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Unlimited Internet access, limited family time

21 Jun 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The Lord "set limits" on the sea at the time of creation, we hear in this Sunday's reading from the Book of Job. Families will need to set limits on the amount of time they spend online if they hope to spend more time together, said a new study, which suggests that a sharp decline in family togetherness coincides with a rise in Internet use and the popularity of social networks. The Annenberg Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California reported this week that 28 percent of the Americans it interviewed last year said they have been spending less time with members of their households. That's nearly triple the 11 percent who said that in 2006. Michael Gilbert, a senior fellow at the center, said people report spending less time with family members just as social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace are booming, along with the importance people place on them. Five-year-old Facebook's active user base, for example, has surged to more than 200 million, up from 100 million last August. Meanwhile more people say they are worried about how much time kids and teenagers spend online. In 2000, when the center began its annual surveys on Americans and the Internet, only 11 percent of respondents said that family members under 18 were spending too much time online. By 2008 that number grew to 28 percent. In the first half of the decade, people reported spending an average of 26 hours per month with their families. By last year, however, that shared time had dropped by more than 30 percent, to about 18 hours. "Most people think of the Internet and [our] digital future as boundless, and I do, too," Gilbert said. But, he added, "it can't be a good thing that families are spending less face-to-face time together. Ultimately it leads to less cohesive and less communicative families." Source: An article by Barbara Ortutay for Associated Press

internet facebook social network michael gilbert annenberg center for the digital future families

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A voice for political freedom in Iran

28 Jun 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

"God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living," the Sunday reading from the Book of Wisdom tells us. Graphic video images of Neda Agha-Soltan, a young Iranian woman dying in the streets of Tehran after being shot during a protest march, have become a symbol of resistance in Iran's political crisis. The woman's first name means "the voice" or "the call," and she is being hailed as a martyr and a voice for political freedom. The images entered wide circulation Saturday when two different videos appeared on YouTube and Facebook. The amateur footage provided a powerful example of citizens' ability to document events inside Iran despite government restrictions on foreign media and Internet and phone lines. The graphic imagery could have an important impact on public opinion in Iran, where the idea of martyrdom resonates deeply among a populace steeped in the stories and imagery of Shiite Islam, which exalts martyrdom in the cause of justice. Thousands of people inside and outside Iran have written online tributes to the woman, many condemning the government and praising her as a martyr. Some posted photos of a gently smiling woman they said was Neda, some calling her "Iran's Joan of Arc." During a press conference Wednesday, President Barack Obama said he had seen the video images, which he called "heartbreaking." He praised "the courage and dignity" of the demonstrators, especially the women who have been marching. "While this loss is raw and extraordinarily painful," he said, "we also know this: Those who stand up for justice are always on the right side of history." Source: Articles by Michael Weissenstein and Anna Johnson for the Associated Press, Helene Cooper and David E. Sanger for the New York Times, and Robin Wright for TIME

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Facing a storm of criticism on internet privacy

30 May 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Jesus tells his disciples in this Sunday's gospel that the Spirit of truth "will take from what is mine and declare it to you." Internet giants Facebook and Google have come under increasing criticism for collecting and sharing users' private information without adequate safeguards or clear guidelines. Their leaders are promising to do a better job. Facebook on Wednesday announced a major overhaul of its privacy controls to fend off mounting criticism that it is betraying the trust that has made it the world's biggest online social-networking service. "It's been a pretty intense few weeks for us, listening to all the feedback coming in from all the changes we've made," Facebook's 26-year-old founder Mark Zuckerberg said as he unveiled simplified privacy controls. "Now we are making it so there is less information that has to be public," Zuckerberg said. "People want a simple way to control the way information is shared with third parties, so that is what we are doing." Privacy groups and regulators around the world, meanwhile, have blasted Google for collecting personal information through its Street View application. One privacy group called for an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission, saying Google was essentially wiretapping through its Street View program, which eavesdropped on unlocked wireless networks. Google has said the information collection was an unintended byproduct of its mapping process and was not saved or used in any way. "Thanks to both Google and Facebook, we have all the elements of a perfect privacy storm," said Jeffrey Chester, executive director of the privacy group the Center for Digital Democracy. "There are organized and spontaneous consumer protests; investigations by officials on both sides of the Atlantic; and a Congress finally waking up to this issue." Source: Articles by Ian Paul for PC World, Cecilia Kang for the Washington Post, and Agence France Presse

