We need a revolution of good information. After the past few weeks of fake news, hyper-biased reporting and filter bubbles, accessing good information seems more important than ever. Luckily, it’s actually easy to be aware of where your information is coming from. 1. Know your sources. This one seems obvious, but is actually really easy […]
When was the last time you were bored? Really truly stare-at-the-wall, might-as-well-do-your-ironing-or-reorganise-your-kitchen-cupboards bored? If you’re like most of us, it’s probably been a while. Possibly that day the Internet went down, the cable went out or that time on holiday in 2005 when the wifi was dismal. It’s extremely difficult to be bored these days. […]
Amy Salloway’s recent Issues article for The Kernel, in which she discusses her experience after an inappropriate photo was posted online without her knowledge, is a well-written and poised discussion about what it feels like to be humiliated in the virtual world. It is also an important reminder that our online actions can have just […]
In a very digital world, a very analogue trend is making a surprising comeback: adult colouring. We’re not talking sordid images (though there is potentially a niche market there as well), just good old fashioned colouring in, with some pens or coloured pencils, sat round a table, diligently trying to stay inside the lines. Think: […]
May 31st of this year marked one of the most tragic and shocking stories of the dangers of technology amongst children and teens. The case, now known as the Slenderman stabbing, occurred earlier this year when two 12-year-old girls in Waukesha County, Wisconsin attempted to stab a classmate to death in order to please an […]
The results of Ofcom’s annual report (which surveys the media habits of 2,800 UK adults and children) are out and the statistics point to one indisputable conclusion: we are a nation that lives life in front of a screen. The report, which gauges the country’s level of media consumption, found that not only do adults […]
American rapper and activist Richard Williams, known as Prince Ea, is the latest public figure to express concern about the state of our technology-inundated world. The video, “Can We Auto-Correct Humanity?” comes, somewhat ironically, via YouTube, and in just under two weeks has received nearly 5 million hits. In the video, Williams addresses issues commonly […]
India is the latest country to open treatments centres exclusively for the purpose of treating technology addiction. This spring, Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma opened the Services for Healthy Use of Technology (SHUT) Clinic in Bangalore with the aim of combating technology addiction. This summer, a similar clinic opened in Delhi, an NGO aimed at treating […]
We all know it’s unwise (not to mention dangerous and likely illegal, depending on where you are) to use your phone while driving. But until recently, motorists and experts alike operated under the blanket assumption that hands-free devices eluded many of the dangers posed by using a smartphone while driving. In a study released this […]
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), a charity specialising in child protection, has recently noted the increasing danger of Internet safety for children and teens. This uniquely modern threat has now been cited as one of the primary issues faced by young people today. The dangers inherent in children being […]