Exposure to educational television has been shown to have positive effects on the social, intellectual, and educational development of children. Is it possible to find truly educational content on broadcast television? Articles below deal with 1) television broadcasters' obligation to provide educational programming for children, 2) efforts to shield children from indecenct programming, 3) advertising aimed at children and 4) children and violence.
Children and Media
Early Facebook and Google Employees Form Coalition to Fight What They Built
A group of Silicon Valley technologists who were early employees at Facebook and Google, alarmed over the ill effects of social networks and smartphones, are banding together to challenge the companies they helped build. The cohort is creating a union of concerned experts called the Center for Humane Technology.
Reactions to Commissioner O'Rielly's Re-examination of Kid Vid Requirements
In a Jan 26 blog post, Commissioner Michael O'Rielly of the Federal Communications Commission is proposing the FCC rethink what he calls its "ineffective and burdensome requirements currently imposed on our nation’s broadcasters to air a certain amount of educational and informational children’s programming on a weekly basis." That is the requirement that TV stations air at least three hours per week of core educational/informational children's TV programming in at least 30-minute blocks.
It’s Time to Reexamine the FCC’s Kid Vid Requirements
I posit that the Federal Communications Commission needs to reconsider the ineffective and burdensome requirements currently imposed on our nation’s broadcasters to air a certain amount of educational and informational children’s programming on a weekly basis, colloquially referred to as Kid Vid. While Kid Vid rules (minus the reporting requirements) apply to noncommercial educational stations like PBS, such programming is tied to the mission of these stations and PBS does not need a mandate to continue providing such content. In fact, children’s programming on PBS is only expected to inc
An interactive webinar examining how new technologies are shaping the economy, society and education in what is called the Fourth Industrial Revolution. During the hourlong interactive discussion, participants will hear from education leaders about the ongoing technological transformation and its impact.
Presenters
Silicon Valley Reconsiders the iPhone Era It Created
The smartphone has fueled much of Silicon Valley’s soaring profits over the past decade, enriching companies in sectors from social media to games to payments. But over the past year or so, a number of prominent industry figures have voiced concerns about the downsides of the technology’s ubiquity.
In Protests of Net Neutrality Repeal, Teenage Voices Stood Out
Millions of Americans have been caught up in a bitter debate over the repeal of net neutrality rules that prevented broadband providers from blocking websites or demanding fees to reach consumers.
Privacy Groups Push FTC Action on Kid-Connected Devices
Consumer groups want the Federal Trade Commission and retailers to crack down on Interconnected toys and smartwatches to protect kids' privacy.
One of the major challenges for education technology leaders is addressing digital equity, particularly out-of-school broadband access. Hear how school districts are working with local, regional, and national businesses in leveraging the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to close the digital access gap. School and business leaders will discuss how collaboration can improve school-to-home connectivity as well as access to devices and internet-based resources for families in need.
Moderator: Jayne James, CoSN Project Director
Presenters:
How the FCC Might Soon Disconnect Students
The Federal Communications Commission has taken a series of worrying actions since former FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai ascended to the role of chairman in January 2017. On Feb 3, the FCC abruptly rescinded the glowing E-rate report that had just been released two and a half weeks prior.
Democratic Sens question privacy, security of Facebook's 'Messenger Kids'
Sens Ed Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are questioning the privacy and security of Facebook’s new messaging app, which is designed for kids under 13, expressing their concerns in a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. “We remain concerned about where sensitive information collected through this app could end up and for what purpose it could be used,” they wrote.