ConnectSafely Podcast: Talking with Bullying Experts at IBPA

For more news & views, visit our website. ConnectSafely CEO Larry Magid and educator and ConnectSafely Director of K-12 Education Kerry Gallagher at the ConnectSafely podcast booth. #IBPA2019 ConnectSafely Podcast: International Bullying Prevention Association's Annual Conference At last week's IBPA conference in Chicago, ConnectSafely spoke with researchers, educators, psychologists and students about how to prevent and reduce bullying. Some of the podcast highlights: Building Empathy Cyberbullying Research Center's Sameer Hinduja on building empathy. Listen Teen Dating Violence Students from the Amanda Forum talk about teen dating violence. Listen Child Safety on Roblox Roblox director of digital civility Laura Higgins on how the popular platform protects kids. Listen Combating Bullying School safety consultant Nancy Buyle on effective strategies to combat bullying. Listen The Power of Empathy Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence researchers Jessica Hoffman and Julie McGarry talk about their work in promoting empathy and combating bullying. Listen How Instagram Handles Hate Speech, Bullying  Instagram policy director Karina Newton on how the company handles privacy, bullying and other problems as well as some of the ways Instagram users are supporting each other in positive ways. Listen For more interviews from IBPA, visit https://www.connectsafely.org/IBPA. Facebook Twitter Website YouTube Email Copyright © 2019 ConnectSafely. All rights reserved.

“Online Safety in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”

Family Online Safety Institute Releases Whitepaper at FOSI 2019: “Online Safety in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” Washington, DC, November 21 -- Today at the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI)’s 2019 Annual Conference, the development of innovative solutions around online child protection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be a primary focus. The event, entitled, “2020 Vision: The Future of Online Safety,” will explore the future implications of new technologies and digital infrastructure in both our personal lives and the wider world. In cooperation with research firm Kaleido Insights, FOSI is releasing a new whitepaper, “Online Safety in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” along with an analytical presentation of the paper’s findings during a featured presentation by author Jessica Groopman. The presentation will be followed by a plenary panel session featuring experts who will discuss the technical and social impacts of new, AI-powered technologies. The whitepaper focuses on how current regulations and efforts to ensure privacy online are unlikely to be sufficient moving forward given the transformational services that are already being developed using AI. The paper’s key points include:  AI already impacts how we think about children’s online safety. “Social media platforms and online gaming use AI to promote the most irresistible and influential content. Parental control apps use AI to scan millions of messages sent by children and teens. Industry uses AI to combat the spread of child sexual abuse material through technologies such as Microsoft’s PhotoDNA which scans images and videos.”   From chatbots to personal assistance: empathetic computing will increase our reliance on AI. Proponents and critics alike emphasize the power of empathetic computing, when machines recognize our emotions and respond accordingly. In the future, digital assistants will influence our social emotional worlds as well as our physical world: always available, always learning, and always personalizing.   From job-based to skill-based: the future of work will demand adaptability and human-AI partnerships. “A 2018 study by the World Economic Forum stated that 54% of the skills that workers need – regardless of industry – will have changed by 2022, suggesting we all should “skill, re-skill, and re-skill again.” Although automation may not completely eliminate existing occupations, as it is more likely to replace specific tasks than entire roles, it will shift workers to new tasks, underscoring the need for adaptability.” “We must develop a culture of responsibility now – one in which online safety relies upon government, tech companies, schools, parents as well as kids,” said Stephen Balkam, FOSI’s founder and CEO. “The idea of time well spent online can’t just be a concept. It is essential that we all work together to mitigate the potentially harmful effects of AI on our children, while maximizing the tremendous benefits it can offer our future generations.” Federal Trade Commissioner Christine S. Wilson will also speak at the event, exploring how the FTC protects children online under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and what more the agency can do to update its efforts in light of evolving technologies. The event covenes leaders from across industry, government, law enforcement, academia, and the nonprofit sector to discuss a wide spectrum of technology topics, including legislative proposals, ethics, privacy, digital parenting, and how AI will change the digital world that young people grow up in. MEDIA CONTACT Anne Keeney akeeney@glenechogroup.com 202.369.5994 ###

New Data Point Reports Release on Bullying Online or by Text, Bullying Components, and Student Perceptions of School Discipline in 2016–17

