Cyberbullying

While researchers say teens view social media as a way to communicate, parents should know that frequent posting is not necessarily tied to narcissistic behavior in younger people. "You really want to look not at what they post," said Larry Rosen of California State University, Dominguez Hills, "but how they react back when somebody dismisses them, makes fun of them, says their post is silly." Rosen further emphasizes that teens who are taught to reflect before they post are able to make more intentional choices online. Narcissistic patterns are subtle, but a strong reaction to criticism can indicate narcissistic tendencies.

Got a minute? Take a look at the some of the short advice videos on the Common Sense Media site for some great videos that could start a discussion with your kids about particular digital safety issues. Topics include ways to spot fake news, four great fact-checking sites, five internet safety tips, five tips for dealing with haters and trolls and much more.

Got a minute? Take a look at the some of the short advice videos on the Common Sense Media site for some great videos that could start a discussion with your kids about particular digital safety issues. Topics include ways to spot fake news, four great fact-checking sites, five internet safety tips, five tips for dealing with haters and trolls and much more.

When it comes to hateful exchanges online, most people think of Twitter as the worst offender. Twitter has vowed several times to put a lid on abuse, but it is still often gone unchecked. Recently, Twitter has offered new attempts to stop abuse, including preventing people who have been permanently suspended from Twitter from creating new accounts, and identifying accounts that were created "only to abuse and harass others.” "Safe search" results are also being turned on for users. These results remove tweets that contain sensitive content such as violent or pornographic images or language, or tweets that come from blocked or muted accounts. Twitter is also working to identify and "collapse" potentially abusive and "low quality" replies to tweets.

Of course, it is not all for purely altruistic reasons. The Walt Disney Co. recently decided not to pursue a bid for Twitter, citing concern about bullying on the service. The lack of interest from potential acquirers cranked up pressure on Twitter management, which has fallen out of favor with Wall Street, to do something about the abuse.

When it comes to hateful exchanges online, most people think of Twitter as the worst offender. Twitter has vowed several times to put a lid on abuse, but it is still often gone unchecked. Recently, Twitter has offered new attempts to stop abuse, including preventing people who have been permanently suspended from Twitter from creating new accounts, and identifying accounts that were created "only to abuse and harass others.” "Safe search" results are also being turned on for users. These results remove tweets that contain sensitive content such as violent or pornographic images or language, or tweets that come from blocked or muted accounts. Twitter is also working to identify and "collapse" potentially abusive and "low quality" replies to tweets.

Of course, it is not all for purely altruistic reasons. The Walt Disney Co. recently decided not to pursue a bid for Twitter, citing concern about bullying on the service. The lack of interest from potential acquirers cranked up pressure on Twitter management, which has fallen out of favor with Wall Street, to do something about the abuse.

Cyberbullying in New York City schools rose 19% in the 2015-16 school year, according to data from New York State's Education Department. Officials say the city spends more than $47 million annually on programs and staffing to combat the issue, yet there were still over 900 reported incidents last year. These figures may cause authorities to rethink their strategies on bullying prevention.

Cyberbullying in New York City schools rose 19% in the 2015-16 school year, according to data from New York State's Education Department. Officials say the city spends more than $47 million annually on programs and staffing to combat the issue, yet there were still over 900 reported incidents last year. These figures may cause authorities to rethink their strategies on bullying prevention.

If you think that watching superheroes defend, protect and help the weak may inculcate positive traits in kids, you may be wrong. Rather, early exposure to superheroes may trigger aggressive behaviors like bullying and reduce empathy for others, a study published recently in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology has found. The findings show that children who frequently engage with superhero culture are more likely to be physically and relationally aggressive. The children were also not more likely to be defenders of kids being picked on by bullies and were not more likely to be pro-social. The studies author, Brigham Young University family life professor Dr. Sarah M. Coyne, says that like everything in parenting, it is not time to do away with superheroes but instead to remember it is all about moderation and being sure that superheroes are just one of the many things kids are interested in.

If you think that watching superheroes defend, protect and help the weak may inculcate positive traits in kids, you may be wrong. Rather, early exposure to superheroes may trigger aggressive behaviors like bullying and reduce empathy for others, a study published recently in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology has found. The findings show that children who frequently engage with superhero culture are more likely to be physically and relationally aggressive. The children were also not more likely to be defenders of kids being picked on by bullies and were not more likely to be pro-social. The studies author, Brigham Young University family life professor Dr. Sarah M. Coyne, says that like everything in parenting, it is not time to do away with superheroes but instead to remember it is all about moderation and being sure that superheroes are just one of the many things kids are interested in.

Are you or your kids waiting to get your hands on a pair of Spectacles from Snapchat? Spectacles are sunglasses with an integrated video camera that makes it easy to create short videos, and marketing experts are saying the influencers your kids follow online (celebrities and bloggers who post “personal reviews” and have millions of followers online) will be using these stylish pieces of hardware in significant ways in 2017. They expect we will see more first person reviews and “unboxings” of products meant to influence teens and other consumers. They also expect that the device will be used to do more first person shoots of extreme sporting events – think of a more advanced Go-Pro. If the thought of these “glasses” is concerning to you, there are already teens posting hacks on how to disguise the spectacles to prevent others from knowing they are being filmed. This obviously raises concerns about video being used to bully and harass since the glasses will do all the work and no one will even have to pull out a phone or use their hands to point and shoot.