It's no secret ( home remodeling ) that children and teenagers are spending a tremendous amount of time online. ( home remodeling ) Popular digital communities include social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter and virtual worlds and gaming sites such as Club Penguin and Second Life. ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )According to one poll, more than half of youths log on to some type of social media site at least once a day. ( home remodeling )Roughly one in four logs on to such sites at least 10 times a day.
( home remodeling )Although digital communities enable youths to socialize with peers and develop multimedia skills, these online forums also have risks. A common one is cyberbullying - ( home remodeling )- a form of bullying that takes place entirely online in cyberspace. ( home remodeling ) Another is sexting ( home remodeling ), a term that combines the words sex and texting and refers to the exchange of sexually explicit digital messages and images. Fortunately there are ways for parents to help their children avoid these new types of harm. ( home remodeling )
CYBERBULLYING ( home remodeling )
Youths who engage in cyberbullying use cell phones, ( home remodeling ) computers, and other digital devices to attack peers. ( home remodeling ) The methods are as varied as the technology. Cyberbullies ( home remodeling )may use text messaging and blogs t ( home remodeling )o spread rumors or share embarrassing information about peers. In "text wars," ( home remodeling )a group of youths sends hundreds or thousands of messages to victims -- who then incur large cell phone bills (unless they're lucky enough to have plans with unlimited text messaging). Other cyberbullies ( home remodeling ) post insulting or sexually explicit comments on victims' Facebook ( home remodeling ) pages. Still others set up online polls (often accompanied by pictures) ( home remodeling ) asking others to vote on the ugliest or fattest teen in a school. ( home remodeling )
One survey found that 43 percent of teenagers said they'd been cyberbullied ( home remodeling ) in the previous year. This form of bullying is more common among girls than boys, and most prevalent at ages 15 and 16. Although some teens shrug off such attacks, others become angry, hurt, embarrassed, or scared. ( home remodeling )
SEXTING ( home remodeling )
One national ( home remodeling )survey found that 20 percent of American ( home remodeling ) teenagers have sent or posted nude or seminude digital images of themselves to peers, while 39 percent of teenagers have sent sexually suggestive text messages, e-mails, or instant messages to others. Most of these teens sent sexually suggestive content to their girlfriends or boyfriends, intending to be flirtatious or funny. But sexting ( home remodeling )can prove embarrassing once a relationship ends, because digital images live on forever. ( home remodeling ) Sexting also exposes teens to legal action. ( home remodeling )
For example, a ( home remodeling )14-year-old girl posted about 30 nude pictures of herself on her own social networking site. ( home remodeling ) Prosecutors initially charged her with distributing child pornography, but then dropped the charges when she agreed to undergo counseling. ( home remodeling )
In another case ( home remodeling ), police charged a 17-year-old ( home remodeling ) boy with possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child after he posted nude pictures of his 16-year-old girlfriend on his social networking site. The teen posted the pictures after becoming angry at his girlfriend. ( home remodeling )
KEEPING KIDS SAFE ( home remodeling )
There's ( home remodeling ) nothing new about teens' ( home remodeling )developmental struggles with aggressive and sexual behavior, ( home remodeling )but technology appears to have had an amplifying effect. ( home remodeling ) The optimistic view is that reasonable standards and limits for online communities ( home remodeling )will evolve. In the meantime, parents can employ time-tested common-sense strategies to protect their children: ( home remodeling )
Communicate ( home remodeling )
Encourage youths to talk about their digital experiences and ask about what networking sites they are visiting - ( home remodeling )- and whether they've encountered any problems online. ( home remodeling )Although teenagers may demand more online privacy than younger children, they may welcome the opportunity to discuss concerns with parents. ( home remodeling )
Educate ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )
Young people may not understand the long-term consequences of posting something online or sending digital images to someone else. ( home remodeling ) It's important to help them understand that a digital "footprint" lives on forever. ( home remodeling )
Brainstorm ( home remodeling )
Identify multiple ways to deal with cyberbullying and sexting, ( home remodeling )so that a young person can find the most comfortable way to deal with online problems. ( home remodeling )Here are some common strategies:
1. ( home remodeling )Don't send e-mails or post information online while angry. ( home remodeling )
2. ( home remodeling )Refuse to pass on insulting messages or suggestive images. ( home remodeling )
3. ( home remodeling )Log off a chat room whenever the conversation turns nasty. ( home remodeling )
4. ( home remodeling )Block a bully electronically, using the options provided by various online communities. ( home remodeling )
5. ( home remodeling )Seek an adult's help when necessary. ( home remodeling )
6. ( home remodeling )Set an example. ( home remodeling )It's not just kids who engage in cyberbullying or sexting. ( home remodeling )Although they usually won't admit it, youths look to parents and other adults for cues about how to behave in the world - ( home remodeling )- and online. Set the right tone online, and your child will notice and be inclined to follow. ( home remodeling )- Harvard Mental Health Letter ( home remodeling )
RESOURCES ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )Family Online Safety Institute: www.fosi.org ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )Stop Cyberbullying: www.stopcyberbullying.org ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )Stop Bullying: www.stopbullying.gov ( home remodeling )
