Monthly Archives: July 2014

Articles, Cyber Bullying, Digital Parenting

Subtweeting: What Is It?

By: Rosaura Ochoa

A popular digital trend in the online world is the development of subtweeting. It is fast becoming a trend among teens and tweens. Subtweeting may sound like an innocent new trend in social media or a new fad that kids are just trying on for size. In reality, subtweeting is the newest form of cyberbullying to hit the digital world.

Subtweeting according to the Urban Dictionary means “indirectly tweeting about someone without mentioning their name. Even though their name is not mentioned, it is clear who the person tweeting is referring to.” The trend allows users to talk negatively or gossip about a person without taking responsibility for their words.

A better explanation of subtweeting can be found in an article by Kate Knibbs at Digital Trends. She writes, “But not all Twitter users want to engage in tweet-to-tweet combat with their enemies. Some prefer to call their nemeses out behind their back –which is kind of hard to do considering your tweets are usually public and your rivals may or may not follow you. And there’s a term for this underhanded insult-slinging: It’s call subtweeting.”

Subtweeting is a passive-aggressive way to cyberbully without having to be held accountable. It is more common among high school students and young Twitter users; teens and tweens. The trend has been around since 2012 and is an original modification to the Twitter culture.  Its popularity has moved into other social media outlets including Facebook and Instagram.  On Facebook, people use the hashtag #subtweet to make an insult about another user without mentioning the user’s name.

Parents of teens and tweens need to be aware that subtweeting is a hurtful practice that can cause ripples of negative behavior. Monitoring the social media posts that your children make can help you take notice of whether your teen or tween is engaged in subtweeting. Teens and tweens often take to social media to vent their frustrations, it is important for parents to teach them that online communication isn’t the best option when the real issues they are having with someone can be addressed in real life through the non-digital mode of communication –talking.

General Identity Theft Help

5 Tips to Preventing Digital Addiction in Teens

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Teenagers are very technologically advanced. They have smartphones, laptops, iPads, smartTV’s and a slew of other devices that connects them to the internet world. Addiction to technology is a possibility in many households.

The definition of addiction according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary is “a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance.” The question then becomes whether technology is a habit-forming substance.

Steve Woda of uKnowKids.com reports, “Kids can get a natural high when logging onto Instagram, playing the latest video game, or instant-messaging with their friends. There can be almost a compulsive need to get the digital boost. This need is not going unnoticed by professionals. Just last year, the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM-5) took note of the impact and listed digital addiction as a ‘condition for further study.’”

What should be done to protect kids from digital addiction? Here are some tips:

Set Limits: Kids need boundaries especially teenagers. Limit the use of technology to a specific hourly limit during the week and on weekends.  The limits may be different for each household. Kids and teens can benefit from the knowledge of knowing when it is appropriate to be plugged in and how to unplug.

Teach Proper Technology Etiquette: Limiting computer, tablet and phone time is important, but teaching proper technology etiquette goes hand in hand. Teach teenagers that when company comes to visit, it’s time to unplug. There is no substitute for real human interaction. When eating at a restaurant teach kids that it is important to shut off the phone and pay attention to your dinner companions.

Try a Board Game Night: Set up a night in the household for a family board game.  Make sure there are no cellphones, iPads, tablets, or other electronics brought to the game. Everything should be put away and turned off.

Adapt Online Activities to Offline Activities: Are your teenagers into role playing games like World of Warcraft, Guild Wars or Pathfinder? If so, get them to unplug by taking them to a live action role playing event in your area. LARP genres include fantasy, medieval, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi and more. Not only will this help teens unplug but it will give them a chance to meet new and interesting people.

Keep Teen Technology Monitored: Teens are susceptible to all kinds of influences especially on the internet where adult oriented websites thrive. Don’t be afraid to monitor any of their devices to learn who they talk to on the web, where they hang out most, and to keep informed of what they are doing.

Articles, Cyber Bullying, Digital Parenting

Your Teen is Talking to Strangers and Giving Out Too Much Info

By: Wen Tong Neo

McAfee released a study in June that exposed a shocking revelation for the parents of tweens and teens. The 2014 Teens and the Screen study: Exploring Online Privacy, Social Networking and Cyberbullying exposed that teens often over share personal information and are willing engage strangers online.

The survey highlighted some important findings. Private lives are not so private. Teens often seek social networks considered to be the “no parent zone.” Cyberbullying is still prevalent on the world wide web and teens are often the victim. Cyberbullying conflicts are also carried into offline altercations.

Some of the statistics are startling. Continue reading Your Teen is Talking to Strangers and Giving Out Too Much Info →

Agencies, Articles

Stand Against Spying- A Coalition Seeking to Stop Government Mass Spy Programs

By: Alan Cleaver

A coalition of organizations from across the political spectrum has joined forces to fight mass surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA). The group has launched a website called “Stand Against Spying” and has become a watchdog of Congress. Although the organizations are vastly different in terms of missions, goals, and communities they all agree that mass surveillance is a violation of the United States Constitution. Electronic Frontier Foundation, Tenth Amendment Center, Greenpeace, Freedom of the Press Foundation, and UpWorthy are all part of the coalition fighting back against the government spy programs created by the NSA.

Stand Against Spying allows users to put in their address and zipcode to see how their representative is voting on issues regarding mass surveillance. Each member of Congress is rated on his or her actions to end or promote mass surveillance.

The method used to rate members of Congress was different for the House and for the Senate. For the House, votes for the two strongest bills against mass spying were considered; the Surveillance State Repeal Act and the original version of the USA FREEDOM Act. Senate members were rated on whether they co-sponsored the original USA FREEDOM Act and if they have come out publicly claiming a commitment to cosponsoring the Act when Congress is back in session (July 7).

The website requests that users sign an open letter to President Obama. The letter sets out the goals, beliefs and mission of Stand Against Spying.

It reads:

“Dear Mr. President,

As citizens of the Internet, we believe that mass surveillance by the NSA and its global partners infringes on our civil liberties, runs contrary to democratic principles, and chills free expression.

We’re calling on you to take immediate steps to end the mass spying. Specifically, we urge you to stop the mass collection and retention of telephone records and Internet communications of hundreds of millions of people who are not suspected of a crime.

In addition, we call on you to provide a full public accounting of the intelligence community’s mass surveillance practices.”

Read the full letter here. Internet citizens are encouraged to sign the open letter to take a stand against spying.