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MySpace, Web, Social Networking

Girls, ACLU Sue School Over Punishment for Racy MySpace Photos

Two teenage Indiana girls have sued their high school after the administration punished them for posting sexually suggestive photos of themselves on MySpace, the Associated Press reports. The ACLU, which is representing the two sophomores, argues that the school overstepped its bounds by handing down the punishment and, in so doing, violated the girls' rights to free speech. Attorneys with the ACLU also pointed out that the photos didn't involve the school, and that officials needlessly humiliated the two by making them apologize to an all-male board of coaches. The Supreme Court has previously ruled that schools do have the right to punish students for off-campus behavior, so long as the school can justify that the behavior was disruptive and that similar activities were likely to occur at the school, itself.

In this particular case, the girls took photos during a sleepover held during their summer vacation and posted them on MySpace, adjusting the privacy settings so that only their friends could see them. Eventually, though, the photos circulated throughout the school, and, as some of them showed the lingerie-clad girls licking a phallic lollipop, Principal Austin Couch banned the girls from fall sports, and made them apologize and undergo counseling. According to Couch's attorney, he was simply enforcing the school's athletic code, which allows a principal to punish student athletes for any activity that "creates a disruptive influence on the discipline, good order, moral or educational environment at Churubusco High School."

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Advice, Editor's Picks, Web, Social Networking

10 Tips for Dealing With Family on Facebook

It's probably the scariest friend request you'll ever get: Your mom (or dad... or, God forbid, grandparent) has joined Facebook – and they want to connect. Sure, you love them – and you're happy they're embracing the digital age – but do you really want to keep them that informed about what you're up to?

Denying the request is usually out of the question, so how do you avoid those awkward moments, when your family invades your public privacy? Switched.com did some research and talked to a few people about their own experiences with parental units, and how they dealt with them. We're keeping to just their first names, to protect them -- you know, just in case their parents are reading this article. Without further ado, here are some tips on dealing with family on Facebook.

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Green Tech, Visionaries

Hair-Brained Teen May Revolutionize Solar Panel Industry

Milan Karki, an 18-year-old Nepalese student who idolizes inventor Thomas Edison, has been experimenting with electricity since he was a child. His goal is to create low-cost, low-maintenance providers of energy in order to cheaply and efficiently bring power to remote, impoverished villages.

Karki and four of his classmates now believe they have successfully accomplished that task and are publicizing the details of their attempts to revolutionize solar electricity. Instead of the expensive silicon components typically used to conduct energy in solar panels, the Karki team used human hair in their working panel.

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Cell Phones, Social Networking

Parents Now Inescapable Thanks to Text-Nagging


While cell phones and social networking provide kids with a sense of independence and maturity, that same technology also ensures that a particularly nosy and invasive group can keep a tight clamp on newly found teen cyber-freedom.

According to the Washington Post, parents are increasingly using online grading systems, Facebook, and text messaging to not only keep tabs on their kids, but, more importantly, to constantly nag their progeny into submission. Tech-savvy mother Martha McGrath told the Post that she celebrates "the plethora of nagging options," and many other parents seems to agree with the sentiment.

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Cell Phones, Social Networking

Tweens in Peril Update Facebook Status Instead of Dialing 911


If you were trapped or lost in a storm drain, but still had cell phone reception, how would you reach out for help? Perhaps call 911, or its equivalent? We're sure you wouldn't rely on updating your Facebook status.

But that's exactly what a pair of girls in Adelaide, Australia did when they wandered into just such a drain Sunday. The 10- and 12-year-old girls used their cell phones to update their statuses on the social networking site in order to let friends know they were lost under the streets of their suburban neighborhood. The Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) rescued the girls, but only after their friends had called 000, the Australian equivalent of 911.

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Cell Phones

Vermont Teen Going to the Slammer for 'Sexting'

In recent years, 'sexting' has entered our lexicon, frightening the parents of teens with cell phones and other mobile devices. Now, lawmakers and judges are cracking down on the act, and, as a result, a Vermont teen is headed to prison.

According to the Associated Press, 18-year-old Isaac Owusu will serve 90 days of a two-year sentence in a Vermont prison after pleading guilty to two counts of committing a prohibited act and one count of lewd and lascivious conduct this past Thursday in what was the state's first sexting case. It could've been worse for the teen from Morrisville, who told two teenage girls to send him videos or photos of them performing sexual acts. However, Vermont lawmakers recently decriminalized sexting, which led to sexual assault charges against Owusu being dropped as part of a plea deal.

Legislators say they passed the loosened sexting law because they didn't want teens to be labeled as sex offenders due to, in the words of the AP, "something so foolish." We doubt the parents of the two girls involved think this situation is "foolish," at all. While this young man didn't physically interact with these girls in any inappropriate way, his behavior is nevertheless unacceptable. Lawmakers need to send a hard message to teens: Sexting isn't okay. A reduced sentence doesn't accomplish that. [From: AP/ABC News]

Web, Social Networking

Is Twitter Too Public for Teens?