Ever since Eve told Adam, ( home remodeling )"This apple's ( home remodeling )amazing! You've got to try it!" ( home remodeling )word-of-mouth has been the best form of marketing. And yet, until the advent of social media, word-of-mouth marketing on a large scale hasn't existed. In the age of Facebook ( home remodeling ), Twitter and Web 2.0 ( home remodeling ), it's a whole different story. ( home remodeling )
Social media offers the most powerful way to connect with others, ( home remodeling ) allowing you to network with thousands of people (literally!) ( home remodeling ) from the comfort of your own home. Through harnessing the power of word-of-mouth marketing, social media can transform your business, product, service and passion to the next level. ( home remodeling )
Dave Kerpen ( home remodeling ) is the co-founder of Likeable Media and an expert at using social media to grow business and successfully redefine brands for large companies. ( home remodeling )In my recent interview with Dave, he discusses his New York Times Best-Seller, "Likeable Social Media ( home remodeling ): How to Delight Your Customers, ( home remodeling ) Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook ( home remodeling ) (and Other Social Networks) ( home remodeling )." Whether you're new to social media or just starting your business, Dave shows how you can successfully transform your brand, build your reputation and increase your audience. ( home remodeling )
Are your Twitter ( home remodeling ) followers dwindling? ( home remodeling ) Are you searching for an audience who will "Like" your brand? ( home remodeling ) To help you get started, read an excerpt from our conversation below. Then, be sure and listen to the full Dave Kerpen ( home remodeling ) interview at RicherLife.com ( home remodeling ) to learn how social media can help take your business to the next level. ( home remodeling )
Robert: ( home remodeling ) So, I'm the author of a book ( home remodeling ), or I've invented something, or I've started a nonprofit for a cause I really care about. ( home remodeling )What should my first step be moving forward, if I've only dabbled in social media? Maybe I've got a Twitter account or a Facebook ( home remodeling ) page, but I haven't really done anything with it. What's the first thing I should start doing? ( home remodeling )
Dave: ( home remodeling )The very first thing I would start doing is actively listening, which doesn't necessarily involve your ears in social media, but it does involve searching and doing research. ( home remodeling ) Look at keywords. You know, if you're an author, you need to look at keywords that people who read your book might be talking about, right? ( home remodeling ) So, if I wrote a book about social media, I might look for the keywords ( home remodeling )"book on social media. ( home remodeling )" It's really that simple, and just look for people who say, "Hey! Anyone know a good book about social media?" Or, if I have a nonprofit that I want to grow (and obviously that nonprofit is tied to your cause), I look and listen on Twitter, on Facebook ( home remodeling ), on LinkedIn ( home remodeling ), for people talking about that cause. On Googl ( home remodeling )e, you'll find articles written about something, ( home remodeling )but on social networks, you'll find real people talking about any and every topic of choice. And it's not necessarily about searching for your name. If you're a smaller brand or up-and-coming personality, you're not going to find lots of people talking about your name, but you're certainly going to find people talking about things that are relevant to what it is that you do. ( home remodeling )
Robert: Right ( home remodeling ). So, you've got your Facebook ( home remodeling ) page. You're on Twitter. You're searching, listening and reading what people are talking about. At what point do you sort of throw your hat in the ring and actually start communicating with them? ( home remodeling )
Dave ( home remodeling ): I think as soon as you feel like you understand what they want and need, you can start giving it to them. I'm listening to you. I understand you well. If I'm at a cocktail party, once I know that somebody needs an accountant, you know, if I'm a bad sales person, I'm going to say, ( home remodeling )"Hey! I'm an accountant. You should call me ( home remodeling ). Here's my business card." That's not going to work, right? What's going to work is, "I know a great accountant," or, "I know a great resource for finding a great accountant." So, similarly, once you're ready to start a conversation in social media, ( home remodeling ) it's about figuring out what value you can provide to the people that you are connected with, and to the people that you are following, and to the people that are following you. So, for instance, with our social media agency, we have almost 18,000 ( home remodeling ) fans on Facebook ( home remodeling ) already. We've probably updated that page once a day for two years. So, let's say we've had about 750 ( home remodeling ) updates or so. Very, very few of them (and I can count on one hand how many) ( home remodeling ) have been self-promotional. The rest are truly delivering value to people, sharing articles, tips, resources and recommendations to the point where, no kidding, two separate people have walked up to me at conferences and said, "Dave, I just want to thank you for all the amazing content that you share and all the value that you deliver on Facebook ( home remodeling ). I've actually gotten so much great content that I've used it to start my own social media agency." ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )Like with any sleek, new technology, the allure of an e-reader is undeniable. ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )Simply put, the gadget changes history: It brings reading into the digital era, revolutionizing how we interact with books and magazines. ( home remodeling )
Is change always necessary, though? ( home remodeling )For an avid reader like me, at first it was hard to swallow. "Read on-screen for hours?" I wondered in dismay, recalling the flickering PC screen of my youth. (home remodeling ) "I'd rather poke my eyes out." But as e-readers began to pop up everywhere, I came to see their beauty: great resolution, slim size, ultra-portability. Minimalism in reading: brilliant. ( home remodeling )
