Digiteen

Diverse opinions are critical to constructive dialog. Diversity enriches a group. But there is a line between constructive critical thinking and behavior which demeans individuals and potentially destroys communities. It is a fine line with no obvious answer for a facilitator. The goal of this piece is to think about how to support diverse and divergent thinking while reducing the likelihood of personal conflict and group destruction. And this conflict often arises due to misunderstanding. So it is about conflict beteen people, not between ideas. This is an important distinction!

Avoiding Misunderstandings Emoticons can also be utilized to avoid misunderstandings. A joke sent over the internet may be construed as a serious statement by the receiver, which can lead to negative consequences in interpersonal relationships. A serious statement may be interpreted sarcastically, hindering accurate communication between individuals. Including an emoticon with the message helps indicate the sender's original intent and avoid a misunderstanding. For example, sending a :) emoticon with your joke helps the receiver understand that you were joking, not being serious.

Any time you experience problems logging in to the game servers, the first step is to verify they are online.

Nearly every study performed on the topic has found not only a direct correlation between age and Internet addiction, but also one between age and neglect of work. That is to say that teenagers and young adults are more likely to be addicted to the Internet than any other age group, and among all people suffering from this addiction, teenagers and young adults are more likely to neglect work (school or employment) than older adults with similar addictive behavior. In fact, in the most widely recognized study of its kind, age was the only factor that was a direct and constant contributor to this addiction across all other factors.[1] While this may be good news, suggesting that teenagers and young adults might grow out of their addiction (or reduce their intake) as they age, because this is a new "genre" of behavior, this data might simply reveal that teenagers and young adults are "early adapters." What this means, essentially, is that they may have found this addiction before the rest of the population. If this is the case, today's Internet-Addicted teenagers and young adults may carry it with them into adulthood. In fact, Stanford University's School of Medicine found that nearly one in eight Americans suffers from at least one sign of problematic Internet abuse (although this does not in and of itself constitute addiction).[2] Internet abuse is so widespread that the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders), which is published by the American Psychiatric Association, is reported to be considering adding it to its next release, alongside such issues as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and borderline personality disorders.[3] Indeed, as children and teenagers are still developing their brains, they may grow accustomed to the speed and flashy graphics associated with the Internet and actually adapt their physiology, developing problems such as ADHD, and becoming generally more impatient than people raised without the instant gratification offered by the Internet

Ways to Prevent Cybercrime Many cybercrimes start with malware. Criminals use malware to steal personal information and commit fraud. Avoid malware with these STOP. THINK. CONNECT. Tips: Keep a clean machine: Having the latest security software, web browser, and operating system are the best defenses against viruses, malware, and other online threats. Automate software updates: Many software programs will automatically connect and update to defend against known risks. Turn on automatic updates if that’s an available option. Protect all devices that connect to the Internet: Along with computers, smart phones, gaming systems, and other web-enabled devices also need protection from viruses and malware. Plug & scan: “USBs” and other external devices can be infected by viruses and malware. Use your security software to scan them. Protect your $$: When banking and shopping, check to be sure the sites is security enabled. Look for web addresses with “https://” or “shttp://”, which means the site takes extra measures to help secure your information. “Http://” is not secure. Back it up: Protect your valuable work, music, photos, and other digital information by making an electronic copy and storing it safely.

Video games can be very addicting; in fact, some people accuse developers of making the games addictive on purpose. The following are 10 cases of video game addiction that get more and more extreme. 10 Skipping School I’ve skipped school before, but this kid takes the cake for the most elaborate excuse. A 15-year-old from Perth, Australia, skipped school to play online games for over 16 hours a day, over a full three weeks. How did he do this? Every morning he put on his school uniform until his mother went to work. As soon as she left, he would change out of it and started playing. His mother would return home after he was supposed to have come home from school. To cover for himself at school, he had informed the school he was having surgery. His parents finally caught on to his ruse when the school contacted them to check up on him. 9 Teen Burns Classmate How many of us have gotten into a schoolyard scuffle? We’ve all been there, but a boy in Beijing took it to the next level. Apparently having lost himself in the game, World of Warcraft, he “became” a fire mage in his mind, and set his classmate on fire. For those who don’t play World of Warcraft, I’m sure it’s fairly easy to deduce what a fire mage does by putting two and two together. 8 Fifty-Hour Starcraft Session I’ve pulled all-nighters before while playing games, but a man in South Korea almost pulled off three all-nighters…in a row. After a 50-hour Starcraft session, the South Korean man collapsed and died from heart failure. It was presumed that his death was caused by exhaustion, because he had only stopped to use the washroom and for short periods of sleep. There have been other cases in China where people have been playing anywhere from 3 to 15 days. However I chose to include this one because it received attention from a major news agency. 7 Suicide over a Game On December 27, 2004, Xioyi left a suicide note saying he wanted “to join the heroes of the game he worshiped.” The thirteen-year-old then jumped off a tall building after playing World of Warcraft for 36 hours straight. His parents are now suing the Chinese distributors of the game for $12,500. 6 Girl Dies Because of Neglect A three-year-old South Korean girl died of neglect when her parents spent more time raising a virtual girl than her. The game they had been playing was Prius Online, a game similar to Second Life where players work virtual jobs and well… live a second, virtual, life. The couple had left for a 12-hour gaming session at an internet café, leaving their daughter unattended. Upon returning home, they found her dead. googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1350520431768-2');

1 in 6 U.S. high school students were bullied through e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, websites or texting in the previous year.

Cyberbullying is a serious issue. In extreme cases, it may have legal and/or psychological consequences for the victim and bully.