“Kids' Internet Safety Expert Katie LeClerc Greer Asks: 'Are The Kids All Right -- On Social Networks?'” plus 2 more |
- Kids' Internet Safety Expert Katie LeClerc Greer Asks: 'Are The Kids All Right -- On Social Networks?'
- Rep asks FTC to look into in-app purchases in kids' games
- Overweight Kids Who Exercise Improve Thinking, Math Skills: Study
| Posted: 11 Feb 2011 07:55 AM PST Posted on: Friday, 11 February 2011, 07:12 CST WALTHAM, Mass., Feb. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kids' Internet Safety Expert Katie LeClerc Greer Asks: "Are the kids all right -- on social networks?" With the increasing popularity of online social networks where kids can play games, communicate with friends and create profiles, parents have many questions about what's appropriate and at what age. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) applies to any Website collecting information from kids under the age of 13, and many popular social networks were not intended for children. One COPPA-compliant, new kids' social network for 7-13-year-olds -- WhatsWhat.me (Beta) (www.whatswhat.me) - takes a unique approach to safety, security and cyberbullying with a combination of patent-pending facial recognition technologies, human moderation and kid-friendly features to create a "kids-only" community that teaches positive online behavior. And, for parents who want to "get smart" about cybersafety and their kids, the WhatsWhat.me Parent Resource Center (www.whatswhat.me/parents) provides expert advice, news and Internet safety tips for children. [To learn more about WhatsWhat.me (Beta) and the Parent Resource Center, obtain the downloadable press kit with FAQs and screenshots, and watch the video, etc., go to: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/whatswhat/48109/ ] It's becoming increasingly important for children to learn how to behave online, especially when one hears daily about cyberbullying incidents and the amount of time kids are online:
Director of Internet Safety and law enforcement expert at www.whatswhat.me, Katie LeClerc Greer says, "Parents and kids need to know the basic rules when it comes to social networking. As specifically stated in the terms of service on many popular social networks, kids under the age of 13 are not allowed; yet, when I meet with 'tweens across the U.S., many of them are on these sites, unbeknownst to their parents. Because social networking is so popular, it's imperative for both kids and parents to have a safe, secure, age-appropriate solution for kids, as social networks are here to stay." WhatsWhat.me (Beta): Safe, Secure, "Kids-only"& No Cyberbullying Allowed Ms. Greer emphasizes in her "Internet/Technology Safety for Kids" seminars with parents across the U.S., education is key for both parents and children regarding teaching positive online behavior. Finding a kids-only social network to help kids learn and practice in a safe, secure environment helps prepare kids for the digital world in which they live. Following are the unique, patent-pending technologies that make WhatsWhat.me (Beta) - a safe, secure and educational option:
Finally ... Parents Can "Just Say Yes": Parent of "tweens," founder and CEO of WhatsWhat.me (Beta) Vincent Cannistraro says, "From personal experience, I know how great it is to say, 'Yes!' finally to kids about social networking. We invite parents to explore WhatsWhat.me (Beta), our Parent Resource Center, watch our video, engage in the important discussion about kids and Internet safety, and 'Ask the Expert' Katie LeClerc Greer any questions they may have." In summing up the WhatsWhat.me mission, Mr. Cannistraro stated, "We believe that today's youth will benefit from being prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the digital world. The entire WhatsWhat.me (Beta) team is dedicated to teaching children how to make intelligent, safe and appropriate choices every time they go online. Our site fosters an age-appropriate, "no-bullying allowed" community while teaching positive online behavior and related life skills." About Director of Internet Safety, Katie LeClerc Greer: Katie is a pioneer in children's cybersafety and travels the country educating students, parents, the media, communities, and law enforcement officials. She served as the Director of Internet Safety at the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, worked as an Intelligence Analyst with the Massachusetts State Police, holds a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice and is currently working toward a Master's in Digital Investigations. About WhatsWhat.me (Beta): WhatsWhat.me (Beta) is a "kids-only" Website www.whatswhat.me that provides safe, secure social networking for kids ages 7 to 13 ("tweens") and utilizes patent-pending facial recognition technologies, moderation and kid-friendly features. WhatsWhat.me (Beta) is compliant with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and fosters an age-appropriate, "no-bullying allowed" community while teaching positive online behavior, Internet safety and related life skills. For parents, WhatsWhat.me (Beta) offers its Parent Resource Center www.whatswhat.me/parents providing expert advice, news and information on cybersafety for children. WhatsWhat.me (Beta) Customer Service: 1-888-520-3211. For more information, please go to: www.whatswhat.me Media Contact: Jeanie Ryan at Jeanie@whatswhat.me or 603-235-5266. SOURCE WhatsWhat.me (Beta) Source: PR Newswire This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Rep asks FTC to look into in-app purchases in kids' games Posted: 09 Feb 2011 12:55 PM PST Massachusetts Representative Edward Markey has penned a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, asking them to look into the risks of additional charges for in-app upgrades and purchases in iPhone and iPad apps geared towards children, according to the Washington Post . Markey said in a statement that he was concerned about the rising popularity and purchasing power of apps could deceptively suck money from parents' pockets. "Companies shouldn't be able to use smurfs and snowflakes and zoos