTube can be an incredibly useful resource in school. Sure, there are plenty of inappropriate videos on the user-supplied service. But there is also a wealth of resources from a very wide variety of sources, including the Smithsonian Institution, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, UC Berkeley, PBS, TEDTalks and the amazing educational videos from Kahn Academy, which are used in schools throughout the world. You can find some of this material — along with tips on how to use YouTube in the classroom — at YouTube.com/teachers.

Because many schools simply ban YouTube, these incredible resources are not available for use in the classroom. Kids can watch them at home or on the way to school via the mobile devices, but not on school computers. Preventing distractions such as videos of cats dancing on a piano or keeping kids from age-inappropriate videos in school makes sense, but not at the expense of preventing kids and teachers from accessing a vast library of educationally sound videos.

As part of the launch of “YouTube for Schools” (schools can sign up at youtube.com/schools), Google is encouraging school districts to open up their filters so that teachers can access YouTube.com/edu. Hopefully school administrators will see the value in this and find ways to unblock at least this portion of YouTube.

Disclosure: Larry Magid is co-director of ConnectSafely.org, a nonprofit Internet safety organization that receives financial support from Facebook and Google.

by Larry Magid

Here are some common concerns that parents have about their kids’ use of technology.

Is my child at risk from online predators?

Although it can happen, the risk of a child or teen being harmed by someone they met on the Internet is very low. There has been widespread misunderstanding of a 2005 study that found that 1 in 7 youths had received an unwanted online sexual solicitation but the authors of that study — the Crimes Against Children Research Center posted a fact sheet that explains that these solicitations are typically not from predators and most of the recipients of the solicitations did not view them as serious. “Most were limited to brief online comments or questions in chat rooms or instant messages. Many were simply rude, vulgar comments,” and “Almost all youth handled unwanted solicitations easily and effectively.”

ConnectSafely.org advises young people to “be cautious when communicating with people you don’t know in person, especially if the conversation starts to be about sex or physical details. Don’t lead them on – you don’t want to be the target of a predator’s grooming. If they persist, call your local police or contact CyberTipline.com.”

How common and dangerous is cyberbullying?

A 2011 study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 15% of teens say they have been the “target of online meanness and 19% had been bullied.  The largest source of bullying (12 percent) was in person, followed by text messaging (9%). Eight percent said they had been bullied via email, a social networking site or instant messaging and 7% were bullied via voice calls on the phone. Girls are more likely to have experienced what we typically call “cyberbullying,” while boys and girls are roughly equal when it comes to in person bullying.

A 2011 EU Kids Online (PDF) study from the London School of Economics found that “across Europe, 6% of 9- to 16-year-old Internet users have been bullied online, and 3% confess to having bullied others.” In the U.S., the Cyberbullying Research Center found that 20% of “randomly selected 11 to 18 year old students in 2010 indicated they had been a victim at some point in their life.”

The impact of cyberbullying can range from inconsequential to extremely severe depending on such factors as the severity or the bullying and the reliance of the person being bullied.

Here are ConnectSafely’s Tips to Help Stop Bullying.

How common is sexting and what are the dangers?

An often cited but flawed 2009 study suggested that 20% of youth had engaged in sexting but that study included young adults. More credible studies from the Pew Internet & American Life Project and the Crimes Against Children Research Center (CARCC) paint a much less dire picture. The 2011 CARC study found that 2.5% of 12 t0 17 year-0lds had sent a nude or nearly nude picture of themselves and that 1.3% had sent a picture that showed breasts, genitals or “someone’s bottom.”

The CACRC study also found that older teens are far more likely to send a sext than younger kids. More than seven in 10 (72%) of the kids who had sent nude or partially nude images were 16 or 17.

The Pew study found that about 2% of teens had sent nude or nearly nude pictures of themselves.

About 7% of youth had received a nude or nearly nude image in the past year, but a single image could be sent to multiple kids.

For more, see ConnectSafely’s Tips to Prevent Sexting.

