Short + URLs = Big Trouble


Anyone who Twitters knows the value of short URLs. But unfortunately, as is the case with email, spammers intent on spreading malware are now using the shortened URLs to spread viruses.

According to David Needle at InternetNews.com, the security firm MessageLabs reported this week that there are many reasons to be careful about clicking on short URLs or forwarding them blindly to others.

Let's review for a moment: What have I told you is the most important thing to NEVER do? Answer: Never click on a link in an email! Why? Because it could look like a bona fide link from a bank, for example, but actually launch a virus on your computer, or take you to a fake phishing site. It is simply safer (and almost as easy) to copy-and-paste the URL into your browser in order to view the content. This is known as a best practice (which I finally convinced my Mom to do ;-)

However, due to shortened URLs, this best practice has been thwarted on social networking sites and now the problem of spreading viruses via links is confounded because many of these short URLs used in microblogging sites such as Twitter, do not reveal the end destination. While it is a well known fact that many sites have updated their lists of bad addresses to block, URL shortening provides a way to get around those blocks.

"Generally there's nothing wrong with using these URL shortening services, but when you see a list of sites on Twitter, for example, with the short URLs under a hot topic, a lot of those are actually spam," Matt Sargent of MessageLabs told InternetNews.com. "But lots of people retweet them without clicking first to see what they are so they're actually spreading spam without realizing it." MessageLabs, a division of Symantec, identified Donbot as one of the major culprits. Donbot is a botnet responsible for sending approximately five billion spam messages every day!

Face it, experts agree there will always be spammers :-( and now the bad guys are exploiting popular consumer resources like Twitter and Facebook. This is why it's up to you! You must stay up-to-date on this kind of news and be vigilant in protecting yourself (and your computer and your data) as you go forth and explore the new worlds of the Web. NetLingo is here to help! We want you to learn about best practices like these so you can stay safe along the way and enjoy your online world.
GNBLFY,
Erin



I'm So Over Microsoft: Here's to Going Mac


The Associated Press reported on Monday that Microsoft took the rare step of warning everyone about a serious computer security vulnerability… it hasn't fixed yet. Normally I see these kinds of announcements and make a mental note to keep my anti-virus program active and working, but this one struck me as important so I kept reading. Turns out, it is a vulnerability that affects Internet Explorer users whose computers run on Windows XP operating software. Hello?! Everyone I know who uses a PC still prefers and uses Windows XP including myself… so why are they telling me about a flaw that can allow hackers to remotely take control of my machine just because I visited an infected Web site that's been hacked, and then tell me they haven’t fixed this flaw yet? It made me furious.

Don’t get me wrong, just because I work in this industry and I have to be smarter than the average bear when it comes to understanding technology, doesn’t mean I can’t get as frustrated as the next guy. Not only am I incredibly pissed off at Microsoft for announcing this security breach and then not providing a patch, I’m also incredibly pissed off at Microsoft because in addition to disrupting my home computer, this flaw hacked thousands of websites using Windows Server 2003 server software, which means it could potentially disrupt my professional website and worse yet, make it serve as a catalyst to spread malicious software to others. It’s gone too far.

The most important tip to ensure you don’t get a virus on your computer is never, and I mean NEVER, click on a link in an email especially if it is from someone you don’t know. If it’s from someone you know, hover over it first and see what the tag says that appears in the small window when your cursor rests on top of it (don’t click on it). If it ends with a file name of .exe do not click on it and delete the email immediately (.exe means it is an executable file that will load a program onto your machine). If it looks like a normal URL, at least copy-and-paste it into a browser first to see what appears on the Web page (otherwise the link may lead you to a bogus Web page in an attempt to phish you). Basically clicking on a link in an email is the worst thing you can do. This so-called "zero day" vulnerability is spreading mainly due to people clicking on links in an email. Don’t do it.

