The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

Gossip .  At first glance the word may reflect ugliness of rumors and hurtful words towards another person or incident.  However gossip can also be a way to build relationships when you aren't being malicious about it. Teens love to gossip too .  Gossip can seem like fun until you are its target. There’s something enjoyable about talking about other people among your friends, but when you are the one being talked about, it’s not easy. Part of growing up and maturity is learning empathy, an understanding of how your actions and words make others feel. It’s not easy to stand up to gossips in your social group, but you might be able to change the subject or make a joke about the person spreading the rumor to break the cycle. If you’re the one spreading rumors about other people, take some time to think about how your actions make those people feel. It can be funny to see how people react to the stories you tell about them, but laughter at the expense of ano...

I was thrilled to be part of Columnist Elizabeth Bernstein's articlein the Wall Street Journal - The Dark Side of 'Webtribution' . She also listed my tips to help protect yourself online as well as wrote a fantastic column about what keystrokes can do to lives! Click here to read her article dated 12/01/09.

Vanessa Van Petten is always keeping parents up to date through her valuable website called OnTeensToday . I love getting her latest articles, they always educate us as to what our kids may be going through in today’s generation of life as they live it. Here is this week’s blast of news for you - and the topic is one that every parent needs to take the time to learn about. Digital Kids! 5 Code Cracking Perspectives on Digital Kids I post a lot about kids online and Growing Up On line Series. Recently, after going on my media tour with Symantec on their new Parental Control Software , my mind was opened to a bunch of new issues and their solutions…please read on: 1) Curiosity vs. Obsession Many parents have found their kids on a porn website and pro-anorexia site and has freaked out. Before breaking out the handcuffs and throwing the computer out the window, I think there needs to be a distinction between what is simple adolescent curiosity and what is a real problem. I am just going t...

Shortcomings in the Law Allow Cyberdefamation Campaigns, Legal Expert Says Read entire article here: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/Story?id=6960397&page=1 The Law as an Accomplice Legal experts, however, emphasized that the law protects Web sites like Topix. Even if the comments are considered defamatory by a court of law, Topix has no legal obligation to take the content down. Defenders of the legal landscape argue that a change could stifle open discussion and free speech. But others maintain that in stories like this, regardless of who emerges, once the veil of anonymity is lifted, it is the law itself that is a co-conspirator. “The law as it currently stands is an accomplice because it creates no incentive whatsoever for Web sites to review or police themselves from content that is potentially devastating to real people and real lives,” Michael Fertik, a lawyer who specializes in online defamation , told ABCNews.com. Part of the problem, Fertik continued, is ...

Today more and more teens are joining Facebook as well as the other Social Network - however Facebook seems to be growing. Why? I honestly don’t know, but I do know parents are enjoying Facebook as much as many kids are. Recently I stumbled over an article on Tangerine Times written by a parent helping us navigate our way through the Social Cyberspace. This topic is critical - as keeping your child’s privacy is important for many reasons. Help your kids stay safe with Social Networking - read this valuable article. Source: Tangerine Times How to Help Your Teen Use Privacy Settings on Facebook Many parents tell me they are frustrated with their teens’ use of Facebook. Here are some of the comments I hear frequently from parents: “They know more than I do about how to use it and set it up, so how can I control it?” “My kids are using it when I am not around, so how can I possibly know what they are doing, who they are talking to and if they are being safe with their information?” “I fe...

Want to know more about the Internet and the Legal Boundaries? Leading Internet Specialist Attorney, John Dozier Jr. is one of the best in the country and represents some of the top businesses in the world. Keep in touch with the Legal World of the Internet at John's Blog at http://johndozierjr.typepad.com/dozierinternetlaw/ John W. Dozier , Jr. began practicing law in 1981 and has the highest rating (AV) by Martindale - Hubbell (meaning he has reached the "height of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity"). Mr. Dozier is a "Legal Elite for 2008" as an Intellectual Property Lawyer through a peer selection process of the Virginia Bar Association and Virginia Business Magazine, was recognized through peer review as a "Super Lawyer" in Internet Law in the " Superlawyers " Magazine, was named as one of the top attorneys nationwide for 2008 in Intellectual Property Litigation in the Law and Politi...

As usual, Connect with Kids offers valuable articles for parents. This week they touch on the critical subject of our kids and the Internet. I know first hand the pros and cons of Cyberspace, however the challenge is getting our children to understand how important it is to protect yourself online and know that the Internet has a vast amount of great information but like with many things in life, you need to be aware of the pitfalls that may come with it. Source Connect with Kids “I wasn’t like other kids, you know, they had the Internet at home and I didn’t, so I felt like I was being deprived of something.” – Ashley, 16 years old Sixteen-year-old Ashley has always been a good student, but two years ago, she became a better student. “In my history class, where we had to do a lot of research, I went from a B to an A,” she says. What made the difference? Ashley believes it was her increased use of the Internet. She always had Web access at school but not at home. “I wasn’t like other k...

Introduction In today's society, the Internet has made its way into almost every American home. It is a well-known fact that the web is a valuable asset for research and learning. Unfortunately, it can also be a very dangerous place for teens. With social networking sites like Myspace and Friendster, chat rooms, instant messaging, and online role-playing video games, our children are at access to almost anyone. Sue Scheff, along with Parent's Universal Resource Experts™, is tackling the dangers of the web. Keeping tabs on our teens' online habits doesn't just keep them safe from online predators. More and more parents are becoming wary of the excessive hours their teens spend surfing the web, withdrawing from family, friends and activities they used to enjoy. Internet Addiction is a devastating problem facing far too many teens and their families. While medical professionals have done limited research on the topic, more and more are recognizing this destructive behavior...