What special risks are associated with Facebook, Google+ or other social networks

The risks associated with social networking are based on how you and people you interact with behave on those networks. What you post can affect how people feel about you and what others post can affect you as well. For example, if someone posts rude or mean comments about you (sometimes called cyberbullying), it can be hurtful and demeaning. It’s also possible for people to post unflattering or inappropriate photos of other people.

There are also some security risks, especially if others get hold of your password or if you click on links in social networks that take you to websites that distribute malicious software (“malware”) that can infect your computer or phone.

The good news is that since 2000, before there were any social networks, the risk of kids receiving an unwanted sexual solicitation or being exposed to unwanted pornography has actually decreased.

Can social networks harm a person’s reputation?

It’s certainly possible for anything you post on a social networking site to affect your reputation. That’s why it’s a good idea to avoid posting any picture or comment that you wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing with the public now or in the future.  Learn to use the services privacy protections but, even if you have your privacy settings turned on, there is the possibility not only that what you post could affect your reputation among your friends who can see it but there is the further possibility that someone could copy and paste it and share it with others.

How much is “too much” time online?

You know what they say about “too much of a good thing.” The biggest problem with spending too much time online is that it can take away from other important activities including physical activity and in-person socializing. There are no hard and set rules as to how much time kids or even adults should be spending online, but if it starts to interfere with other aspects of your or your child’s life, then you’ve almost certainly gotten to that point.

What is the impact of pornography on kids?

This issue is fraught with controversy partially because of inconsistencies in the research but also because of moral, social and religious issues that affect people’s opinions on this topic.  One interesting piece of research looked at the relationship between exposure to both violent and non-violent X-rated material on adolescents found that  ”consumers of violent x-rated material are almost six times more likely than nonconsumers of violent x-rated material to report sexually aggressive behavior” while those looking at non-violent x-rated material are no more likely to report sexual aggression than those who haven’t looked at that material.”

It is also important to distinguish between occasional use of pornography and excessive or obsessive use as well as the types of images being looked it.

Images that depict minors, commonly referred to as “child pornography” or “child abuse images”  are illegal to create, transmit or posses.’

Is there any danger in online games?

Some online games — including some played on video game consoles — have a chat feature that allows you to interact ith other player. This can greatly enhance the enjoyment of the game, leading to camaraderie among teammates or friendly ribbing between opponents. But like any chat tool, it can also be misused.  Children need to be cautioned not to give out information in any chat area that could allow a person to contact them in the real world and parents need to be aware of the possibility (however unlikely) that someone could be using these chat tools to engage their children in inappropriate conversations.

Other “dangers” of online gaming include spending too much time online and spending too much money on games that require or encourage in-game purchases.

Here are ConnectSafely’s Tips for Smart Videogaming.

What are the dangers associated with mobile phones?

Today’s smart phones are pocket-sized computers so just about anything that can be done with a PC can also be done with a smart phone, including email, web surfing and live chat along with texting.  Smart phones can also be used for video chat and as still and video cameras so it’s important that kid understand the risk of impulsively taking and sending inappropriate photos and videos. Kids can be bullied via cell phones and, like all media, there is the danger of spending too much time or using the phone at inappropriate times. It’s a good idea for kids (and adults too) to turn their phones off at night when it’s time to sleep.

Also, almost all of today’s phones are location-aware which means that the phone is able to pinpoint the user’s location. There are many apps that can pass on that location information to others so youth need to be cautioned to be very careful about how they use these services and to only share there location with close family and friends and to stop sharing it with anyone who ceases to be a trusted friend.

For anyone behind the wheel, the most distracted driving is a serious risk. Never text and drive and be careful when talking on the phone. It’s not just a matter of “hands-free,” it’s also the issue of focus. Don’t let your conversation distract you from your driving.

For more, see ConnectSafely’s Cellphone Safety Tips.

How can my kids and I protect our security?