Soon, my best friend gave me the Barnes ( home remodeling )& Noble Nook for my birthday, and my enthusiasm turned into zeal. Within my first month, I finished two ( home remodeling )e-books. By month two, I had dug into all the classics I'd ever wanted to read. As I downloaded the 800-page Illiad at month three ( home remodeling ), I was sure that soon I'd be through that too, and that by month four, I'd practically be a scholar of antiquity. ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )Here's what really happened after that: By month four, I was still struggling to get through the first part of the epic, and six months in, I barely remembered what I'd read. And by year's end, I was on a sabbatical from reading altogether. ( home remodeling )
So what went so horribly wrong here? ( home remodeling ) Why did the beautiful e-reader turn out to be, well, just a blip in my own history of reading? ( home remodeling ) I blame these four alluring myths marketers sell you about e-readers:
Myth No. 1: You'll read more. ( home remodeling )
Reality: You won't. ( home remodeling )
Sure, ( home remodeling ) you'll download plenty of e-books with just a few clicks. And you'll start reading them too. But once you realize that each book feels just like the next (same size, font, color, digital notes, etc.), you'll also realize that half the fun of reading is how unique the experience of each book is supposed to be. ( home remodeling ) With e-books, you lose that personal touch. ( home remodeling )
Myth No. 2: If you love book-browsing, you'll love doing it from your couch. ( home remodeling )
Reality: You won't. ( home remodeling )
Like with the ( home remodeling ) Web, you'll often surf the e-reader bookstore, reading sample pages before you buy. The convenience is unquestionable. That is until you realize that the experience of pulling books from real shelves in the quiet sanctuary of a bookstore and then flipping through real pages is irreplaceable. ( home remodeling )
Myth No. 3: ( home remodeling ) You can read five books at the same time! ( home remodeling )
Reality: ( home remodeling )You sure can, but you probably won't finish any of them. ( home remodeling )
There's something to be said about the ability to download all the books you've ever wanted in an instant - ( home remodeling )- and the urgency you'll feel to read them at once too. But as soon as the novelty of multitasking wears off, what's left is a bunch of fragmented stories and a whole lot of pages. And that is a surefire way to turn reading into drudgery. ( home remodeling )
Myth No. 4: You'll save money. ( home remodeling )
Reality: ( home remodeling )With $10 a pop for most books, that's doubtful. ( home remodeling )
E-books aren't cheap. ( home remodeling )And if you are used to getting books at thrift stores or through book lending, think twice before buying an e-reader. ( home remodeling )
In the age of tech hype, ( home remodeling ) it's easy to fall in love with every new gadget. But can technology ever replace the beauty of reading the way our ancestors meant for us to do? ( home remodeling )
With more shoppers than ever turning to mobile devices and computers for holiday shopping, many are inadvertently leaving themselves vulnerable to online fraud and scams. Here are 10 ways to avoid becoming a victim this holiday season: ( home remodeling )
Stay away from fishy-looking sites. ( home remodeling )
You can't always tell when a website isn't legitimate, but red flags include poor design, a strange or nonsensical web address, and multiple pop- ( home remodeling )up windows that you can't close. If you notice any of these suspicious signs, stop shopping and close your browser windows. ( home remodeling )
Avoid clicking on hyperlinks embedded in emails. ( home remodeling )
The Better Business Bureau warns that legitimate businesses don't send emails asking for follow ( home remodeling )-up financial information. If an email, even one that claims ( home remodeling ) to be from a familiar retailer, asks you to visit an outside site, don't do it - ( home remodeling )- it could be redirecting you to a scam site. Instead of clicking on a hyperlink, type in the web address that you want to visit into your browser. (home remodeling )
This year, BBB warns consumers about emails coming from the ( home remodeling )"National Automated Clearing House Association" that ask recipients to click on a link or open an attachment. In reality, the email is from scammers, not NACHA ( home remodeling ), which does not send emails regarding individual transactions. Clicking on the link or opening the attachment can result in stolen bank information. ( home remodeling )
Shop on secure websites only - ( home remodeling )- including on smartphones. ( home remodeling )
Adam Levin, founder of ( home remodeling )Credit.com and Identity Theft 911, ( home remodeling )suggests looking for "https" instead of just "http" in the address bar. ( home remodeling ) Also, make sure your computer's anti-virus software is up to date, he says, since you can come across some unwanted viruses when surfing online for deals and good buys. ( home remodeling )
In addition, ( home remodeling )be wary when shopping from mobile devices, since they often lack anti-virus software. Security firm ( home remodeling ) BitDefender ( home remodeling ) reports that shopping with mobile devices -- as 6 in 10 shoppers plan to do - ( home remodeling )- can come with a new set of security challenges, since shortened URLs can more easily trick shoppers into visiting harmful sites. Also, public Wi-Fi ( home remodeling ) access is convenient, but it can also leave your personal information accessible to hackers. Avoid entering passwords and credit card numbers while in public hotspots. ( home remodeling )
Never, ever give your Social Security number to anyone online. ( home remodeling )
If a site asks for it during the checkout process, it's probably a scam site, says Levin. ( home remodeling )
Take advantage of the automatic identity theft protection that comes with many credit cards. ( home remodeling )
That's one reason to use your credit card instead of debit card or cash for holiday shopping. ( home remodeling )If you see erroneous charges on your statement, call your credit card company, which should investigate on your behalf. ( home remodeling )
The Better Business Bureau points out that credit card companies are required to allow shoppers to dispute charges, and many companies cover charges made on stolen cards. ( home remodeling )Don't forget to check your credit card statements frequently (don't just wait until you get your monthly bill) ( home remodeling ) because many card companies have time limits on when customers can dispute charges. ( home remodeling )
Change up your passwords. ( home remodeling )
