Keeping Kids Safe From Predators (er, Marketers) Part One

July 13, 2009 Since researcher Sara M. Grimes opened up the conversation on data mining and privacy practices for us, I’d like to keep the focus on this important topic for a sec, because I DO believe we can use media and marketing to impact kids in favorable ways, and have founded our entire organization on that premise to sift out the sludge and elevate the possibility. … [Read more...]

Default: The Student Loan Documentary Needs Your Vote On Ideablob!

July 9, 2009 Update 7-13: 24 hrs. left for them to qualify this round, lend a hand if you can! "Default." Say what? It’s rare that I’d ‘advocate for default’ but in this case, it’s well-warranted, as it’s an important movie-in-the-making (trailer after the jump) by the same name! The DEFAULT movie is the passion project of two filmmakers (now friends) of mine that I met via … [Read more...]

Digital Data Mining 101: Echometrix Takes Kids’ Pulse

July 8, 2009 Still focused on "child predator" panic on the internet? I'd focus more on white collar stalkers like Echometrix, ubiquitous in far greater numbers, if I were you. Imagine digital tracking of every pop culture cue and kids' conversation in "real time" mode, self-described in their Echometrix blog as "opinion mining and sentiment analysis," to tap the "$190 billion … [Read more...]

Summer of Link Love: Reprint Rights, Yours for the Asking!

July 7, 2009 If I were using my marketing hat, I could’ve headlined this post “Expose yourself, and we’ll reciprocate” or some other sexist tripe for click-through baiting in edgy innuendo/ad agency style. But...since: a.) I disdain obvious ad ploys and b.) it runs counter to our mission and all we stand for in raising the bar on media messaging, I’ll simply defer to Tracee … [Read more...]

Building Freedom: Celebrating Independence With Kids

July 4, 2015 Update: Adding this "Made in the USA" label lingo literacy from Consumer Reports to remind us all of our increasingly interdependent global culture and fascinating glimpse of whether the flag-waving zeal and patriotic pride merits a "made elsewhere" second glance. Here's to a peaceful celebration of independence, and thankfulness for the freedoms we all too often … [Read more...]