Kevin Hodgson > Recent Status Updates

Ahh - AJ -- you make me wonder about health in all new ways

I breezed through the end. But I liked the way that Steyer gives solid advice to worried parents around ways to keep technology in check. He advocates stiff privacy measures, limited screen time, parent involvement and exploration, open discussions with children, and strongly suggests resistance to Facebook and cell phones and more for as long as possible, to allow children a low-screen (but not no-screen) childhood.

Good advice for parents here. Steyer suggests in this second part of the book ways that parents can consider the impact of media/technology on the growing mind. I like that he reminds us that when parents post a cute picture of their baby online, they are creating the first "digital footprint" of that child. I don't think too many young parents think about that. Getting past the baby years now to ages of my own kids.

"Kids Are More Than Data Points" -- great chapter title and a call to the young executives at powerful social media companies to consider the privacy of kids as they formulate business plans that call for more and more openness, and more and more use of data (usually, for profit). This chapter ends the first section of critique, and now Steyer moves into recommendations for parents.

Here, the positives of technology and education get explores: the ability to connect, the individual instruction possibilities, the use of multimedia (and gaming) to engage learners. Steyer notes that a balance is necessary here: we need to open the doors to possibilities but also make sure that parents and teachers are involved in guiding young people forward.

The loss of innocence runs through this chapter, particularly when it comes to what the Internet and video games expose to young minds not yet ready for sex and violence and other adult material, and I agree with Steyer. And, as a teacher who teaches technology and writing, finding a balance between appropriate use of technology is something I think about a lot. As a parent, I think about it even more, I think.

One of the most powerful components of this book is Steyer's stand on privacy invasions by techn companies such as Facebook and Google when it comes to children. He zeroes in on the profit incentive by companies to make privacy settings complex, & why they often turn their backs on helping parents help their children with privacy issues. This is a HUGE issue with my students and, as a parent, with us at home.

Addiction or compulsion? Here, the book explores the idea of technology addiction, with Steyer making a case for the ways that technology has become a security blanket for kids and teens ... and adults. But it is addiction? I'm not so sure about that. He also explores some of the brain/mind research now underway and this is certainly worth keeping an eye on, particularly how our young children are being impacted.

I was intrigued in particular by the issues around identity issues with girls when it comes to Facebook profiles, & how comments impacted self-esteem (& how girls use photoshop for profile images & then solicit positive comment from friends, in order to generate more positive remarks from others). Steyer does focus on some positives of social networks, but reminds us that kids have different experience than adults.

I just finished the introduction. I'm a little concerned that Steyer may dip too much into scare tactics, but I am going on faith that he will try to help educators and parents get a balanced view of how to help children navigate childhood in this digital age. I like his focus here on RAP: Relationships, Attention, and Privacy. Those are three important topics to hang a book on.