Archive for September, 2010
The Empire Strikes Back
My good friend Mike Dermody seems to be getting under the skin of some corporate heads over at Facebook. Mike’s blog is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in technology or Internet safety; however, someone who claims to be a Facebook employee seems to think otherwise. Like me, Mike will occasionally write a blog relating [...]
Facebook Enables Man/Boy Love Relationships
“The Internet is the number one destination for pedophiles because they believe that technology grants these criminals anonymity.” That’s a quote from Thomas Harrington, the FBI’s Executive Assistant Director for Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch on August 2, 2010. And given the latest news from FOX, Mr. Harrington’s statement couldn’t be more dead-on. Bear [...]
Upstanders, the Best Role Models for Our Children
Cyberbullying, sexting, online privacy—these issues can put a toll on any parent these days. In addition to the online threats that our children face, they still have to deal with the normal problems of growing up, which, for those of us who can remember, isn’t an easy feat. Unfortunately, for some children “growing up” can [...]
The Cookies You Don’t Want Your Kids Eating
For a while now, The Wall Street Journal has been running a series of articles and reports on the topic of online privacy. The series, called What They Know, acts as a great information resource for parents and online privacy advocates alike as the WSJ covers everything from anonymity, to online privacy for children, to [...]
Yoursphere Before Facebook – Here’s Why
As parents, we want what’s best for our children, there’s no doubt about that. We want them to enjoy life and everything that it has to offer, and we want them to be safe while doing so. In today’s world, the Internet is part of that life. Its mainstream influence on our society is growing more and [...]
The Upside to Online Identity Verification
When people ask me questions like, “What makes Yoursphere different than other social networks?”, or “What are you guys doing to compete in such an impacted market?” I always find myself eager to list all of the great things we do that makes us so unique, but I stop myself, step back, and focus on [...]
When Facebook Status Updates Go Wrong
You might want to think twice before announcing over Facebook that you’ll be on vacation for the next two weeks. As a matter of fact, you may want to refrain from announcing that you’re leaving the house at all. Unfortunately, more than 18 families from New Hampshire were victim to the worst that could happen [...]
A Safe iPhone and a Happy Kid
Keeping an eye on all of your child’s online activity is close to impossible these days, especially with the recent surge of 3G/4G capable mobile devices. Smart phones have landed in the hands of almost every tween and teen, and as a result, it has left parents with even more concerns about the instant connectivity [...]
Jolkona’s Technological Approach to Global Charity
When you step back and take a look at the major sociological changes in the last 20 years or so, you can’t help but notice the Internet and how connected it’s made everything. It’s such a mind-blowing, yet amazing, phenomenon. Granted, there can obviously be some negative things that come out of the idea of [...]
Personal Info Aggregator, Spokeo, Goes Mobile
You may remember a while back when I posted a blog about the “Internet white pages” service, Spokeo. Well, they’re at it again, and this time they’ve released a mobile version of their website. Basically, anyone with a web browser on their phone now has access to Spokeo’s unlimited database of personal information about almost [...]
“Why Facebook Has It Wrong About Our Kids”
There are a lot of really great Internet-safety blogs and websites out there for parents to take advantage of. ChildrenOnline.org has always been personal favorite of mine. Their monthly newsletter is always jam-packed with useful advice and the latest news, and this month is no exception as Marje Monroe and Doug Fodeman put together a lengthy—and very interesting—article about [...]
An Interesting Way to Quit Your Job
Happy Friday, everyone! And happy Labor Day in advance. I have to admit, I feel extremely fortunate to have a career that I’m passionate about. I look forward to coming into the office every day, and I look forward to meeting new people who feel the same way. But I know that in today’s world, [...]
Mary Kay is a nationally-recognized Internet safety expert and the founder of 