The simple answer is to think critically about the information you provide. If you get an email that asks you for a password and user name, question whether it’s legitimate and — even if you think it is — don’t click on any links but type in the address of the site yourself to avoid getting caught up in a “phishing” scheme.  Make sure you have secure passwords and that you never give them out to anyone (except kids sharing them with parents). Be sure that your computer or device’s operating system are up-to-date and use up-to-date security software. Be very careful about any apps you install on a smart phone or software you download on a computer and also be aware of games and other apps you run on social networking sites.

Should I install Internet filtering or monitoring software 

Filters can usually prevent young children from accidentally stumbling on troubling or inappropriate material, but they are less effective at keeping older kids and teens from deliberately visiting blocked sites. There are several ways to get around filters, including using another computer, mobile phone or tablet that’s not filtered.

Monitoring tools can inform parents of where their kids are going but some kids –especially teens– feel that it’s an invasion of their privacy and many would argue that it’s not necessary or helpful.

The use of these tools are personal decisions that every family needs to put thought into.  If you do use a tool, it’s a very good idea to tell your kids that it’s there and for parents to think about how to wean their kids away from filtering and monitoring as they get older and/or more responsible.  Ultimately, the only filter that can fully protect your child isn’t the one that runs on a computer or a phone but the the one that runs in the computer between their ears. It’s important to teach critical thinking skills to help children make good decisions on and off the net now and as they mature. With any luck, your child will grow up and become independent so it’s important they they develop their own controls rather than relying on those imposed by parents or schools.

Do consider configuring your search engine for “safe” or filtered search or use SafeKids.com’s Child Safe Search (powered by Google).

For more see: Digital citizenship and media literacy beat tracking laws and monitoring

A new report from the prestigious Crimes Against Children Research Center (CACRC) at theUniversity of New Hampshire should put to rest the notion that America’s children are routinely sending around naked pictures of themselves.

Yes, it happens, but it’s a lot less prevalent than many people claim. A nationally representative sample of 1,560 10 to 17 year-olds found that only 1.3% had sent or created an image of themselves that showed breasts, genitals or “someone’s bottom.” A somewhat higher number (2.5%) sent images where they were either nude, partially nude or in a sexy pose, even if fully clothed.

A 2009 study from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy had reported that 20% of teens had engaged in sexting but this study included 18 and 19 year-old adults. A more credible 2009 study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project found put the number at 4%, but they surveyed 12 to 17 year-olds which eliminated the very low-risk 10 and 11 year old population.

The CACRC study also found that older teens are far more likely to send a sext than younger kids. More than seven in 10 (72%) of the kids who had sent nude or partially nude images were 16 or 17.

About 7% of youth had received a nude or nearly nude image in the past year, but a single image could be sent to multiple kids.

Typology of sexting

The same researchers also published a separate study of law enforcement agencies which found that two thirds (67%) of the nearly 3,500 cases investigated by law enforcement “ involved an ‘aggravating’ circumstance beyond the creation and/or dissemination of a sexual image.”  A third of the cases (33%) were categorized as “experimental,” meaning that adults weren’t involved and there was no evidence of “intent to harm or reckless misuse.”  These images, according to the report, “appear to grow out of typical adolescent impulses to flirt, find romantic partners, experiment with sex and get attention from peers.”  The researchers concluded that “what has come to be called sexting, is a diverse phenomenon,” ranging from “serious criminal dynamics” to “experimental romantic and sexual attention seeking among adolescents.” While sexting may be new, that general type of behavior, I might add, has been going on since the beginning of recorded history.

Reassuring

The study’s lead author, Dr. Kimberly Mitchell called the results “reassuring.”  She added, “as a parent I think it’s good news that this is not as widespread as we have been led to believe.  There is this tenancy especially when it comes to kids and technology to be very alarmed with the newest thing that’s out there.”

Let’s give credit to cops as well as kids

Just as some people have panicked over kids who sext, others have focused on some well publicized cases where police and prosecutors over-reacted by charging kids with production, distribution or possession of child pornography, which can result in a prison sentence and being listed on a sex offender registry, perhaps for life.  But the good news is that just as most kids are pretty sensible, so are most police agencies and prosecutors.