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Young women face social network addiction

11 Jul 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Psalm 69 urges us to “turn to the Lord” in our need. Young women ages 18-34 increasingly turn to Facebook and other social media to fulfill their communication needs, a new study reveals. Many confess to being “Facebook addicts." More than half of young women, 57 percent, say they talk to people online more than face-to-face, the survey found. A full 39 percent proclaim themselves Facebook addicts, while 34 percent of young women make Facebook the first thing they do when they wake up, even before brushing their teeth or going to the bathroom. Perhaps most astonishing, according to the survey conducted by Oxygen Media and Lightspeed Research, is the fact that 21 percent admit checking Facebook in the middle of the night. The study sampled the habits of 1,605 adults using social media in May and June of this year in an attempt to analyze their social media habits. Among other findings: 63 percent use Facebook as a networking tool; 42 percent think it’s OK to post photos of themselves intoxicated; 79 percent are fine with kissing in photos; 58 percent use Facebook to keep tabs on “frenemies”; and 50 percent are fine with being Facebook friends with complete strangers. Source: A blog post by Ben Parr for Mashable.com

women facebook social networking young adults

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Are we screening out community with our time online?

08 Aug 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be,” Jesus says to his disciples in this Sunday’s gospel. When it comes to online activity, Americans increasingly treasure mobile communication devices and social networks, according to research results released this week. What Americans Do Online, a report released Monday by the media research firm Nielsen, says that use of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter has increased 43 percent in the past year and that they now take up more than a third of time spent online. As for the device of choice, smart phones (those with internet and text capabilities) that utilize Google’s mobile Android operating system appear to have supplanted Research in Motion (RIM)’s Blackberry and Apple’s iPhone as the most popular smart phones in the U.S., says market research company Canalys. According to the Canalys study, Google controls 34 percent of the market compared to RIM's 32 percent and Apple's 21.7 percent. That's not to say that Apple or RIM is posting financial losses. In fact, Apple grew 61 percent in sales year-to-year and RIM grew 41 percent. Part of the overall industry growth is explained by the exploding popularity of smart phones as the preferred method for online communication. Overall smart phone sales rose 64 percent on a year-to-year basis. As for what people do once they are online, within a few years social networks may supplant email as the number one activity. "The rise of social networking hasn't pushed email and instant messaging into obscurity just yet. Although both saw double-digit declines in share of time, email remains as the third heaviest activity online . . . while instant messaging is fifth," said the report from Nielsen. Behind all the numbers lie some larger questions: What does all this time spent online and in front of screens say about us as a society? Are we becoming more isolated and removed from one another as we become more attached to our gadgets and screens? What happens to personal interactions and the sense of community in the meantime? And how do we find a balanced way to enjoy the benefits of the new technology without getting swept away by it? Source: Articles by Jason Mick for DailyTech.com and Tim Conneally for Betanews.com

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Goldman Sachs likes Facebook

09 Jan 2011 - Preaching the News for Sunday

As we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord this Sunday, the readings make clear Jesus’ favored status in the eyes of God: Peter preaches that God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power, while Isaiah speaks of him as the chosen one, and, echoing Isaiah, the gospel describes a voice from heaven that proclaims Jesus “the beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.” Facebook president and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has gotten somewhat similar treatment in recent weeks. A short while after being chosen as TIME magazine's “Man of the Year” for 2010, Zuckerberg received the endorsement of Wall Street in the form of a $500 million investment by Goldman Sachs and a partner company. Goldman plans to raise at least $1.5 billion more for Facebook from private investors in a deal that is raising eyebrows at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In fewer than seven years Zuckerberg has developed a website visited by a twelfth of the world and has helped change the way people communicate online, which is why TIME singled him out. And this week he struck a deal with Goldman to create an investment vehicle that allows hundreds of wealthy investors to buy equity in Facebook, potentially blurring the line between public and private companies. Current SEC regulations require companies with 500 or more shareholders to publicly disclose certain financial information to give investors an idea of the risks they face when they buy stock. In light of the special investment vehicle created for the Facebook deal, the SEC is taking a hard look at whether disclosure rules need to change now that hundreds of investors are buying into privately held Internet companies without those companies being obligated to make public disclosures. Source: Articles by Jessica Guyenn for the Los Angeles Times and Jean Eaglesham and Aaron Lucchetti for the Wall Street Journal