Here’s the scoop: I used to work at Microsoft and I know they only issue security updates once a month; if they issue this kind of “security reminder” at any other time, it’s because it’s very serious… and it most likely affects you or someone you know! Unless of course you’re on a Mac. While it is possible for an Apple Macintosh to get a virus, the likelihood of a Mac user getting a virus when compared to a Microsoft Windows user is very little to none. In fact, many Apple Macintosh users don't even run an anti-virus protection program (unless you’re running a virtual PC on your Apple Macintosh, then you need anti-virus protection). I decided enough is enough, I’m making the switch. And you know what? Now that I'm looking through my new rose-colored Mac glasses at the online world, it's fun again! They say once you go Mac, you'll never go back, now I know why.
AP,
Erin



Know Any Silver Surfers? Get Them Online!

Surfing the Internet is great exercise for the aging brain, says a new study according to The Week. Physicians and scientists have long advocated "brain exercises" such as puzzles and word games to stave off age-related loss of cognitive function. As it turns out, daily Internet searches are a terrific workout for the mind: They demand attention from verbal, memory, and problem-solving areas of the brain. Googling for health information or a good local restaurant is an excellent way for seniors especially, to clear the cobwebs from unused corners of the mind, says professor Gary Small of the University of California. "A simple, everyday task like searching the Web appears to enhance brain circuitry in older adults," he says, "demonstrating that our brains can continue to learn as we grow older."


Silver surfers are also using the Web to feel connected, according to The Washington Post. When U.S. centenarians were questioned in a new survey, 3% said they use Twitter at least once a week to keep in touch with their friends and family. Another 10% sent emails to stay connected, 12% shared photos on the Internet, and 4% downloaded music from the Web. "They are using new technologies, staying abreast of news and current events, and engaging in social networking -- all of which help to prevent chronic illnesses and contribute to greater longevity," said Dr Mark Leenay of Evercare. And if stranded on a desert island, 2% said they would want an iPod with them ;-)

It can be daunting for seniors (and baby boomers, and anyone for that matter) to venture into world of cyberspace, that's why NetLingo is here to help! Start by subscribing to the Word of the Day, then begin browsing the Dictionary, and be sure to read more Blog postings. There's a brave new world to explore and learning the lingo of the digital frontier will help keep you mentally sharp, physically healthy, and feeling connected.
XOXO,
Erin

The Red Flags of Cyberlove


It's another installment of "Lessons from the Online Dating Front." That's right, real life stories again from the good, the bad, and the OMG what were they thinking!? As an on-again, off-again online dater, I can't tell you how many silly situations I've experienced and crazy stories I've heard. My friends and I? We couldn't make this stuff up!

It's true, according to SafeInternetDating.com, the Internet has become the hot new place for smart, eligible people to find romance, and those looking for love are swarming into cyberspace. As a result, many individuals are beginning relationships online with people they have not met and know little about. It made me wonder, does traversing the digital dating frontier change the dating game and if so, what are the new red flags?

As I listen to friends and research "how to play it safe on the online dating front" these 4 red flags stand out:

Red Flag #1: Someone who seems too good to be true. Misrepresentation and lying about age, appearance, income, or anything else is immoral and worse than that, illegal, because the profile could be fraud or phishing. The fact is, lying about age and marital status runs rampant on the Internet and don't think it's just the guys ladies; women are some of the biggest perpetrators of misrepresentation.

Red Flag #2: Someone who is evasive. They won't answer straight questions like are you married, how old are you, or they won't send you a picture. Tread with caution.

Red Flag #3: Someone who won't meet you in real life, or even talk on the phone, instead they only want to communicate digitally. Clearly this person is physically unavailable to carry on a relationship, and possibly emotionally unavailable at that particular time too. The fact is, many people are not serious about meeting someone online, they are "trying it on" only to see "what's out there."

Red Flag #4:
Someone who wants to rush into everything, or move at a speed you're not comfortable with. "The bottom line is it doesn't matter one bit how many responses you get - how many of them are good, bad, or OMG - it only takes one person to make it all worthwhile." And even in real life --if you get passed the red flags-- it can still take time.
AML,
Erin

America's Texting Champion

OMG!!!! WSJ's Andy JORdaN witnesses the crowning of AmErica's top txtr. LOL!



CUL8R,
Erin

10 Tips for Safer Instant Messaging

Last week I talked about 10 Tips for Safer Chatting and I received dozens of emails from parents saying "my kids tell me they don't chat anymore, but I see them IM'ing all the time, are the safety tips the same?" The answer: No. Communicating using an instant messaging (IM) program has unique security and privacy risks that you need to be aware of, both for you and your kids too!