Sixty two percent of the cases involving adults resulted in an arrest as did 36% of the youth-only aggravated cases.  But arrests were made in only 18% of the experimental cases. That’s still a risk factor and one reason why, in our “Tips to Prevent Sexting,  ConnectSafely.org advises parents to “consider that, while intending to protect your child, you could incriminate another – and possibly your own child. I serve as co-director of ConnectSafely.

The survey found that 21% of the kids who appeared in or created these images “reported feeling very or extremely upset,” but to put that in perspective, that’s 21% of 2.5% of all kids which comes to about 1 in every 200 kids. About 25% of the kids who received images were embarrassed or upset.

Podcast interview with Dr. Kimberly Mitchell

You can read more and listen to the entire 20 minute interview with Dr. Mitchell at my CNET News blog.

This post also appears on Forbes.com

Attention parents: Are  you craving a new PC or cell phone? Well, if you’re like a quarter of your fellow parents, you can just buy yourself a new one and give the old one to your kids.  That’s what PBS KIDS found out from a survey of parents of 2 to 10 year-olds.

Of those devices handed down, 54% are computers and 38% mobile devices.

Read More

by Larry Magid

The Federal Trade Commission and Facebook have reached a settlement on charges that Facebook deceived consumers “by telling them they could keep their information on Facebook private, and then repeatedly allowing it to be shared and made public.”

The settlement will require that Facebook must:

• Not make misrepresentations about the privacy or security of consumers’ personal information
• Obtain consumers’ affirmative express consent before enacting changes that override their privacy preferences
• Prevent anyone from accessing a user’s material no more than 30 days after the user has deleted his or her account
• Establish and maintain a comprehensive privacy program designed to address privacy risks associated with the development and management of new and existing products and services, and to protect the privacy and confidentiality of consumers’ information
• Every two years after that for the next 20 years, obtain independent, third-party audits certifying that it has a privacy program in place that meets or exceeds the requirements of the FTC order.

The FTC alleged that Facebook:

• Changed its website so certain information that users may have designated as private – such as their Friends List – was made public. They didn’t warn users that this change was coming, or get their approval in advance.
• Represented that third-party apps that users’ installed would have access only to user information that they needed to operate. In fact, the apps could access nearly all of users’ personal data – data the apps didn’t need.
• Told users they could restrict sharing of data to limited audiences – for example with “Friends Only.” In fact, selecting “Friends Only” did not prevent their information from being shared with third-party applications their friends used.
• Promised users that it would not share their personal information with advertisers. It did.
• Claimed that when users deactivated or deleted their accounts, their photos and videos would be inaccessible. But Facebook allowed access to the content, even after users had deactivated or deleted their accounts.

In its 19-page complaint, the FTC pointed to numerous examples of Facebook’s claims that it never shares user data with advertisers. Yet, according to the federal agency, “Facebook has shared information about users with Platform Advertisers by identifying to them the users who clicked on their ads and to whom those ads were targeted.”

In its press release about the settlement, the FTC noted “The complaint is not a finding or ruling that the respondent has actually violated the law. A consent agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the respondent that the law has been violated.”

Facebook’s response

In a blog post, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg didn’t respond directly to the FTC’s allegations, but admitted that “we’ve made a bunch of mistakes,” and said that he has appointed  two privacy officers to  ”further strengthen the processes that ensure that privacy control is built into our products and policies.” Zuckerberg also pointed out that the settlement with the FTC  has conditions that  similar to those established between the FTC and both Google and Twitter.

In an interview, Facebook’s spokesperson Barry Schnitt pointed out that some of the charges leveled by the FTC were incidents that were rare and inconsequential. “It is our policy and our intent not to share personal information with advertisers,” he said. When it happened it was a result of what’s called a ‘referer,’ that passes on the URL of the the page a user  is on when they click on a link. That passes on a user ID which, in theory, could be used by an advertiser to look up the name of the person. But, said Schnitt, “They would have to go to the web log and figure it out and then they would see public info from the user.  And we fixed it a year and a half ago on our own.” He said there is no evidence that any advertisers actually went and did this.”