Consumers are asked to remember dozens of passwords for various retailers, ( home remodeling ) banks, and accounts, and it's almost impossible to remember them all - ( home remodeling )- especially since they often include mixes of numbers and letters. Either keep careful track of your passwords in a secure document, rely on mnemonic devices to boost your memory, or come up with some other clever strategy. But don't stick with simple passwords that are easy for strangers to guess. ( home remodeling )
Review your rights. ( home remodeling )
The Better Business Bureau reminds shoppers that if products aren't shipping on time, consumers have the right to cancel the order and get a refund. ( home remodeling )They can also reject merchandise they deem defective or misrepresented. ( home remodeling )
Avoid strangers on social media. ( home remodeling )
This rule is especially important around the holidays, when many retailers use social media to drum up business. Fraudsters also send malicious messages through social networks. ( home remodeling )BitDefender recommends treating messages from strangers as spam - ( home remodeling )- just ignore them. ( home remodeling )
Don't click on fake holiday e-cards. ( home remodeling )
Festive e-greetings are ubiquitous this time of year, but security firm AppRiver ( home remodeling ) says fake cards can spread viruses. ( home remodeling ) At the risk of being Scrooge, the firm recommends that consumers just delete cards that come from unknown addresses. ( home remodeling )
Review your statements after the holidays. ( home remodeling )
Unfamiliar ( home remodeling )charges on credit card and bank statements are often the first sign of identity theft. If you find an unauthorized charge on your statement, contact your bank or credit card company immediately. Your bank might be able to provide other protective steps as well, such as issuing a new card. ( home remodeling )
Wait long enough, and a study will be published confirming you were right. ( home remodeling )
So it was this past week when a Pew Research Center project revealed that on any given day, more than half of Americans aged 18 to 29 ( home remodeling ) go on the Internet for "no particular reason." ( home remodeling )
Aha! ( home remodeling )
I knew it! ( home remodeling )
I have long since believed that going into cyberspace is a mission young people take not to actually land on a planet, but to cruise around the stars until the ship runs out of gas. ( home remodeling ) The study shows that these young people have no purpose with the ( home remodeling )Web other than "fun," ( home remodeling ) which is why a video of a two drunken Ukrainians can have a gazillion hits. ( home remodeling )
When you're not looking for anything special, the un-special will do just fine. ( home remodeling )
It reminds me of when we were kids, and we came into the house and immediately flipped on the television set. ( home remodeling )
"What are you watching?" ( home remodeling ) our parents asked. ( home remodeling )
"Nothing," we said. ( home remodeling )
"Then why do you have it on?" ( home remodeling )
We had no good answer then, as I suspect kids have no good answer today. ( home remodeling )Their parents ask, "Why are you on that computer?" ( home remodeling )
And they say, ( home remodeling )"Uh ... what?" ( home remodeling )
Now, it's true, ( home remodeling )every generation has its diversions. In the recent Woody Allen movie "Midnight In Paris," ( home remodeling ) the main character thinks life in the 1920s is much more alluring than today, and he gets to go back to that time - ( home remodeling )- only to find a woman who thinks that life in the 1800s is much more alluring then the 1920s. ( home remodeling )
Same thing with diversions. ( home remodeling )We wonder why our kids are on the computer for so long, our parents wondered why we were addicted to the TV set, their parents wondered why the radio always had to be on, and their parents wondered how the horse got disconnected from the buggy. ( home remodeling ) (OK, I made that last one up. My research doesn't go back that far.) ( home remodeling )
But there is special concern with this new online addiction. ( home remodeling )No one was a predator on the radio. ( home remodeling ) No one stole your identity through the ( home remodeling )TV. No one posted anonymous hate mail or vicious rumors through those mediums, nor were they used as a way of communicating with people in lieu of speaking face to face. ( home remodeling )
I am not in the 18-29 ( home remodeling )age group anymore. I barely remember it. But I see so many people of that age drawing all their opinions, news, entertainment and - ( home remodeling )- worst of all ( home remodeling )-- social interaction through a computer screen, that I worry soon the whole world will roll out of bed, ( home remodeling ) plop down and reach for the mouse. ( home remodeling )
That is not how were meant to live. ( home remodeling )
An old teacher of mine once told me he couldn't watch much ( home remodeling )TV because he found it "physically depressing." Not the programs ( home remodeling ). The act of sitting and staring at images. He said he felt worn out after a few TV hours, ( macbook pro apple )even though he barely moved a muscle. ( home remodeling )
I know what he means. I feel that way after too many hours on the computer. It's a cross between wanting to fly away and not wanting to let go. ( home remodeling )There's always one more thing to check. One more site to find. One more search to run. ( home remodeling )
It's this yin-yang that is behind the Pew survey, I believe, and I don't think it's getting better. More and more of our lives are online - ( home remodeling )- banking, shopping, problem-solving. ( home remodeling ) And of course, communicating. We're beginning to hear about people texting in their sleep. ( home remodeling )
It makes you wonder how we ever filled up our time before screens or speakers were invented. ( home remodeling )You know what people did? ( home remodeling )They talked. They visited. ( home remodeling )They sat near fires or rocked on porches. They wrote letters. ( home remodeling )They read quietly. They played with the kids and looked at the stars. ( home remodeling )
You know what we call that today? ( home remodeling )
A vacation. ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )According to one poll, more than half of youths log on to some type of social media site at least once a day. ( home remodeling )Roughly one in four logs on to such sites at least 10 times a day.