10 Safety Tips for Instant Messaging:

1. Never open pictures, download files, or click links in messages from people you don't know. If they come from someone you do know, confirm with the sender that the message (and the attachment) is trustworthy. If it's not, close the instant message.

2. Be careful when creating a screen name. Each IM program asks you to create a screen name, which is similar to an email address. Your screen name should not provide or allude to personal information. For example, use a nickname such as SingerSue instead of SyracuseSue.

3. Create a barrier against unwanted instant messaging. Do not list your screen name or email address in public areas (such as large Internet directories or online community profiles) or give them to strangers.

Some IM services link your screen name to your e-mail address when you register. The easy availability of your e-mail address can result in your receiving an increased number of spam and phishing attacks.

4. Never, ever provide sensitive personal information, such as your credit card numbers or passwords, in an IM conversation.

5. Only communicate with people who are on your contact or buddy lists.

6. If you decide to meet a stranger that you know only from IM communication, take appropriate safety precautions. For example, do not meet that person alone, (take a friend or parent with you), and always meet and stay in a public place, such as a cafe.

7. Don't send personal or private instant messages at work. Your employer might have a right to view those messages.

8. If you use a public computer, do not select the feature that allows you to log on automatically. People who use that computer after you may be able to see and use your screen name to log on.

9. Monitor and limit your children's use of IM.

10. When you're not available to receive messages, be careful how you display this information to other users. For example, you might not want everyone on your contact list to know that you're "Out to Lunch."

Referred to by many as the "coolest way to communicate online since email" you can now use a service like Meebo or Trillion to connect with people who use all kinds of different IM services like MSN, Yahoo, AOL, MySpace, Facebook, Google Talk, and many more! Download Meebo and Trillion IM programs here ;-)

IHAIM,
Erin

10 Tips for Safer Chatting

In the 21st century online cyber safety has become just as important as personal safety in the real world. Don't believe me? How about this statistic: 20% of children age 10-17 have been solicited sexually online (that's 1 out of every 5 kids) and 89% of sexual solicitations are made in either chat rooms or via Instant Messages.

Surely you know what chat rooms are by now, but if you're a parent and you've never visited one of these virtual places on the Internet, it's time to check one out. Chat rooms are a popular form of communication for kids and unfortunately online predators know this. Since chatting poses a particular threat for kids and teenagers, it's time to have a talk with your children and follow these 10 chat guidelines.

10 Safety Tips for Chat Rooms:

1. Never give out your personal information in a chat room.

2. Never agree to meet a stranger in person whom you met in a chat room.

3. When you're asked to enter or sign up for a chat username, choose a name that doesn't reveal your personal information. For example, you might use SingerSue instead of SyracuseSue.

4. Be wary of other chatters who ask you to meet in private chat rooms.

5. Check the terms and conditions, code of conduct, and privacy statement at the chat site before you begin chatting.

6. Monitor your child's use of chat. Remember, kids can participate in chats using Web sites, chat software programs, cell phones, and even certain online games.

7. Tell your child that if something in a chat room makes them feel uncomfortable, they should immediately leave the chat room and tell an adult.

8. Insist that your child never send photographs of themselves to anyone they meet in a chat room.

9. Tell kids to stick to moderated chats.

10. Learn the chat lingo. Kids often communicate using shorthand while 95% of parents don't recognize the lingo kids use to let people know that their parents are watching.

NetLingo is here to help. Read more online safety statistics; keep up-to-date with the chat lingo; sign up for our Acronym of the Day email; and then check out some of these teen chat sites; what you see may surprise you.

CWYL,
Erin

Power Texting: There's a Time and a Place


Sending short text messages from mobile phones have become arguably the most popular method of instant communications among teenagers and young adults. That was established in fall 2007, when Nielsen reported not only that the average mobile customer placed 357 text messages and only 204 phone calls in the second quarter of 2008. More incredibly, mobile users aged 13 to 17 placed 1,742 text messages a month and those 18 to 24 sent 790 a month.