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The online face of depression

03 Apr 2011 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The reading from the Letter to the Ephesians this Sunday encourages us to “try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” but to “take no part in . . . fruitless works.” Trying to please their popular peers on Facebook may be a fruitless task for teens with low self-esteem and also contribute to teen depression, doctors warn. Researchers disagree on whether such depression is simply an extension of depression some kids feel in other circumstances or a distinct condition linked with using the online site. But there are unique aspects of Facebook that can make it a particularly tough social landscape to navigate for kids already dealing with poor self-esteem, said Dr. Gwenn O'Keeffe, a Boston-area pediatrician and lead author of new American Academy of Pediatrics social media guidelines. With in-your-face friends' tallies, status updates, and photos of happy-looking people having great times, Facebook pages can make some kids feel even worse if they think they don't measure up, said O’Keefe. "Facebook is where all the teens are hanging out now. It's their corner store," O'Keeffe said. The benefits of kids using social media sites like Facebook shouldn't be overlooked, she added, such as connecting with friends and family, sharing pictures, and exchanging ideas. “A lot of what's happening is actually very healthy, but it can go too far.” Dr. Megan Moreno, a University of Wisconsin adolescent medicine specialist who has studied online social networking among college students, said using Facebook can enhance feelings of social connectedness among well-adjusted kids but can have the opposite effect on those prone to depression. At the same time, she cautioned, parents shouldn't get the idea that using Facebook "is going to somehow infect their kids with depression." The new guidelines urge pediatricians to encourage parents to talk with their kids about online use and to be aware of Facebook depression, cyber bullying, “sexting,” and other online risks. The academy notes that online harassment "can cause profound psychosocial outcomes," including suicide. The widely publicized suicide of a 15-year-old Massachusetts girl last year occurred after she'd been bullied and harassed in person and on Facebook. Source: Articles by Lindsey Tanner for Associated Press and Larry Magid for HuffingtonPost.com

teenagers facebook social networking teens depression self-esteem gwenn okeeffe megan moreno

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The online face of religion

11 Sep 2011 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“The challenge” on this 10th anniversary of 9/11 “is to present Jesus' call to live in the land of reconciliation and forgiveness as a truly courageous and difficult path,” counsels this week’s “Who’s Listening?” reflection for PrepareTheWord. One enterprising diet doctor presents Jesus’ words to followers on Facebook four or five times a day as a way to encourage people, he said. As it turns out, his audience is the most highly engaged on Facebook, far surpassing marketing efforts by celebrities and sports teams. The doctor, Aaron Tabor, 41, grew up watching his father preach at churches in Alabama and North Carolina, and his Facebook creation is called the Jesus Daily. He started it in April, 2009, he said, as a hobby shortly after he began using Facebook to market his diet book and online diet business. For the last three months, more people have “Liked”--8,481,046 as of today--commented, and shared content on the Jesus Daily than on any other Facebook page, according to a weekly analysis by AllFacebook.com, an industry blog. The page also has foreign-language versions. The page features pictures of Jesus dressed as a shepherd and is updated daily with biblical quotes, prayers, and reflections. While it’s too early to say that social media have transformed the way people practice religion, the number of those discussing faith on Facebook has significantly increased in the last year, according to company officials. More than 43 million people on Facebook are fans of at least one page categorized as religious. Sources: Articles by Jennifer Preston for the New York Times and Dan Gilgoff for CNN Religion Blog

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Analysts to investors: Don’t rush to “like” Facebook