( home remodeling )Although digital communities enable youths to socialize with peers and develop multimedia skills, these online forums also have risks. A common one is cyberbullying - ( home remodeling )- a form of bullying that takes place entirely online in cyberspace. ( home remodeling ) Another is sexting ( home remodeling ), a term that combines the words sex and texting and refers to the exchange of sexually explicit digital messages and images. Fortunately there are ways for parents to help their children avoid these new types of harm. ( home remodeling )
CYBERBULLYING ( home remodeling )
Youths who engage in cyberbullying use cell phones, ( home remodeling ) computers, and other digital devices to attack peers. ( home remodeling ) The methods are as varied as the technology. Cyberbullies ( home remodeling )may use text messaging and blogs t ( home remodeling )o spread rumors or share embarrassing information about peers. In "text wars," ( home remodeling )a group of youths sends hundreds or thousands of messages to victims -- who then incur large cell phone bills (unless they're lucky enough to have plans with unlimited text messaging). Other cyberbullies ( home remodeling ) post insulting or sexually explicit comments on victims' Facebook ( home remodeling ) pages. Still others set up online polls (often accompanied by pictures) ( home remodeling ) asking others to vote on the ugliest or fattest teen in a school. ( home remodeling )
One survey found that 43 percent of teenagers said they'd been cyberbullied ( home remodeling ) in the previous year. This form of bullying is more common among girls than boys, and most prevalent at ages 15 and 16. Although some teens shrug off such attacks, others become angry, hurt, embarrassed, or scared. ( home remodeling )
SEXTING ( home remodeling )
One national ( home remodeling )survey found that 20 percent of American ( home remodeling ) teenagers have sent or posted nude or seminude digital images of themselves to peers, while 39 percent of teenagers have sent sexually suggestive text messages, e-mails, or instant messages to others. Most of these teens sent sexually suggestive content to their girlfriends or boyfriends, intending to be flirtatious or funny. But sexting ( home remodeling )can prove embarrassing once a relationship ends, because digital images live on forever. ( home remodeling ) Sexting also exposes teens to legal action. ( home remodeling )
For example, a ( home remodeling )14-year-old girl posted about 30 nude pictures of herself on her own social networking site. ( home remodeling ) Prosecutors initially charged her with distributing child pornography, but then dropped the charges when she agreed to undergo counseling. ( home remodeling )
In another case ( home remodeling ), police charged a 17-year-old ( home remodeling ) boy with possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child after he posted nude pictures of his 16-year-old girlfriend on his social networking site. The teen posted the pictures after becoming angry at his girlfriend. ( home remodeling )
KEEPING KIDS SAFE ( home remodeling )
There's ( home remodeling ) nothing new about teens' ( home remodeling )developmental struggles with aggressive and sexual behavior, ( home remodeling )but technology appears to have had an amplifying effect. ( home remodeling ) The optimistic view is that reasonable standards and limits for online communities ( home remodeling )will evolve. In the meantime, parents can employ time-tested common-sense strategies to protect their children: ( home remodeling )
Communicate ( home remodeling )
Encourage youths to talk about their digital experiences and ask about what networking sites they are visiting - ( home remodeling )- and whether they've encountered any problems online. ( home remodeling )Although teenagers may demand more online privacy than younger children, they may welcome the opportunity to discuss concerns with parents. ( home remodeling )
Educate ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )
Young people may not understand the long-term consequences of posting something online or sending digital images to someone else. ( home remodeling ) It's important to help them understand that a digital "footprint" lives on forever. ( home remodeling )
Brainstorm ( home remodeling )
Identify multiple ways to deal with cyberbullying and sexting, ( home remodeling )so that a young person can find the most comfortable way to deal with online problems. ( home remodeling )Here are some common strategies:
1. ( home remodeling )Don't send e-mails or post information online while angry. ( home remodeling )
2. ( home remodeling )Refuse to pass on insulting messages or suggestive images. ( home remodeling )
3. ( home remodeling )Log off a chat room whenever the conversation turns nasty. ( home remodeling )
4. ( home remodeling )Block a bully electronically, using the options provided by various online communities. ( home remodeling )
5. ( home remodeling )Seek an adult's help when necessary. ( home remodeling )
6. ( home remodeling )Set an example. ( home remodeling )It's not just kids who engage in cyberbullying or sexting. ( home remodeling )Although they usually won't admit it, youths look to parents and other adults for cues about how to behave in the world - ( home remodeling )- and online. Set the right tone online, and your child will notice and be inclined to follow. ( home remodeling )- Harvard Mental Health Letter ( home remodeling )
RESOURCES ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )Family Online Safety Institute: www.fosi.org ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )Stop Cyberbullying: www.stopcyberbullying.org ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )Stop Bullying: www.stopbullying.gov ( home remodeling )
Ever since Eve told Adam, ( home remodeling )"This apple's ( home remodeling )amazing! You've got to try it!" ( home remodeling )word-of-mouth has been the best form of marketing. And yet, until the advent of social media, word-of-mouth marketing on a large scale hasn't existed. In the age of Facebook ( home remodeling ), Twitter and Web 2.0 ( home remodeling ), it's a whole different story. ( home remodeling )