as online ATMs, pulling money from the pockets of unsuspecting parents," he wrote. Markey's request stems from an earlier report in the Post on games and apps aimed at kids that have amassed large bills for in-game purchases. For instance, a girl from Rockville, Maryland managed to rack up a $1400 bill for improvements and upgrades she made in her Smurfs' Village app. But it's also important to note that this isn't just kids tapping and buying willy-nilly. Parents have some degree of control over how much their child can do on an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. For example, in most cases purchasing apps or additional content requires entering the password for an iTunes Store account. (The one exception is that the password isn't required for 15 minutes after it's been entered for a purchase.) Parents can also disable App Store access and/or in-app purchases altogether via the parental controls under Settings -> General -> Restrictions. Of course, despite whatever laws and restrictions might eventually comes from this, parents ultimately determine the extent to which kids actually get to use these devices. If you're worried about having to drop a mortgage payment just to pay off junior's Farmville bill, maybe it's time to dial back his access. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Overweight Kids Who Exercise Improve Thinking, Math Skills: Study Posted: 11 Feb 2011 11:02 AM PST FRIDAY, Feb. 11 (HealthDay News) -- When overweight, sedentary kids start to exercise regularly, their ability to think, to plan and even to do math improves, a new study suggests. In addition, exercise was linked to increased activity in the parts of the brain associated with complex thinking and self-control, according to brain imaging scans analyzed by the researchers. "This implies that chronic sedentary behavior is compromising children's ability and achievement," said lead researcher Catherine Davis, a clinical health psychologist at the Georgia Prevention Institute at Georgia Health Sciences University in Augusta. "We know that exercise is good for you, but we didn't have very good evidence [before this] that it would help children do better in school," said Davis. Although this study was done among overweight children, she believes that similar results would be seen in normal-weight kids. Davis speculates that these positive changes are a result of a combination of biological and environmental factors. "There are some neural growth factors that have been identified in mice that exercise," she said. These benefits may include more brain cells and more connections between them. But there are also social and environmental factors, she noted. "[There's] more stimulation when things are moving faster and when you're moving. So it is cognitively stimulating to move," Davis said. With one-third of U.S. children overweight, Davis thinks that exercise needs to become an essential part of children's lives. "Make sure your child has a balanced life -- not only that they study, but that they learn to take care of their bodies as well," she said. The report is published in the January issue of Health Psychology. For the study, Davis's team randomly assigned 171 overweight children 7 to 11 years old, to either 20 minutes or 40 minutes of vigorous exercise every day after school or to no exercise. The exercise program focused on fun and safety rather than competition and skill, and included running games, hula hoops and jump ropes. Researchers found it raised their heart rates to 79 percent of maximum, which is considered vigorous. The researchers evaluated the children using standard achievement tests known as the Cognitive Assessment System and Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement III. Some children also had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of their brains. The MRIs found that children who exercised had increased activity in the so-called executive function area of the brain -- associated with self-control, planning, reasoning and abstract thought -- as well as the prefrontal cortex. The latter is the part of the brain linked with complex thinking and correct social behavior, the researchers noted. There was also decreased activity in an area of the brain that's behind the prefrontal cortex. The shift seems to be tied to faster developing of cognitive skills, Davis said. In addition, the more the kids exercised, the more the intelligence-test scores went up. An average increase of 3.8 points on scores in cognitive planning skills was noted in kids who exercised 40 minutes a day for three months, the researchers found. Children who exercised 20 minutes a day experienced smaller gains. There were also improvements in math skills, but not reading ability. "The finding of improved math achievement is remarkable, given that no academic instruction was provided, and suggests that a longer intervention period may result in more benefit," the researchers said. Commenting on the study, Samantha Heller, a dietitian, nutritionist and exercise physiologist, said: "Take a bunch of kids, put them outside, give them some balls, jump ropes and street chalk, and they will be running, jumping and playing hopscotch in no time." They become happier, more energetic, smarter kids, she said. "Children's bodies know intuitively that exercise is essential for healthy brain and body function. But when we deny children their natural instincts and allow them to stultify in front of a TV or computer, they become lethargic [and] moody," Heller said, adding that sedentary kids are also prone to being overweight and may do poorly in school. "It seems a no-brainer to me that for kids' brains to be healthy, they should be encouraged to participate in regular exercise and given the time and place for it," Heller concluded. "We need to turn off the computers, TVs, cell phones and iPads and let kids do what they do naturally: Run around and play." More information For more information on kids and exercise, visit the Nemours Foundation. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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