A survey released in December by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project found that 4% of teens ages 12-17 who own a cell phone say they have sent sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude images or videos of themselves to someone else via text messaging, a practice also known as “sexting”; 15% say they have received such images of someone they know via text message.

“Teens explained to us how sexually suggestive images have become a form of relationship currency,” said Amanda Lenhart,

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A recent survey by Common Sense Media shows that 35 percent of students use their cell phones to cheat on tests. Here’s how they do it:

Happily, teachers…

 The New York Times reported yesterday that cyberspace may not be as threatening to children and teens as we’re led to believe:

A task force created by 49 state attorneys general to look into the problem of sexual solicitation of children online has concluded that there really is not a significant problem.

The findings ran counter to popular perceptions of online dangers as reinforced by depictions in the news media like NBC’s “To Catch a Predator” series. One attorney general was quick to criticize the group’s report.

The panel, the

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I totally agree with Hank Williams’ thought here that the fun factor in Apple products relates to what’s missing in education these days.

And that includes just about everybody in the age-group, apparently. A recent survey released by the Pew Internet & American Life Project finds 99 percent of teenage boys say they are gamers. About 94 percent of girls say the same.

The happy news is that teens playing video games are not the solitary and dark people we may imagine or fear. In fact, this Yahoo news report on the study, says:

If any kids are reading this, here’s the part that should really win

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I just read a transcription of a brilliant speech given at this year’s Web 2.0 conference by Clay Shirkyon, author of Here Comes Everybody. He speaks of our societal ”cognitive surplus,” the mental time freed up as we’ve moved from physically taxing work and long hours to a more balanced, cognitive work and lifestyle. When the industrial revolution took hold in the early 1900s, people dealt with the new urban life by drinking. (Skirkyon calls it a collective bender.) In the 1960s, people dealt with the new suburban life by…

My friend Paul sent me this link about the number of parents who play video games with their kids. I have to admit, I haven’t done this much lately. Until this month. We received a wonderful TV-plug-in miniature golf game from my brother for Christmas, and the whole family has been playing the Pirate’s Cove course like crazy. The graphics are straight out of Atari and the ’80s, and it’s a leisurely pace, but it truly feels like you’re standing on a tiny…