Category: social media

There’s an interesting lawsuit against Facebook snaking it’s way through the legal system. Here’s the gist of the complaint: The lawsuit alleges that Facebook’s photo-tagging system violated user privacy by creating faceprints — geometric representations of a person’s face — without explicit consent. Those faceprints are typically used to identify users to suggest tags for uploaded photos.…

Here are two competing, intertwined questions rolling around the free spaces of my life lately like a driverless steamroller. Success, Pursuit or Arrival: Which Satisfies? Question One: What does a successful life look like?  A few years ago a friend said to me, “You live at a rare intersection where you love what you do, you’re good…

I feel like I’m constantly asked, “When is the right age for my child to get [insert social media app name]? The answer is really simple: Thirteen. Why? The Federal Trade Commission says so in a law that governs every social media app and online service. The law is called the Child Online Privacy Protection…

Put it on silent. Leave it in your pocket. Don’t even check the time. I find myself going through this mental checklist more and more. In some ways it feels like it’s the greatest compliment I can give someone when we hang out. First, I know it’s not expected. Let’s say I’m hanging out with…

Last week, I listened to this podcast interview with Walter Kirn [best known as the author of Up in the Air], largely based on his November 2015 article  in The Atlantic, “If You’re Not Paranoid, You’re Crazy.” As I travel around talking to leaders, parents, and teenagers about mobile devices I get questions from a myriad…

Among researchers there’s some controversy surrounding a study conducted by Facebook internal Core Data Science Team. At issue is an experiment conducted to see if adjustments to Facebook’s timeline algorithm, which determines which of your friends status’ to show you, can be manipulated to effect your mood. Here’s the study, “Experimental evidence of massive-scale emotional contagion…

Back in November I heard from an 8th grade student who wanted to interview me about Snapchat for a research project she was writing for school. Her questions were probing, interesting, and excellent! With her permission, and the permission of her parents, I am sharing that interview today. J: Why was snapchat created? Adam: In my post, Why…

Over the past several months I’ve worked Nextdoor into my loop of social media sites I participate in. If you’re not familiar with Nextdoor, here’s how they describe themselves: Nextdoor is the private social network for you, your neighbors and your community. It’s the easiest way for you and your neighbors to talk online and…

A couple weeks back I went to the Association of Youth Ministry Educators annual conference, affectionately known as AYME. I was there as an exhibitor for the Cartel. But since the topic of this years conference was Technology and Transformation I got to attend as a learner, as well. (How awesome that they had a…