But is power texting in everyone's best interest? While most people agree it is rude to text while eating (also known as "under the table messaging") because you're being antisocial when you're supposed to be social, did you know there's now a law about not texting when in a restroom?

I agree with journalist Tom Steinert-Threlkeld that the only rule that really matters when it comes to power texting is NO TEXTING WHILE DRIVING. He believes we'll soon logically be at a point where there will be laws in every state where you can't hold or touch a communications device of any kind while driving. This is because with driving while texting, the public safety at stake. If someone wants to waste message units on power texting or use the bathroom while sexting (eww), then so be it.

Just remember power texting is here and it looks like it's here to stay. A modern variation on the old slogan brings it home... let your fingers do the talking.
HAND,
Erin

Goodbye Baby Boomers, Hello GenXers

It was recently reported in Time magazine that in 10 short years, more than 40% of the work force will be Independent Contractors. Not only that, genXers will officially be in charge. Being an IC and a genXer myself, I'm thrilled but more importantly, I'm here to remind you that the work force is changing so it's time to get your act together too.

What does this mean exactly, the transition from a baby boomer work era to a generation x work place? Analysts point to generation y as one of the biggest new determinants in the coming vocational shift. Not only are the millennials unlikely to follow in their parents' footsteps, they've grown up with and assimilated technology in a whole new way. Instead of paying your dues and moving up the ladder slowly, success will not be defined by rank or seniority, but rather by what you can contribute to a project (no matter where you are) and by getting what matters to you personally (like taking winters off to go snowboarding). Even though baby boomers and genXers have seen an increase in job-sharing at senior levels, the notion of collaborative decision-making involving employees scattered around the world will become pervasive.

Frankly it's how essential you are to an organization, according to Seth Godin of the same Time series: "The job of the future will have very little to do with processing words or numbers, nor will we need people to act as placeholders, errand runners or receptionists. Instead there's going to be a huge focus on finding the essential people and outsourcing the rest."

So are you essential? Start by re-writing your resume to indicate the value you've provided in projects (not just the duties you performed), and ask yourself if you can receive a file at the end of the day (from you're colleague in a different time zone) and make your essential contributions by the next virtual meeting. To be an independent contractor is to plan on socking away your own retirement and to be the provider of your own health care, notions that are unfamiliar to most cubicle dwellers. The fact is we're already seeing a more flexible, more freelance, and far less secure work world. GenXers have always wanted to take things into their own hands, now you have the opportunity to do so.

Read the Time article here; see also: co-working, elancer, farm out, homeshoring, laptop nomad, outsource, open source

ATAB,
Erin

Lessons from the Online Dating Front

Dating can be bumpy. Everyone agrees that unless you met your partner organically and had chemistry from the start, you've got a series of hurdles to jump. Add the online element to the mix and it's a whole new sport.

Looking for love in the online world often seems like uncharted territory. Where else can you potentially find your soul mate but feel like you're shopping for shoes at the same time? The fact is technology enables us to interact with so many more people than we normally would, its flat out changing the game.

Based on stories by men and women from the front line, here are the Pros and Cons for Navigating Love Online...

Pros
* You can meet people you normally might not meet, anywhere in the world.
* You can see what people look like and who they're looking for.
* You can meet more people at a quicker pace.
* You can get fundamental information up front (if they're being honest).
* You can look around and search profiles whenever you want.
* Anyone can contact anyone else at anytime.

Cons
* Some people like to keep it only online and never meet in person.
* Some people misrepresent themselves and/or lie.
* Some people are just trying it out or looking for a hookup.
* There's so many people, it can feel overwhelming.
* It can be a major time suck, preventing you from getting out in the real world.
* You never know what you're going to get when you first meet in person.

