A conversation with Chris DeWolfe And Tom Anderson, founders of Myspace.com

Excellent video tutorial by Larry Magid of ConnectSafely.org. It walks users through the process of setting up privacy settings on a Facebook account.

Better Think Again Before You Post Those Spring Break or Mardi Grad Party Pics! Are you having fun posting party pictures, Spring Break vacation photos and personal information about boyfriends and girlfriends on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and other favorite social networking sites? If so, you probably have a big digital footprint that might keep you from getting a job or getting into college

If adults want to learn how to connect with kids and help them be safer online, we need to understand what really matters to them-and keep the lines of real-world communication open.

Mark Zuckerberg, founder of the social networking Website, Facebook.

Designed for non-techies, this excellent presentation by Melanie McBride provides an introductory overview of web2.0 social media tools and trends. It also concerns challenges unique to school boards, their members and the communities they serve.

Giving Students Ownership of Learning: Footprints in the Digital Age. In the Web 2.0 world, self-directed learners must be adept at building and sustaining networks.

Results from this CosmoGirl survey of teens and young adults show that 21% of teen girls and 18% of teen boys have sent/ posted nude or semi-nude images of themselves. What is going on with teens, tech, and sex?

By now, you've heard the buzz about MySpace and Facebook, but you may still be wondering what all the fuss is about. Maybe you're a little mystified by the whole social networking craze, or you're a little wary about venturing into your students' territory. But what if we told you it can actually be good for your career?

Doug Foderman and Marje Monroe of ChildrenOnline.org review concerns about Facebook and the risks for kids.\n\nThey have Facebook accounts and actually see it as a wonderful, and valuable, resource. However, just because Facebook says that anyone 14 years or old CAN use Facebook, doesn't mean that they should. It isn't an age-appropriate or developmentally healthy place for our children and younger teens to hang out. Facebook is not working to protect our children and the laws in our country are terribly inadequate to safeguard our children online, in general. Not enough is being done to protect and educate children and teens against the risks that come from using the Internet, and Facebook in particular. We (adults, parents, educators) need to do more.

When it comes to job hunting, people have no shortage of concerns: preparing a compelling resume, providing polished answers to interview questions, and having excellent references, just to name a few. But since the word "Google" became a verb, job seekers have one more thing to worry about: ensuring their online records won't deter hiring managers from making a job offer. Many employers are incorporating an informal online search of applicants into their review process. Whether or not negative information about you exists on the web, it's a good idea to ensure there are plenty of positive associations. This article from the folks at Adobe makes four recommendations for how to manage your digital footprint.

Five ideas to enable educators to develop and model a purposeful and professional digital footprint.\n\n1-Model responsible footprinting with your own practices in blogging, commenting, social networking, and picture posting.\n2-If you have established a professional blog, share it widely and proudly such as placing it in your email signature (if your employer will let you) and as Jeff Utecht suggests include your blog url when you comment on others blogs and in other forums. This enables others to see best practices and is a great way to get the conversation started.\n3-Google yourself (aka ego surfing). If you have something posted online that you'd be uncomfortable having a current or future student, parent, colleague, or employer find, delete it (if you can) or request that it be deleted. There are ways an aggressive internet detective can still find this information, but most won't go through the trouble and the mere fact that you deleted it shows some level of responsibility.\n4-If you do have online personal information and/or interests you wouldn't want discovered, use an unidentifiable screen name/avatar. This means you may need to update your screen name/avatar in your existing online presence.\n5-Engage in the conversation and professionally comment, reply, and present online, onsite, and at conferences.

Watch this video to learn how to talk to your children about the dangers of posting personal information online and the effect of cyberbullying on others.

Steps parents can take to help kids avoid being victims of cyberbullying.
Kids have always been challenged by bullies, particularly at school. But in a high-tech age where the Internet, a personal cell phone and social networking Web sites such as Facebook and MySpace have become an integral part of young lives, there's a new kind of bully on the block.\n\n

Researchers at IBM and MIT have found that certain e-mail connections and patterns at work correlate with higher revenue production

Teachable moment in which a teen on Facebook filled out car loan applications to get extra points in an game online. The son foolishly gave out personal family information.

Cyberbullying, online predators, and other Internet-related dangers make headlines almost daily. Fear of what lies beyond that glowing screen at which our kids so love to stare dominates the current perception of what the Internet has become. In this climate of perceived threat, schools do what we all do with that of which we are afraid. We avoid the threat and try to forget it's out there.\n\n

If your kids go to Web sites like Club Penguin or Webkinz or play games like World of Warcraft, then they've created alter egos called avatars. This video tells parents what they need to know about Avatars.