Social media offers the most powerful way to connect with others, ( home remodeling ) allowing you to network with thousands of people (literally!) ( home remodeling ) from the comfort of your own home. Through harnessing the power of word-of-mouth marketing, social media can transform your business, product, service and passion to the next level. ( home remodeling )
Dave Kerpen ( home remodeling ) is the co-founder of Likeable Media and an expert at using social media to grow business and successfully redefine brands for large companies. ( home remodeling )In my recent interview with Dave, he discusses his New York Times Best-Seller, "Likeable Social Media ( home remodeling ): How to Delight Your Customers, ( home remodeling ) Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook ( home remodeling ) (and Other Social Networks) ( home remodeling )." Whether you're new to social media or just starting your business, Dave shows how you can successfully transform your brand, build your reputation and increase your audience. ( home remodeling )
Are your Twitter ( home remodeling ) followers dwindling? ( home remodeling ) Are you searching for an audience who will "Like" your brand? ( home remodeling ) To help you get started, read an excerpt from our conversation below. Then, be sure and listen to the full Dave Kerpen ( home remodeling ) interview at RicherLife.com ( home remodeling ) to learn how social media can help take your business to the next level. ( home remodeling )
Robert: ( home remodeling ) So, I'm the author of a book ( home remodeling ), or I've invented something, or I've started a nonprofit for a cause I really care about. ( home remodeling )What should my first step be moving forward, if I've only dabbled in social media? Maybe I've got a Twitter account or a Facebook ( home remodeling ) page, but I haven't really done anything with it. What's the first thing I should start doing? ( home remodeling )
Dave: ( home remodeling )The very first thing I would start doing is actively listening, which doesn't necessarily involve your ears in social media, but it does involve searching and doing research. ( home remodeling ) Look at keywords. You know, if you're an author, you need to look at keywords that people who read your book might be talking about, right? ( home remodeling ) So, if I wrote a book about social media, I might look for the keywords ( home remodeling )"book on social media. ( home remodeling )" It's really that simple, and just look for people who say, "Hey! Anyone know a good book about social media?" Or, if I have a nonprofit that I want to grow (and obviously that nonprofit is tied to your cause), I look and listen on Twitter, on Facebook ( home remodeling ), on LinkedIn ( home remodeling ), for people talking about that cause. On Googl ( home remodeling )e, you'll find articles written about something, ( home remodeling )but on social networks, you'll find real people talking about any and every topic of choice. And it's not necessarily about searching for your name. If you're a smaller brand or up-and-coming personality, you're not going to find lots of people talking about your name, but you're certainly going to find people talking about things that are relevant to what it is that you do. ( home remodeling )
Robert: Right ( home remodeling ). So, you've got your Facebook ( home remodeling ) page. You're on Twitter. You're searching, listening and reading what people are talking about. At what point do you sort of throw your hat in the ring and actually start communicating with them? ( home remodeling )
Dave ( home remodeling ): I think as soon as you feel like you understand what they want and need, you can start giving it to them. I'm listening to you. I understand you well. If I'm at a cocktail party, once I know that somebody needs an accountant, you know, if I'm a bad sales person, I'm going to say, ( home remodeling )"Hey! I'm an accountant. You should call me ( home remodeling ). Here's my business card." That's not going to work, right? What's going to work is, "I know a great accountant," or, "I know a great resource for finding a great accountant." So, similarly, once you're ready to start a conversation in social media, ( home remodeling ) it's about figuring out what value you can provide to the people that you are connected with, and to the people that you are following, and to the people that are following you. So, for instance, with our social media agency, we have almost 18,000 ( home remodeling ) fans on Facebook ( home remodeling ) already. We've probably updated that page once a day for two years. So, let's say we've had about 750 ( home remodeling ) updates or so. Very, very few of them (and I can count on one hand how many) ( home remodeling ) have been self-promotional. The rest are truly delivering value to people, sharing articles, tips, resources and recommendations to the point where, no kidding, two separate people have walked up to me at conferences and said, "Dave, I just want to thank you for all the amazing content that you share and all the value that you deliver on Facebook ( home remodeling ). I've actually gotten so much great content that I've used it to start my own social media agency." ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )Like with any sleek, new technology, the allure of an e-reader is undeniable. ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )Simply put, the gadget changes history: It brings reading into the digital era, revolutionizing how we interact with books and magazines. ( home remodeling )
Is change always necessary, though? ( home remodeling )For an avid reader like me, at first it was hard to swallow. "Read on-screen for hours?" I wondered in dismay, recalling the flickering PC screen of my youth. (home remodeling ) "I'd rather poke my eyes out." But as e-readers began to pop up everywhere, I came to see their beauty: great resolution, slim size, ultra-portability. Minimalism in reading: brilliant. ( home remodeling )
Soon, my best friend gave me the Barnes ( home remodeling )& Noble Nook for my birthday, and my enthusiasm turned into zeal. Within my first month, I finished two ( home remodeling )e-books. By month two, I had dug into all the classics I'd ever wanted to read. As I downloaded the 800-page Illiad at month three ( home remodeling ), I was sure that soon I'd be through that too, and that by month four, I'd practically be a scholar of antiquity. ( home remodeling )