What this should mean to consumers:

In theory, what this should mean to consumers is that they can rely on information about privacy from Facebook as being accurate and complete. It should also mean that the information will be presented clearly and in language that the average person can easily understand.

Facebook must also be very clear about information shared with third parties, including app developers and advertisers.

It further means that whatever privacy protections are in place when you sign up for Facebook will remain in place unless you specifically agree to accept the changes.

What I’m hoping this means is that Facebook can do this without further complicating its privacy policies or settings.

Users still have to be vigilant

Even assuming Facebook keeps its promises to the FTC, users will still have to be vigilant about what they post on Facebook and what they agree to share with other users and third parties, including advertisers and the thousands of Facebook app developers. This includes learning about Facebook’s default privacy settings, knowing how to change those settings if necessary and understanding it new simplified “inline privacy” tool that allows users to select the audience each time they post content. It also requires that users understand how third party apps work and what information Facebook passes on to those app developers.

Hopefully, Facebook will clarify its privacy policies and settings and better enforce them with third parties, but even if it does, there remains a strong possibility that information you share with third parties could be used to deliver targeted ads or be shared with others or that some of Facebook’s developers or partners could misuse your information.

And, as with any digital information, what’s posted online can always be copied and pasted so, regardless of what privacy settings are in place, never post anything that could get you into trouble or embarrass you now or in the future.

You can find general privacy advice in my Online Privacy Primer on SafeKids.com and in the Safety Tips and Advice section of ConnectSafely.org.

Related links:

Anne Collier’s NetFamilyNews post, Facebook’s agreement with the FTC: What it means for users

CNET News: Facebook privacy practices get FTC Shakeup

Disclosure: Larry Magid is co-director of ConnectSafely.org which receives financial support from Facebook.

by Larry Magid  (Scroll down for article — below slide show)

Privacy Primer Slideshow

• Use strong passwords, change them periodically and don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. Here is are some helpful password tips from ConnectSafely.
• Check your online credit and bank accounts frequently to look for fraudulent activity and report it immediately. In most cases you’re not liable. Check all three of your credit reports (for free) at least once a year.
• Use security software and keep it and  your operating system and applications up-to-date.
• Use the privacy tools associated with your social networks but be aware that anything can be copied and forwarded. Here are links to privacy settings on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter*
• Use encryption setting with your  WiFi wireless networks. Don’t enter highly confidential information when connected to a public network.
• Only provide personal or financial information to websites you know and trust. Never enter passwords on sites you’re not sure about, especially if you get an email asking you to do so.
• Be aware of the privacy policies of any sites or companies you deal with. The privacy policy is where companies will disclose if they sell or rent your name to others or how they may use your personal information.
• Be aware of the mobile and social networking apps you’re using. Check their privacy policy and make sure you only use apps from reputable sources.
• Know how to use your browser’s private or “ingonito” mode and how to erase the history from your browser.

And there is the issue of being followed around the web. Many websites, including ones operated by very well known companies, put little files, called cookies, on your machine for a couple of reasons. One beneficial reason is to store information such as your username and password so you don’t have to enter it the next time you visit, but they also use cookies — called tracking cookies – so that they can target ads that they think you’re likely to respond to.

How Tracking cookies often work:

• You visit a website that has an ad on it that’s placed by one of the advertising networks. The ad may appear on the site you’re visiting, but it’s actually being delivered from a server owned by the advertising network.
• The network then puts a cookie on your machine that records the ad that was shown and the site you visited.
• Then you visit another site that displays another ad from the same ad network and the cookie is updated with information about the current and current site.
• Over a period of time the network can get a pretty good idea of sites in its network that you’ve visited.