Online dating may be a good way to cast a wide net but just remember that in the end, it all comes down to chemistry, timing, and having the same intention in order for it to really click!
MTFBWY,
Erin

Tuned In or Tuned Out? There's a Time and Place for Texting


A friend was telling me how he longs for the day when he'd see a woman sitting at a restaurant table, alone with her coffee or cocktail, and she'd be at peace, looking around, smiling and enjoying it. Nowadays you rarely see that, instead, she is sitting there with her drink and looking down at her Blackberry texting. She's unapproachable at that point he said, and whatever peaceful, beautiful aura she may have had, is gone. I agreed with him and explained it's going to get even worse. The younger generation is ushering in a new age of digital addictions. Teens with cell phones average 2,272 text messages a month and social scientists are left wondering what will this generation learn and what will they lose in the relentless stream of sentence fragments, abbreviations and emoticons? =:-0 Addicted or not, hard-core texters find it difficult to be "in the moment" with other people because they are constantly being summoned by someone else in another place. There is a cost when people multitask -- "a kind of a mental brownout." Although it's too early to tell the effects of prolific texting -- on attention span, social life, writing ability, family connections -- questions abound, even as many experts point to clear benefits. In the meantime ladies and gentlemen, put your phones down and look around, life is passing you by! -As seen in The Washington Post, read the full article here...
HAND,
Erin

Coping Skills: Because We All Know, Spam Sucks :-(

31 years ago this week, the first spam, an invitation to a computer demonstration, was sent to users of Arpanet, the Internet's predecessor. Fast forward to today, businesses spent an estimated $42 billion fighting email spam in 2008, up from $35 billion in 2007. What gives? Is there an end in sight? Unfortunately no. Spam continues to proliferate our online world: In addition to e-mail spam, there is messaging spam, newsgroup spam, search engine spam, blog spam, and mobile phone spam. Ugh!
What to do? Firstly, you should NEVER respond to a spam message, it only reinforces the fact that you are a valid e-dress. Not only is it annoying, it can lead to phishing and identity theft. Here are 5 Essential Spam Do's and Don'ts.
Check out all the spam lingo: spam, check my spam, spam filter, spam trap, spambot, spamdexing, spamhandling, spamhaus, spammin', spamouflage
S4L,
Erin

Caught Facebooking or Twittering at work? It'll Make You a Better Employee


Caught Facebooking or Twittering at work? It'll make you a better employee, according to an Australian study that shows surfing the Internet for fun during office hours increases productivity. The University of Melbourne study showed that people who use the Internet for personal reasons at work are about 9 percent more productive that those who do not.

The study's author said that "workplace Internet leisure browsing," or WILB, helped to sharpened workers' concentration and that short and unobtrusive breaks, such as a quick surf of the Internet, enables the mind to rest itself, leading to a higher total concentration for a days' work and as a result, increased productivity.

Among the most popular WILB activities? Searching for information about products, reading online news sites, playing online games and watching videos on YouTube. -As seen in The Washington Post, read the story here...

YBY,
Erin

Why Twitter is Sinking Some Relationships


In the age of Twitter, it may be necessary to lay down some rules - such as, don't let your personal gadgets interfere with your personal relationships. Or to say it in Twitterese: Put down that phone! (Only 20 characters.) For some, the rule on a first date with a woman is clear: No Twitter twaddle. No cellphones, no iPod, no BlackBerry, no blinking device of any kind. "When I take a woman out and her cellphone is glued to her hand, there is no second date," says a man who meets women through MySpace. "One woman was so obsessed with MySpace, she had to check it while with me at my home - and then proceeded to get into a virtual argument with her ex. I escorted her to the door."

Think that's bad? Try this scenario: You are having dinner in a restaurant with a friend and you are both twittering away, sending out banal remarks - "tweets" - in 140 characters or less to hundreds or thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people around the world who "follow" you on the rapidly growing microblogging messaging service. On your phone, you see her tweet: "I don't like the chicken I'm eating." What? Why doesn't she send it back? Suddenly, it hits you: She's telling scores of random strangers around the world that she doesn't like her meal, but can't be bothered to tell you sitting at the same table?

As seen in USA Today, Twitter is not the only culprit in the competition for a loved one's attention: Facebook and MySpace, e-mail via BlackBerry and iPhone, blogging and video blogging, video games, plus text messaging (and its naughty twin, sexting). The fight between pop-music couple Rihanna and Chris Brown started because, according to the police report, she saw a text message from another woman on his cellphone and got upset. But Twitter is the latest big thing, and it's not always put to inane use. Last week, The New York Times reported on its front page that young dissidents in the former Soviet state of Moldova used Twitter (and Facebook and text messaging) to organize a huge rally against the government that led to a riot. Also, some police and fire agencies are using Twitter to spread information quickly, such as word of traffic tie-ups or suspect descriptions.