( home remodeling )Here's what really happened after that: By month four, I was still struggling to get through the first part of the epic, and six months in, I barely remembered what I'd read. And by year's end, I was on a sabbatical from reading altogether. ( home remodeling )
So what went so horribly wrong here? ( home remodeling ) Why did the beautiful e-reader turn out to be, well, just a blip in my own history of reading? ( home remodeling ) I blame these four alluring myths marketers sell you about e-readers:
Myth No. 1: You'll read more. ( home remodeling )
Reality: You won't. ( home remodeling )
Sure, ( home remodeling ) you'll download plenty of e-books with just a few clicks. And you'll start reading them too. But once you realize that each book feels just like the next (same size, font, color, digital notes, etc.), you'll also realize that half the fun of reading is how unique the experience of each book is supposed to be. ( home remodeling ) With e-books, you lose that personal touch. ( home remodeling )
Myth No. 2: If you love book-browsing, you'll love doing it from your couch. ( home remodeling )
Reality: You won't. ( home remodeling )
Like with the ( home remodeling ) Web, you'll often surf the e-reader bookstore, reading sample pages before you buy. The convenience is unquestionable. That is until you realize that the experience of pulling books from real shelves in the quiet sanctuary of a bookstore and then flipping through real pages is irreplaceable. ( home remodeling )
Myth No. 3: ( home remodeling ) You can read five books at the same time! ( home remodeling )
Reality: ( home remodeling )You sure can, but you probably won't finish any of them. ( home remodeling )
There's something to be said about the ability to download all the books you've ever wanted in an instant - ( home remodeling )- and the urgency you'll feel to read them at once too. But as soon as the novelty of multitasking wears off, what's left is a bunch of fragmented stories and a whole lot of pages. And that is a surefire way to turn reading into drudgery. ( home remodeling )
Myth No. 4: You'll save money. ( home remodeling )
Reality: ( home remodeling )With $10 a pop for most books, that's doubtful. ( home remodeling )
E-books aren't cheap. ( home remodeling )And if you are used to getting books at thrift stores or through book lending, think twice before buying an e-reader. ( home remodeling )
In the age of tech hype, ( home remodeling ) it's easy to fall in love with every new gadget. But can technology ever replace the beauty of reading the way our ancestors meant for us to do? ( home remodeling )
With more shoppers than ever turning to mobile devices and computers for holiday shopping, many are inadvertently leaving themselves vulnerable to online fraud and scams. Here are 10 ways to avoid becoming a victim this holiday season: ( home remodeling )
Stay away from fishy-looking sites. ( home remodeling )
You can't always tell when a website isn't legitimate, but red flags include poor design, a strange or nonsensical web address, and multiple pop- ( home remodeling )up windows that you can't close. If you notice any of these suspicious signs, stop shopping and close your browser windows. ( home remodeling )
Avoid clicking on hyperlinks embedded in emails. ( home remodeling )
The Better Business Bureau warns that legitimate businesses don't send emails asking for follow ( home remodeling )-up financial information. If an email, even one that claims ( home remodeling ) to be from a familiar retailer, asks you to visit an outside site, don't do it - ( home remodeling )- it could be redirecting you to a scam site. Instead of clicking on a hyperlink, type in the web address that you want to visit into your browser. (home remodeling )
This year, BBB warns consumers about emails coming from the ( home remodeling )"National Automated Clearing House Association" that ask recipients to click on a link or open an attachment. In reality, the email is from scammers, not NACHA ( home remodeling ), which does not send emails regarding individual transactions. Clicking on the link or opening the attachment can result in stolen bank information. ( home remodeling )
Shop on secure websites only - ( home remodeling )- including on smartphones. ( home remodeling )
Adam Levin, founder of ( home remodeling )Credit.com and Identity Theft 911, ( home remodeling )suggests looking for "https" instead of just "http" in the address bar. ( home remodeling ) Also, make sure your computer's anti-virus software is up to date, he says, since you can come across some unwanted viruses when surfing online for deals and good buys. ( home remodeling )
In addition, ( home remodeling )be wary when shopping from mobile devices, since they often lack anti-virus software. Security firm ( home remodeling ) BitDefender ( home remodeling ) reports that shopping with mobile devices -- as 6 in 10 shoppers plan to do - ( home remodeling )- can come with a new set of security challenges, since shortened URLs can more easily trick shoppers into visiting harmful sites. Also, public Wi-Fi ( home remodeling ) access is convenient, but it can also leave your personal information accessible to hackers. Avoid entering passwords and credit card numbers while in public hotspots. ( home remodeling )
Never, ever give your Social Security number to anyone online. ( home remodeling )
If a site asks for it during the checkout process, it's probably a scam site, says Levin. ( home remodeling )
Take advantage of the automatic identity theft protection that comes with many credit cards. ( home remodeling )
That's one reason to use your credit card instead of debit card or cash for holiday shopping. ( home remodeling )If you see erroneous charges on your statement, call your credit card company, which should investigate on your behalf. ( home remodeling )
The Better Business Bureau points out that credit card companies are required to allow shoppers to dispute charges, and many companies cover charges made on stolen cards. ( home remodeling )Don't forget to check your credit card statements frequently (don't just wait until you get your monthly bill) ( home remodeling ) because many card companies have time limits on when customers can dispute charges. ( home remodeling )
Change up your passwords. ( home remodeling )