The good thing about tracking cookies is that they help give you ads you’re more likely to be interested in. If you’ve been shopping for, let’s say, sporting equipment, you’ll see a lot more sporting equipment ads which might be a good thing if you’re always on the prowl for new equipment. Also, you’re less likely to see ads for products or services that don’t interest you.

Still, it can be creepy to be followed around and, even though the major advertising networks claim they don’t use this information to personally identify you, the fact is that the data is being stored and could, at least in theory, be used to identify you.

Removing or opting out of tracking cookies

Many security products can be used to remove tracking cookies and the major browsers also have tools to remove them.

DoubleClick, which is owned by Google, offers instructions on how to opt out of cookies. Here are instructions for deleting stored cookies in Microsoft Internet Explorer,   Mozilla Firefox and  Google Chrome.

All the browser companies have agreed to include a “do not track” feature in future browsers, but tracking will be the default setting unless you change it.  Mozilla Firefox, the first to implement this feature, has posted instructions on how to use it.

Location sharing

Your cell phone knows almost exactly where you are via its GPS antenna and its ability to recognize nearby WiFi hotspots. And, an  increasing number of mobile phone apps are “location-aware,” which means that they are capable of tracking your location. Be sure to only use location-aware apps that you trust and be very careful how you configure them. Some apps are designed to share you location with friends or via social networks or Twitter. Use them carefully and only share your location with people you trust. Review your settings occasionally to make sure you’re still comfortable with the people you’re sharing your location with and be careful before you use your phone to “check-in” to a location.

Don’t overlook the “obvious”

There are certain privacy traps that are so low-tech that we’re likely to forget about them. These include:

• Watch what you say on your phone while you’re in public — people around you might be listening
• Be aware of others viewing your screen. It doesn’t take a hack to know what you’re typing or reading if someone is behind you or near you. If you do look at your create condidential documents, consider getting a privacy screen for your laptop.
• And, for the ultimate in low-tech privacy protection, shred your old financial records and other confidential documents before throwing them in the trash or recycling bin.

*Note about Twitter “privacy“: Although it’s possible to configure your Twitter account so that you have to approve anyone who follows you, that’s not how the service usually works. Think of Twitter as a public forum where everything you post can be seen by anyone.

Parents looking for information about video game suitability for their kids have a new tool from the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB.org).

The ESRB Search App lets you use you speak the name of the game or take a picture of its cover and provides you with the game’s rating plus a description.

In her NetFamilyNews blog, my ConnectSafely.org co-director Anne Collier suggests that parents “get details from the game-rating source on the spot, pretending you got a text message (feigning disinterest so s/he’ll be surprised later).”

Listen to Larry Magid’s 1-minute CBS News Tech Talk segment about the app

Video description of ESRB Search App

There has been a great deal written and said lately about bullying among children and teens. Some claim there’s an epidemic of bullying.

As it turns out, there is no evidence of any increase in bullying. If anything there seems to be a slight decrease over the past few years. Still, it remains a problem at least among a small percentage of kids.

But you don’t have to be young to be a bully. Adults can be culprits as well.

Take the recent case of University of California, Davis police dowsing students with pepper spray even though the students were sitting down in a peaceful protest as part of the “Occupy” movement.  The students — some of whom were teenagers — were in no way threatening the armed police. They weren’t even resisting arrest. But, as the video below shows, they were brutally attacked in what could be called police brutality but could also be called bullying.

And, then there’s the treatment that First Lady Micehlle Obama and Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden recieved when they appeard as grand marshalls at a Nascar race in Miami on Sunday and were booed by several members of the crowd.  I understand that not everyone supports the Obama administration, but booing the wives of the President and Vice President is not just rude, it’s mean and it sends the wrong message to our children.

If we are to expect our children to be upstanding citizens, we have to do more than just preach to them. We have to be good role models as well.  And that includes politicians who are running for office. It’s fine to challenge your opponents ideas,  policies and credentials for office, but not acceptable to demean, ridicule or lie about them for political gain.