New Data Point Reports Release on Bullying Online or by Text, Bullying Components, and Student Perceptions of School Discipline in 2016–17. In school year 2016–17, more students reported being bullied about their appearance and race when being bullied with both power imbalance and repetition (39 percent and 11 percent, respectively) than when being bullied with either power imbalance or repetition but not both (30 percent and 6 percent, respectively); female students reported being bullied online or by text at a rate three times that of males (21 percent vs. 7 percent); and a lower percentage of students who saw guns at school agreed that teachers treat students with respect compared to the percentage of students who did not see guns at school (73 percent and 94 percent). Today, the National Center for Education Statistics released three new Data Point Reports entitled Students’ Perceptions of Bullying; Electronic Bullying: Online and by Text; and Student Perceptions of School Discipline and the Presence of Gangs or Guns at School. These reports examine the characteristics and school behaviors of students who report bullying online or by text; the extent to which students experiencing different components of bullying report their perceived relationship of bullying to the student’s personal characteristics; and how student perceptions of school discipline vary by student reports of their own behaviors in school and unfavorable school conditions experienced. Key Findings: Students who reported being bullied with both power imbalance and repetition also reported more negative effects on their schoolwork (27 percent) and how they felt about themselves (36 percent) than those who were bullied overall (19 percent and 27 percent, respectively). Students who reported being bullied online or by text had higher rates of reporting any negative effects (63 percent) including negative effects in at least one of the following: on their school work, relationships with friends or family, how they felt about themselves, or their physical health than those who were bullied in person only (37 percent). A lower percentage of students who were in a physical fight at school (73 percent) or brought a weapon to school (77 percent) agreed that the punishment for breaking school rules is the same no matter who you are compared to the percentage of students who were not in a physical fight at school or had not brought a weapon to school (89 percent for each) These reports use data from the 2017 School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). The U.S. Census Bureau (Census) appended additional data from the 2015–16 Common Core of Data (CCD) and the 2015–16 Private School Universe Survey (PSS) to the SCS data to show the extent to which bullying is reported by students in schools with different characteristics. To view the full reports, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2020040 http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2020041 http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2020042 The Institute of Education Sciences, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the nation's leading source for rigorous, independent education research, evaluation and statistics. By visiting Newsflash you may also sign up to receive information from IES and its four Centers NCES, NCER, NCEE, & NCSER to stay abreast of all activities within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). To obtain hard copy of many IES products as well as hard copy and electronic versions of hundreds of other U.S. Department of Education products please visit http://www.edpubs.org or call 1-877-433-7827 (877-4-EDPUBS).

Bullying and Cyberbullying Severity Linked to Adolescent Suicide

| Jun 10, 2019| 2018,
Brain Health, Infant and Children's Health |

Written by Joyce Smith, Staff Writer. Survey analyses of 2,670 middle and high school students across the United States revealed that students who experienced both bullying at school and cyberbullying were more than 11 times as likely to attempt suicide compared to those who had not been bullied.

Read more:

http://www.naturalhealthresearch.org/bullying-and-cyberbullying-severity-linked-to-adolescent-suicide/

The Parent’s and Educator’s Guide to Combating Online Hate Speech

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By Brittan Heller, JD and Larry Magid, Ed.D 

Download 
Full Guide (PDF)
Quick-Guide (PDF)

The internet is making it possible for people around the world to communicate with lightning speed and, for the most part, it’s a good thing. Whether it’s keeping up with friends and family or meeting new folks across the world, connected technology has made it a lot easier for us all to share ideas and information, seek advice and much more.

Read more: https://www.connectsafely.org/hatespeech/

The Facts About Online Predators Every Parent Should Know

The Facts About Online Predators Every Parent Should Know | Common Sense Media https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/the-facts-about-online-predators-every-parent-should-know

Xfinity xFi

If you have Xfinity or internet from Comcast, your family safety controls are built in. Read more at https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/xfinity-xfi-overview

Digital Citizenship Resources

From the Scout Report Newsletter, several valuable resources:

Common Sense Education: Digital Citizenship

Be Internet Awesome

IRL: Online Life is Real Life

Civic Online Reasoning

Digital Citizenship Utah

The Scout Report (ISSN 1092-3861) is published every Friday of the year except for the last two Fridays of December by the Internet Scout Research Group, based in the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Computer Sciences. 

You can search their resources here: https://scout.wisc.edu/archives/index.php

Digital Citizenship Lessons

Digital Citizenship | Common Sense Education:
https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship

Text and email ...

ALLCACA Wireless Charging Station for Multiple Devices

As part of my "Parenting in a High-Tech World" presentation, I have recommended that, for young kids, all devices are docked in an inaccessible area (e.g., parent's bedroom) because we have too many kids texting under the sheets at 2:00 am, losing valuable sleep.

Here is a docking station that works well:

Good Social Media Habits

Data refute President’s linkage between violent video games & mass shootings

President Trump links recent mass shootings with violent video games.

by Larry Magid

Scroll down for podcast interview with Dr. Christopher Ferguson

In his address to the nation following a weekend of two mass shootings, President Trump made a reference to violent video games, suggesting that these games may have something to do with shootings such as the ones that took place in El Paso and Akron.