Launched in July 2006, Twitter is the fastest-growing social networking service, recording a 1,841% increase in accounts between February 2008 and February 2009, says co-founder Biz Stone. It now has an estimated 8 million users. Still, all the world's not a-Twittering (yet); is there really a problem with personal gadgets ruining personal relationships? "I do think it's widespread," sighs Soren Gordhamer, an expert on the over-stressed and over-connected, and author of the forthcoming "Wisdom 2.0: Ancient Secrets for the Creative and Constantly Connected." Gordhamer says technology aimed at bringing people closer through communication also may be creating distance.

"There are cool aspects. The challenge is: When do we use them and when do they use us?" Gordhamer says. "A tool isn't good or bad; it's just a tool. The question often not explored is what are some of the ways in which it's actually reducing quality of life and relationships?"

IRL,
Erin

Do you think the net is dumbing us down?


Recent research suggests that men and women use the Internet differently. The results strengthen stereotypes that men are visual and focused on destinations and women are verbal and inclined to emotional connections and community-building.

The jury is still out on whether all this online activity is rewiring the circuitry of our brains. But as scientists and sociologists begin to probe the Internet's impact, some wonder if it is reinforcing sex differences or doing exactly the reverse, leading us instead toward a brave new wired world of gender neutrality. Then there are some who suggest the real concern is whether the Internet is dumbing us down. Hogwash, say others. What if, instead, Google were making us smarter?

The knowledge that the Internet provides may be fragmented, unlike the "readily bundled" information of a book, but it allows informed users to be the author of their own searches. The nonlinear approach to information-gathering on the Internet can help a person learn to navigate the world better. How your brain adapts to the Internet depends in part on how you make the Internet adapt to your needs. The trick, is teaching Web-savviness. As seen in The Washington Post, read the full story "The Online Male Takes a Licking and Keeps on Clicking" here...

DBD,
Erin

5 Times You Shouldn't Text

As seen in Cosmopolitan magazine, firing off too many text messages can kill a budding relationship. Casual electronic notes have become a huge part of dating, and experts speculate that texts have surpassed actual phone calls between many couples. New love is exciting and it's easy to find yourself with an itchy text messaging trigger finger (or thumbs, rather) when in the throes of it. Just beware: There's such a thing as too much texting... overdoing it can freak anyone out. Here's when to step away!

1) Don't do it "right after" your first few dates. It may be tempting to contact someone "right away" that same night, but remember, meeting people takes time.

2) No matter who you are, don't do it when you're drunk. Stop yourself from sending a tipsy message, and do not send a message that suggests you two meet up ASAP.

3) Don't text when you're angry. It's hard to "take back" and it can actually sound meaner than it is.

4) We know you may like to have fun, but don't text when you're trying to be funny. The fact is sarcasm and joking can come off as aggressive.

5) Try to resist become Mr. or Mrs. Text-o-rama by not sending too many texts in one day. Once you're in an ongoing relationship, you may be tempted to rely on texting as a regular form of communication, and there's nothing wrong with staying in touch that way sometimes. But electronic communication discourages phone conversations and one-on-one time.

And don't pull an EWI either,
Erin

Three-Quarters of the World's Messages Sent by Mobile


According to TNS Global, 74% of the world's digital messages were sent through a mobile device in January 2009, a 15% increase over the previous year. However, the popular impression created largely by the media, is that text message shorthand is weird. It has been described as alien, foreign and outlandish, and this lingo is viewed so much as a new language that texters have been called bilingual. Parents are concerned because they don't know what their kids are texting. Educators are concerned because text message shorthand is infiltrating schoolwork. Meanwhile, we're all doing it, and most of us love it, especially for short quick messages. Face it, worldwide communication in the future will be done through mobile devices and NetLingo will continue to track the new text terms and how this style of communication impacts our lives. We're here to dissect the pictograms and logograms, the initialisms, and the omitted letters, the shortenings and the acronyms, and even the popular non-standard spellings, so you can make sense of it all. NetLingo adds new acronyms every single day!
See also: texting, text messaging, instant messaging, SMS, leetspeak, acronyms, and the largest list of acronyms & text message shorthand on the Internet.
Be sure to sign up for the Acronym of the Day newsletter (not suitable for all audiences ;-) NetLingo is the talk of the net: You can keep up, just keep coming back!
CUL8R,
Erin