It's hard to think of Twitter as the underdog, but it certainly isn't in the cool crowd. The micro-blogging site is defying long-held beliefs that it takes a teenage army to bring popularity on the Web. That's right: Twitter hasn't caught on with teens, yet.

The New York Times reports only about 11-percent of Twitter users are between the ages of 12 and 17. So, just how has Twitter become a social phenomenon without the younger set? There's no simple answer. Since many people use Twitter for business purposes (like marketing and keeping up with news) some teens view it as 'lame' or too grown-up. Twitter is also a very open and public form of communication, which is something many youngsters avoid, of their own volition or at protective parents' behest.

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Web, Social Networking

First Convicted Cyber-Bully Is Jailed

Cyber-bullying and Web-related deaths have become increasingly troubling in Great Britain, particularly since over a one-year period 17 teens haved killed themselves, allegedly because of social networking sites. The suicides even prompted the head of the U.K. Roman Catholic Church to comment that "a key factor in their committing suicide is the trauma of transient relationships," referring to the easily dissolvable friendships based on social networking sites like Facebook.

According to the Daily Mail, last Monday, 18-year-old Keeley Houghton became the first Briton to actually be jailed for cyber-bullying after she threatened to kill fellow teenager Emily Moore this past July. Houghton, who had previously been convicted twice of intimidating Moore, posted, "Keeley is going to murder the *****" on Facebook. Authorities charged Houghton with harassment. Houghton pled guilty and was sentenced to three months in a juvenile detention facility.

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Cell Phones

Predictive Texting Could Alter Children's Brains, Says Researcher


According to Australian researchers, the radiation emitted from a cell phone when sending a text message is only 0.03-percent of that produced during a voice call. It seems, then, with all the risks associated with cell phone radiation, texting would obviously be a safer method of communication.

The same researchers, though, claim that may not be the case. According to ABC Science, a team from Monash University recently conducted a Mobile Radiofrequency Phone Exposed Users' Study (Cleverly called MoRPhEUS, which is a fancy way of saying cell phone-based) on 317 children between 11 and 14 years of age.

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Video Games

Video Game Helps Patients Battle Cancer

Video Game Helps Patients Battle CancerYou can believe it or not, but research is showing that video games could help teens battle cancer. Well, not just any video game; 'GTA 4' isn't going to rid anyone of leukemia, but a game called 'Re-Mission' from non-profit health organization HopeLab is proving to be a valuable tool for younger patients.

CNN spoke to Dan Neumann, a gamer and leukemia patient who, in 2004, became involved with a clinical trial of the game that eventually became 'Re-Mission.' Neumann told CNN he dreaded chemotherapy when he first joined the trial as a 14-year-old, but that the game made him feel more involved with his treatment. "You're actively playing something and shooting cells," he said.

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Web, Social Networking

Young Hipsters Leaving Social Networking Sites, Research Says



"Since when did Facebook become Mombook?" a friend asked us not too long ago, in regards to the social networking site's increasingly aging clientele. It's been anecdotally proven, time and time again, that there's no quicker way to make something uncool than for parents to catch on to it -- whether it's certain slang words or a particular style of dress.

The Guardian reports that research by media firm Ofcom suggests this adage holds true for social networking sites, too. According to the findings, just 50-percent of 15-to-24-year-olds in the United Kingdom have a profile on a social networking site in 2009, compared to 55-percent in 2008. This is the first time that number has dropped since the Facebook and MySpace boom a few years ago. Conversely, the number of 25-to-34-year-olds that use these sites has risen from 40-percent in 2008 to 46-percent now.

Twitter, Facebook, or MySpace?


If the past is any indication (think music and fashion), this trend will soon hit U.S. shores. Looks like the secret's out, and now young folks will have to find a new way to communicate. Who knows? Maybe they'll start to, you know, actually meet face-to-face and talk. What a novel idea, right? [From: The Guardian]
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Banned Facebook Groups
Surrey, BC Terrorist Group
A Facebook group supporting the International Sikh Youth Federation, a banned terrorist organization, was taken down by Canadian Police. Authorities were tipped off to the group because its page depicted a young person holding a prohibited gun, which was eventually traced back to 49-year old Bahadur Sandhur. Police seized it and two others when they investigated his home.

Banned Facebook Groups

    Facebook is a great venue for humiliating oneself with ranting and raving, but, like most things, people can take things too far. Give someone a soapbox (or in this case, a Facebook group) and there are sure to be others crazy enough to follow them. Here are some examples of Facebook groups that crossed the line and were banned from the site.

    Assasinate Evo Morales
    Here's a good way to get your group banned -- call for the assassination of a political leader. Titled 'Global Collection to Hire a Sharpshooter to Liquidate Evo Morales' was taken down by Facebook since it bans threatening violence. No surprises here.

