How to Handle Twitter Handles

twitter handles

Twitter is a fascinating social network; and perhaps the most controversial, leaving users more vulnerable than most other platforms might. Whether you are a high school student or a professional, Twitter is one of the more public and therefore searchable social media sites – and yet people are encouraged to use their real name and identity for it to work effectively. Unlike other platforms such as Facebook, where you can custom control who sees your content, or Instagram, where you often follow protocol and select a private account with a cutesy pseudonym, Twitter thrives on its immediacy and authentic exposure. It’s no wonder that this social network in particular has emerged a true global and political force filled with moving hashtag campaigns and viral news – but it is also more often a venue for public disgrace and scandal (here’s looking at you, Kanye…)

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Trolling & On Line Bullying

trolling and online bullying

There is something about the internet that can often tap into a dark place. You are virtually connected to millions of people via social media at any given time you log on,  yet it’s easy to feel you are removed or anonymous as your eyes skim endless pages of images and data – you are on the outside, looking in. Often, the instances where we peruse the internet are the times we are alone; perhaps it is in the evening when time frees up; perhaps you are in a different state of mind as the stress of the day or feelings of fatigue or loneliness may creep in.

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Social Media and The Careful Curation of Self

social media and identity

A recent New York Times article highlighted the lives of teen girls as they begin to build a curated social identity around Facebook and other networks. Social media may allow us to take control of the ways in which we want others to perceive us, though it doesn’t necessarily represent how we truly feel about ourselves, nor does it paint an accurate picture of the people in our lives. Is this dangerous, or a necessary way to assert our identity though social “decoration” – our updated baubles and painstakingly perfect selfies holding up the ideal version of our best selves on a good day?

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[Net]working It, Part II: Using LinkedIn Effectively For Teens

LinkedIn For Teenagers

Part II of recent post, GIRL YOU BETTER [NET]WORK IT: TOP 10 TIPS TO GET AHEAD.

With over 175 million users, LinkedIn is certainly a resource you want to familiarize yourself with. Even for teens, LinkedIn is a powerful tool for establishing connections and maintaining professional relationships that may be of value in the future. Below are a few tips for getting started and building a strong network.

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5 Tips for Keeping it Clean in an Era of Over-sharing

One time, at Band Camp...

One time, at Band Camp…

Constructing an on-line identity is powerful tool, both socially and- eventually- professionally. It’s hard to imagine when you open your first facebook or instagram account and post that amazing selfie (the light was perfect) that you are starting a life-long trail of personal images, thoughts and even emojis that will follow you into your 40’s and beyond. The internet is such a commonplace, every day tool for social interaction and research that it’s sometimes hard to fathom that it can also be used against you! Whether you plan to apply to college, a part time job, or to be the future President of the United States or Late Night talk show host, it’s critical to be aware of the persona you are putting out into the word via the web. You will see yourself again someday- frozen in time as a 15 year old. You’re pretty great, but you might not want your 1-D obsession following you to law school.

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Burnbook: New App, Old Concept, Changing Rules.

burn book & cyber bullying

Many high schools across the country are dealing with bullying and fall-outs from the new app, Burnbook. While anything in the latest app-form seems cutting edge, the idea of the “Burn” or “Slam” book has been around for as long as composition note books and pencils (note: even before the movie Mean Girls80’s YA novels dealt a heavy-handed lesson when it came to anonymous bullying.) Burnbook, however- an app that lets users target and attack specific people with name-calling, public shaming, and even violent threats- is slightly different in today’s ever-shrinking, all-too-public world, thanks to the viral capacity of social networking. What was once “name-calling” on the playground has evolved into a tweet or comment that can reach thousands of followers in just minutes, and the results can be long-lasting, deeply damaging, and even deadly.

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