Sexting: 14 -year-old Girl Arrested for Porn


In a bizarre case in New Jersey, a 14-year-old girl was arrested and charged with child pornography after posting nude photos of herself on her MySpace page. Known as sexting, the case comes as prosecutors nationwide are pursuing cases resulting from tweens sending nude photos to one another over cell phones and e-mail. What happened was The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children tipped off a state task force, which alerted the Passaic County Sheriff's Office. The Associated Press then reported "This is a wake-up call to parents" because "she wanted her boyfriend to see these very explicit photos." The girl, whose name has not been released because of her age, has been charged with possession and distribution of child pornography. She was released to her mother's custody. If convicted of the distribution charge, she would be forced to register with the state as a sex offender under Megan's Law and go to jail.

It's bizarre because at that point the law has been flipped to punish the very people that it was designed to protect, as pointed out on Buzzle.com. It's controversial because concerned parents and citizens are criticizing the trend of prosecuting teens who send racy text messages or post illicit photos of themselves. They do not want to charge teens under laws that were designed to protect them, including Maureen Kanka, the mother of the girl that inspired Megan's law. "This shouldn't fall under Megan's Law, this girl needs counseling because the only person she exploited was herself." The legal question up for debate is when a teen chooses to exploit him or herself online or on some other platform, can authorities then claim that the teen is committing a crime? Prosecutors in states including Pennsylvania, Connecticut, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin are trying stop it by charging teens a fine who send and receive the pictures because they "knowingly" do so.

Get real. The lesson comes back to where it always leads: family. Parents need to communicate values to their children, engage with them in their lives, and keep tabs on who they're communicating with... there is such a thing as a digital footprint. The challenge is that many teens and tweens are far more technically savvy than their parents, teachers, and even authorities. This is why next month NetLingo is announcing a special series called "Get With the Program" to help bridge the digital generation gap between adults and kids. It will teach parents and educators how to empower kids to use the Internet productively, and it will teach everyone about current Internet trends and technology, highlight the important issues you need to know, and keep you up-to-date on all of the Internet terminology used in our online world.

You can keep up, keep coming back,
Erin


Read more here...

I'm Here to Make You Feel Better

Meet Bandit-II a "socially assistive" robot being developed at the University of Southern California. Robots can already perform surgery and track your meds. Now, new models aim to provide therapy and support. Before consumers send their Roombas for repair, they sometimes etch their names on the machines in the hopes of getting their own robots back. Somehow, they grow attached to the squat, disk-shaped sweepers and worry that a new robot will have a different personality. "People are grateful that the Roomba improves their lives, so they reciprocate by giving it attention like they would a pet. Many owners who gave their Roombas names also paint them, dress them in costumes or turn them on to entertain friends.Difficult as it is to design a robot that can assemble a Toyota or handle toxic waste, researchers are working on making machines that can coach, motivate and monitor people with cognitive and physical disabilities -- machines that are "socially assistive." As seen in The Washington Post, read more here...
Film @ 11,
Erin

Becoming Web Dead: How to Erase Your Online Identity in 10 Steps


Because what happens in Vegas, stays online.

I've talked to you before about your digital doppelganger and your digital footprint, now it's time to find out how to delete your online identity and personal data if you should so choose. Fortunately there are some practical steps a savvy surfer can take to prevent (and reverse) the "morning after" effects associated with putting TMI on the Web. Here are the 10 steps, click here for the complete explanation on how to be Web dead!
1. Delete What You Can First
2. Use Webpage Removal Request Tools
3. E-mail Webmasters Directly
4. Employ ReputationDefender
5. Hide Your Ass (proxy service)
6. Always Use Pseudonyms
7. Contact ChillingEffects.org
8. RemoveYourName
9. Pull the Old Switch-a-Roo
10. Stay Offline
So there you have it, 10 rays of hope in an online world of ever-increasing threats and decreasing privacy rights. Pass it on.
IJWTK,
Erin