    Getty Images

    Surrey, BC Terrorist Group
    A Facebook group supporting the International Sikh Youth Federation, a banned terrorist organization, was taken down by Canadian Police. Authorities were tipped off to the group because its page depicted a young person holding a prohibited gun, which was eventually traced back to 49-year old Bahadur Sandhur. Police seized it and two others when they investigated his home.

    Dead Babies Group
    Facebook took down a group called 'Dead Babies Make Me Laugh' after the UK Sun was flooded with outraged calls and emails. A running joke on campuses, the group included fake anecdotes about killing babies, but mothers weren't laughing even though the group was created and classified as being "just for fun."

    I Need Sex Group
    Laura Michaels of Bristol, England, created a Facebook group called 'I Need Sex.' According to the UK Sun, the group had more than 100 members after being up for only one hour. Michaels claims to have ended up sleeping with 50 of the group's members -- literally half of the group. Facebook opposes this type of personals-ad use, so the group was taken down.

    KKK group
    Facebook recently shut down a group called the 'Isle of Man KKK.' The group called for the elimination of newcomers from the UK island and featured a picture of a hooded Ku Klux Klan member. Thankfully, Facebook's terms of service prohibits content that is hateful or threatening.

Web

Web-Addicted Teen Beaten to Death at Chinese Rehab



With reportedly more than 10-million Internet-addicted teens in China, many parents are taking their children to clinics across the vast country. And these clinics, which often use controversial methods instead of behavioral therapy, are producing some terrifying results.

According to the Times Online, 16-year-old Deng Senshan was beaten to death Saturday by trainers at the Guangxi Qihuang Survival Training Camp only 10 hours after he arrived. The camp, located in southern China, uses military tactics to break teens of their addictions to the Web. Although Senshan's father asked administrators to take it easy on his shy son, the Times reports that trainers 'scolded' and beat the boy because they were not pleased with the speed at which he performed a jogging exercise. Police say they've arrested four people in connection with Senshan's death.

Of course, the boy's parents are heartbroken, and our hearts go out to them. Still, it's hard for us to understand how someone could send their child to a military-style facility, which costs more than $1,000, for an Internet addiction. Maybe he was playing 'World of Warcraft' too much, but does that warrant a trip to boot camp? If they could have him back, it's safe to say the parents might consider other options. [From: The Times Online]

Web, Social Networking

Facebook, MySpace Cause Teen Suicide, Says Archbishop


Social networking sites may have finally met their match. The head of the UK Roman Catholic Church Vincent Nichols warns that social networking sites' emphasis on fleeting relationships may leave teens without strong social ties.

Archbishop of Westminster Nichols ruffled some feathers when he told the Sunday Telegraph that the Internet and cell phones are "dehumanizing" community life. His comments come on the heels of the death of a 15-year-old girl who overdosed on painkillers after being taunted on social networking site Bebo. Nichols went on to say that while these sites do build a community, it's not a well-rounded one. The sites create 'transient relationships' and place too much of an emphasis on popularity, as determined by the number of 'friends' a person might have. Nichols told the Sunday Telegraph, "Among young people often a key factor in their committing suicide is the trauma of transient relationships. They throw themselves into a friendship or network of friendships, then it collapses and they're desolate."

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iPhone, Visionaries

19-Year-Old Singlehandedly Changing Online News


When then 17-year old Michael van Poppel somehow got his hands on an Osama bin Laden videotape two years ago and sold it to Reuters before anyone else had even heard of it, the landscape of media changed, so claims ReadWriteWeb. Van Poppel owns the Netherlands-based news aggregator, Breaking News Online, which operates under a simple, anti-large scale news source premise: smaller, people-run agencies can find, edit, and distribute world events faster than large media outlets. Since the sale, BNO has become the go-to news source for, well, go-to news sources, usually beating mass competitors by ten or fifteen minutes.

The young van Poppel is intrinsically tech savvy. He has taken to live-blogging, a perfect forum to break news as it occurs. BNO has over 800,000 Twitter followers (four times as many as ABC and twice as many as Newsweek). He's one-upping major mainstream outlets as well, with RSS feeds and daily e-mails, and he's now producing an iPhone application.

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Cell Phones

Teens Text Daily in Class, Study Reveals


We've seen endless studies on teens and their cell phone habits, and one conclusion can be drawn from all of the surveys. The iGeneration kids aren't going to stop texting. The most recent investigation into teen texting, conducted by Joel Benenson of Common Sense Media, revealed that teens send 25-percent of their total text messages while killing time in class. (Whatever happened to doodling and daydreaming?)

The pollsters broke the numbers down and found that students send 110 texts a week during class time, which equates to over three texts per class. The study also determined that half of all students have used their phones to either store notes they can consult during a test, or to text a friend for a test answer. Only half of all the students polled believe this phone cheating to be a "serious offense."

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