Read more: https://www.connectsafely.org/violent-video-games-and-mass-shootings/

Your Phone

Screen-Free entertainment for kids.

I love this idea! 

Get the full story: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/the-best-podcasts-for-kids

5 Stars on Amazon: School Counselor Side Hustle

Do you know a teacher, counselor, or other helping professional who can use some help to develop their side hustle? We've got them covered with our new book which makes for a terrific gift!   To learn more, listen to an interview with Dr. Sabella on WGCU at https://news.wgcu.org/post/we-meet-author-school-counselor-side-hustle Practicing or retired, all types of professionals including counselors, educators, social workers, psychologists, and other human services practitioners can use our guide to develop extra income by doing what you love to do. “Cannot tell you how much I have appreciated this read.  I truly could not put the book down.  So many great ideas and stories.  Thank you for what you both produced.  I believe this will help inspire others to venture out.”  -Dr. Ernest Cox, Professor of School Counseling at Texas A&M University “Highly recommend! This book is full of great resources and ideas for any educator wanting to make extra money. It shares beautiful stories about counselors who have stepped into the entrepreneurial world to share their passions and talents.” -Julie Frizzi, School Counselor “School counselors have so many skill sets that lend to side hustles (like writing a book)- snag this book for yourself and see what I mean!” -Lauren Walters Tingle, High School Counselor “This is another ‘must read’ to add to your library!! Why do extra duties at work when you can work from your phone from anywhere?!” -Franciene Sabens, 2016 Illinois School Counselor of the Year "Excellent book and resource for any teacher wanting to start a side hustle. Practical tips and useful resources to make the process easy. It takes the work out of having to find all of the info yourself and trial and error. I used several of the resources and they work! This book is responsible for getting my new business started. Thank you!"Kathleen J. Amazon Review

Experience the joy of doing more of what you love and the freedom of having extra income. Not sure how to do it exactly? We’ve got you covered with this new book! School Counselor Side Hustle has everything you ever wanted to know about succeeding at a lucrative side hustle! All educators and aspiring side hustlers, practicing or retired, will benefit from this book. School Counselor Side Hustle spotlights several school counselors and educators who are already doing it. Their stories will help inspire you and give you insights into how side hustling is done. Our side hustle spotlights share the valuable lessons they have learned and then give us sage advice. School Counselor Side Hustle covers seven main areas which include: Creating Resources Authoring a Book Public Speaking Developing Tools Selling Merchandise Adjunct Teaching Private Practice Counseling You’ll also learn about many other side hustles and side jobs that school counselors are currently engaging in that go beyond our “Big Seven.” And, we cover the “nuts and bolts” of side hustle development from beginning to end in a practical way. From setting up your company to promoting your product or service, this book gives you the detailed information you need to start a side hustle or get your existing one to the next level. Russell A. Sabella, Ph.D.Sabella@SchoolCounselor.com http://schoolcounselor.com/about/ Stephanie Lerner, M.S.Stephanie@schoolcounselorstephanie.com http://schoolcounselorstephanie.com/  Check out the Table of Contents (PDF). https://schoolcounselor.com/wp-content/uploads/Side-Hustle-Table-of-Contents.pdf Click below to order the paperback or ebook.https://amzn.to/2ZCC5e9

Sabella & Associates, LLC 8249 Preserve Point DR, Fort Myers, FL  33912sabella@schoolcounselor.com

What is Two-Factor Authentication or 2FA?

Be Internet Awesome

To make the most of the Internet, kids need to be prepared to make smart decisions. Be Internet Awesome teaches kids the fundamentals of digital citizenship and safety so they can explore the online world with confidence.

Check it out now: https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/en_us

Cyber safety with older adults

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Technology is constantly advancing and older adults are adapting to the changes. However, scammers are still finding ways to take get their hands on their money.

FGCU Professor Dr. Russell Sabella stopped by the WINK News studio to discuss how you can help protect your loved ones and even teach them to protect themselves.

Source: https://www.winknews.com/2019/07/15/cyber-safety-with-older-adults/

TikTok Safety Tips from Common Sense Media

The wild-and-wacky short videos of TikTok continue to gain popularity among kids, adults, and even celebrities. But the app has had some problems, such as illegally collecting data on users under 13, notoriously inappropriate comments, and kludgy settings that can leave you with unwanted followers. Still, its viral "challenges," creative tools, and just-plain-fun features mean your kids are probably going to want it.

Read more:
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/tiktok-safety-tips