Friday Links for 11 April 2014

Some things I’ve been reading this past week…

  1. Why Teens Compulsively Use Social Media: To Live in a Fantasy World of No ConsequencesWhile I do not agree with the title (see my review of danah boyd’s “It’s Complicated” for a brief discussion of her take on this) I do agree with his point that life online is quite real and no longer something separate from real life.
  2. Understanding Teen Internet AddictionAnother article that, I think, misses the fact that teens are driven online by the fact that we have all become so overprotective that we don’t let them socialize any other way too much of the time. That said, the points about parental involvement are key and I agree completely.
  3. In a Largely White Male Tech World, Why Capitalism Needs an UpgradeA fascinating story about a former prison inmate who created a service leveraging technology to keep inmates in touch with their families and its implications for innovation and beyond.
  4. Opinion: School Stabbing Victim Nate Scimio’s Selfie was Perfectly FineSpot-on article in CNN about the infamous selfie Scimio posted after the stabbing incident at his school. People who are up in arms about it do not understand how teens use social media.