Consumers are asked to remember dozens of passwords for various retailers, ( home remodeling ) banks, and accounts, and it's almost impossible to remember them all - ( home remodeling )- especially since they often include mixes of numbers and letters. Either keep careful track of your passwords in a secure document, rely on mnemonic devices to boost your memory, or come up with some other clever strategy. But don't stick with simple passwords that are easy for strangers to guess. ( home remodeling )
Review your rights. ( home remodeling )
The Better Business Bureau reminds shoppers that if products aren't shipping on time, consumers have the right to cancel the order and get a refund. ( home remodeling )They can also reject merchandise they deem defective or misrepresented. ( home remodeling )
Avoid strangers on social media. ( home remodeling )
This rule is especially important around the holidays, when many retailers use social media to drum up business. Fraudsters also send malicious messages through social networks. ( home remodeling )BitDefender recommends treating messages from strangers as spam - ( home remodeling )- just ignore them. ( home remodeling )
Don't click on fake holiday e-cards. ( home remodeling )
Festive e-greetings are ubiquitous this time of year, but security firm AppRiver ( home remodeling ) says fake cards can spread viruses. ( home remodeling ) At the risk of being Scrooge, the firm recommends that consumers just delete cards that come from unknown addresses. ( home remodeling )
Review your statements after the holidays. ( home remodeling )
Unfamiliar ( home remodeling )charges on credit card and bank statements are often the first sign of identity theft. If you find an unauthorized charge on your statement, contact your bank or credit card company immediately. Your bank might be able to provide other protective steps as well, such as issuing a new card. ( home remodeling )
Wait long enough, and a study will be published confirming you were right. ( home remodeling )
So it was this past week when a Pew Research Center project revealed that on any given day, more than half of Americans aged 18 to 29 ( home remodeling ) go on the Internet for "no particular reason." ( home remodeling )
Aha! ( home remodeling )
I knew it! ( home remodeling )
I have long since believed that going into cyberspace is a mission young people take not to actually land on a planet, but to cruise around the stars until the ship runs out of gas. ( home remodeling ) The study shows that these young people have no purpose with the ( home remodeling )Web other than "fun," ( home remodeling ) which is why a video of a two drunken Ukrainians can have a gazillion hits. ( home remodeling )
When you're not looking for anything special, the un-special will do just fine. ( home remodeling )
It reminds me of when we were kids, and we came into the house and immediately flipped on the television set. ( home remodeling )
"What are you watching?" ( home remodeling ) our parents asked. ( home remodeling )
"Nothing," we said. ( home remodeling )
"Then why do you have it on?" ( home remodeling )
We had no good answer then, as I suspect kids have no good answer today. ( home remodeling )Their parents ask, "Why are you on that computer?" ( home remodeling )
And they say, ( home remodeling )"Uh ... what?" ( home remodeling )
Now, it's true, ( home remodeling )every generation has its diversions. In the recent Woody Allen movie "Midnight In Paris," ( home remodeling ) the main character thinks life in the 1920s is much more alluring than today, and he gets to go back to that time - ( home remodeling )- only to find a woman who thinks that life in the 1800s is much more alluring then the 1920s. ( home remodeling )
Same thing with diversions. ( home remodeling )We wonder why our kids are on the computer for so long, our parents wondered why we were addicted to the TV set, their parents wondered why the radio always had to be on, and their parents wondered how the horse got disconnected from the buggy. ( home remodeling ) (OK, I made that last one up. My research doesn't go back that far.) ( home remodeling )
But there is special concern with this new online addiction. ( home remodeling )No one was a predator on the radio. ( home remodeling ) No one stole your identity through the ( home remodeling )TV. No one posted anonymous hate mail or vicious rumors through those mediums, nor were they used as a way of communicating with people in lieu of speaking face to face. ( home remodeling )
I am not in the 18-29 ( home remodeling )age group anymore. I barely remember it. But I see so many people of that age drawing all their opinions, news, entertainment and - ( home remodeling )- worst of all ( home remodeling )-- social interaction through a computer screen, that I worry soon the whole world will roll out of bed, ( home remodeling ) plop down and reach for the mouse. ( home remodeling )
That is not how were meant to live. ( home remodeling )
An old teacher of mine once told me he couldn't watch much ( home remodeling )TV because he found it "physically depressing." Not the programs ( home remodeling ). The act of sitting and staring at images. He said he felt worn out after a few TV hours, ( macbook pro apple )even though he barely moved a muscle. ( home remodeling )
I know what he means. I feel that way after too many hours on the computer. It's a cross between wanting to fly away and not wanting to let go. ( home remodeling )There's always one more thing to check. One more site to find. One more search to run. ( home remodeling )
It's this yin-yang that is behind the Pew survey, I believe, and I don't think it's getting better. More and more of our lives are online - ( home remodeling )- banking, shopping, problem-solving. ( home remodeling ) And of course, communicating. We're beginning to hear about people texting in their sleep. ( home remodeling )
It makes you wonder how we ever filled up our time before screens or speakers were invented. ( home remodeling )You know what people did? ( home remodeling )They talked. They visited. ( home remodeling )They sat near fires or rocked on porches. They wrote letters. ( home remodeling )They read quietly. They played with the kids and looked at the stars. ( home remodeling )
You know what we call that today? ( home remodeling )
A vacation. ( home remodeling )
