It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens

By danah boyd

What is new about how teenagers communicate through services such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram? Do social media affect the quality of teens’ lives? In this eye-opening book, youth culture and technology expert danah boyd uncovers some of the major myths regarding teens' use of social media. She explores tropes about identity, privacy, safety, danger, and bullying. Ultimately, boyd argues that society fails young people when paternalism and protectionism hinder teenagers’ ability to become informed, thoughtful, and engaged citizens through their online interactions. Yet despite an environment of rampant fear-mongering, boyd finds that teens often find ways to engage and to develop a sense of identity.

Boyd’s conclusions are essential reading not only for parents, teachers, and others who work with teens but also for anyone interested in the impact of emerging technologies on society, culture, and commerce in years to come. Offering insights gleaned from more than a decade of original fieldwork interviewing teenagers across the United States, boyd concludes reassuringly that the kids are all right. At the same time, she acknowledges that coming to terms with life in a networked era is not easy or obvious. In a technologically mediated world, life is bound to be complicated.

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iPredator Inc

iPredator Inc. was founded in September 2011 to provide educational and advisory products & services to consumers and organizations on Cyber Bullying, Cyber Stalking, Child Predators, Cyber Crime, Internet Defamation, Cyber Terrorism and the new fields of ICT Forensic Psychology & ICT Psychology they are pioneering. Created by a New York State licensed psychologist and certified forensic consultant, Dr. Michael Nuccitelli, their goal is to reduce victimization, abuse, theft and disparagement from online assailants.

In addition to assisting citizens, iPredator Inc.’s mission is to initiate a nationally sustained educational & awareness campaign with the help of private, state and federal agencies. In June 2012, iPredator Inc. launched their website, www.iPredator.co along with their forensics blog, Dark Psychology and Internet safety blog, Dr. Internet Safety. At their website, they offer an enormous free resource library for site visitors covering the vast range of Cyber Predators, Internet Safety, Cyber Security, ICT Psychology, Forensic Psychology and Criminal Psychology.

As Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Nuccitelli became interested in the psychology and profiling of those who use Information and Communications Technology to abuse, steal, taunt and victimize others online in 2009. In 2012, Dr. Nuccitelli and his team of expert consultants grew even more determined to develop victimization prevention & intervention strategies for vulnerable online users utilizing education, investigation, legal, law enforcement and information technology experts.

At the center of iPredator Inc.’s products and services is Dr. Nuccitelli’s theoretical construct, iPredator. As a member and consultant to the American College of Forensic Examiners International, iPredator was the feature article in their 2011 winter issue of The Forensic Examiner published quarterly. Since 2009, Dr. Nuccitelli has dedicated himself to learning the psychological composition of those who are engaged in online malevolent activities. His definition of iPredator is as follows:

iPredator: A child, adult or group who engages in exploitation, victimization, stalking, theft or disparagement of others using information and communications technology (ICT.) iPredators are driven by deviant fantasies, desires for power and control, retribution, religious fanaticism, political reprisal, psychiatric illness, perceptual distortions, peer acceptance or personal and financial gain. iPredators can be any age, either gender and not bound by economic status, race or national heritage.

Dr. Nuccitelli and his colleagues have compiled an enormous database leading to iPredator Inc.’s resource library available at no charge to all site visitors. Having read, reviewed and compiled these links, websites and resources, he went on to develop the IPI Assessment Collection & IISC Collection designed for parents, businesses, educators, healthcare professionals, teens, adults and public figures offered at their website to take online and/or purchase. The IPI Assessment Collection & IISC Collection address cyber bullying, cybercrime, cyber stalking, cyber terrorism, digital reputation, social media, corporate disparagement and cyber predators. Interested parties can also purchase the licenses to these assessments to use for their own endeavors to educate and assess their communities, organizations and businesses in their online activities and ICT safety practices.

Concurrent with these assessments, iPredator Inc. offers a unique educational & advisory-based membership service called iPredator Protected. iPredator Protected functions to educate, advise and assist their members on the appropriate strategies for prevention, intervention, investigation and guidance if targeted by an iPredator. iPredator Inc. services include trainings, educational seminars, phone consultations and advisory, investigation, forensic and ICT Forensic Psychology services for law enforcement, attorneys and court systems. iPredator Inc. also offers trainings on ICT Psychology and Digital Reputation Management for businesses and the general public.

iPredator Inc. retains and consults with regional and national attorneys, law enforcement, ICT security experts, criminal investigators and the American College of Forensic Examiners International. Law enforcement, the legal system, community organizations and national activist organizations support iPredator Inc., their mission and the products, services and valuable information they share at their website, www.iPredator.co.

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