20 May 2012 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The readings for the Solemnity of the Ascension are uplifting in every sense of the word: They tell how God showed great might in raising Christ from the dead and how the disciples enjoyed 40 days of revelation and instruction before the risen Lord ascended to the heavens. Investors eager to buy into Facebook when shares become available can expect to see the stock price skyrocket the first day or two, but analysts advise it may be best to wait to buy. Just days before Facebook was set to go public through an initial public offering (IPO), General Motors Co., highlighting the risk in buying Facebook stock early on, will stop paying for advertising on Facebook after deciding that paid ads on the site have little impact on consumers' car purchases, according to a GM official. The move by GM, one of the largest advertisers in the U.S., puts a spotlight on an issue that many marketers have been raising: whether ads on Facebook help them sell more products. Facebook’s IPO could put a market value on the company of as much as $104 billion. “This is about whether you are going to take your money and transfer it to Mark Zuckerberg,” said Lee Munson, who runs the asset management firm Portfolio LLC. Munson calls the offering “one of the biggest transfers of wealth in market history.” Zuckerberg will maintain effective control after the offering, with around 55 percent of the voting rights, and Munson has concerns about his wholehearted embrace of “the hacker lifestyle” that may not necessarily align with the interests of shareholders. “Who is going to boot [Zuckerberg] out if he’s not running the company the right way?” Munson asked. The important thing for most investors to remember, Munson believes, is that there will be an opportunity in the future to buy Facebook at a fair value if the growth potential bears fruit, “when it matures and figures out how to make money.” A pre-IPO report on Facebook from Morningstar echoed that assessment. Analysts said “the enthusiasm for Facebook is not misplaced, but the market may be underestimating several near-term challenges for the company.” Sources: Articles by Sharon Terlep, Suzanne Vranica, and Shayndi Raice for the Wall Street Journal, Steve Shaefer for Forbes, and Olivia Oran and Alexei Oreskovic for Reuters

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For January 1: Looking back at high-tech lows

23 Dec 2012 - Preaching the News for Sunday

On this Octave Day of Christmas, the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we recall the amazement all felt when shepherds first announced the good news of the birth of the savior. We’re used to being amazed by news of the latest breakthrough in technology and the niftiest new social networks and apps, but as a fresh calendar year begins let’s pause for a glance back at some of the most stunning high-tech flops of the past year.Apple Maps. The company Steve Jobs built may be a juggernaut, but even the mighty Apple makes mistakes. Apple Maps was such a fantastic disaster that CEO Tim Cook publicly apologized for it.When Apple revamped its mapping software to replace Google's maps, it looked good, and early reviews were positive. Users, however, quickly discovered it was broken. The internet buzzed with stories of Apple Maps suggesting routes that would intersect with a 747 at Dulles Airport or send a car careening off the Brooklyn Bridge.Apparently the years it took Google to assemble and fine-tune their product could not be replicated on the fly by Apple's cleverness. Fancy new features such as 3D imagery and spoken turn-by-turn directions couldn't save what was a product riddled with errors.BlackBerry 10. BlackBerrys used to be known as "CrackBerrys" for their addictive quality—there was a time when they were everywhere and people couldn't put them down. Even President Barack Obama was seen obsessing over his Blackberry during his first campaign. But those days are over.The Blackberry 10 is one of the year's biggest busts because it was never released as promised. This was supposed to be a comeback year for the Blackberry brand, but with the holiday season behind us, the new release day—January 30—may have the dwindling Blackberry faithful excited, but have the rest of us lost interest?Red-faced Facebook.Facebook's fumble of the process of selling stock to the public was daily news as the share price tumbled. But Facebook's “Reach Generator” bombed as well. A product that would have filled your news feed with more ads, it was killed after six months.And just this past week Facebook's heavy-handed attempt to commercialize photos that users share on the popular Instagram service suggests continued tone-deafness. Users reacted with outrage and canceled accounts when they learned of changes in the company’s terms of service that would apparently allow a user’s personal photos to be used in paid advertisements.Eric Goldman, an associate professor at the Santa Clara University School of Law, said the latest skirmish between Facebook and its users was part of the sometimes uncomfortable dynamic between companies offering free online services and their eventual need to turn a profit from them. “The interest of the site is never 100 percent aligned with the users, and the divergence inevitably leads to friction,” said Goldman. “It’s unavoidable.”Homily hint: The awe felt by many of us years ago on first hearing the Christmas story in all its gospel glory can fade over time as we get used to it each year and get distracted by all that glitters in our high-tech world. Take a moment on this special day in both sacred and secular calendars to invite all in attendance to pause and bring to mind the scene of the Nativity as it was witnessed by the shepherds. We can, and should, go to that place in our hearts to touch the feeling of wonder once more. Sources: Articles by Eric Jackson for Forbes, Victor Paul Alvarezfor Digital Crave, and Jenna Worthan for the New York Times

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